Great singer Orpheus, the son of the river god Eager and the muse Calliope, lived in distant Thrace. Orpheus's wife was beautiful nymph Eurydice. The singer Orpheus loved her dearly. But Orpheus did not enjoy himself for long happy life with his wife. One day, soon after the wedding, the beautiful Eurydice was picking spring flowers in a green valley with her young playful nymph friends. Eurydice did not notice the snake in the thick grass and stepped on it. The snake bit Orpheus's young wife in the leg. Eurydice screamed loudly and fell into the arms of her friends who ran up. Eurydice turned pale and her eyes closed. The snake's venom ended her life. Eurydice's friends were horrified and their mournful cry was heard far away. Orpheus heard him. He hurries to the valley and there he sees the cold corpse of his dearly beloved wife. Orpheus fell into despair. He could not come to terms with this loss. He mourned his Eurydice for a long time, and all nature cried, hearing his sad singing.

Finally, Orpheus decided to descend into the dark kingdom of the souls of the dead in order to beg the Lord Hades and his wife Persephone to return his wife to him. Through the gloomy cave of Tenara, Orpheus descended to the banks of the sacred river Styx.

Orpheus stands on the banks of the Styx. How can he cross to the other side, to where the dark kingdom of Lord Hades is located? The shadows of the dead crowd around Orpheus. Their groans are barely audible, like the rustle of falling leaves in the forest in late autumn. Then the splash of oars was heard in the distance. This is the approaching boat of the carrier of the souls of the dead, Charon. Charon moored to the shore. Orpheus asks to transport him along with the souls to the other side, but the stern Charon refused him. No matter how Orpheus prays to him, he still hears one answer from Charon - “no!”

Then Orpheus struck the strings of his golden cithara, and the sounds of its strings spread in a wide wave along the shore of the gloomy Styx. Orpheus charmed Charon with his music; He listens to Orpheus playing, leaning on his oar. To the sound of music, Orpheus entered the pad, Charon pushed it away from the shore with an oar, and the boat sailed through the gloomy waters of the Styx. Charon transported Orpheus. He got out of the boat and, playing the golden cithara, walked through the dark kingdom of the souls of the dead to the throne of the god Hades, surrounded by souls who had flocked to the sounds of his cithara.

Playing the cithara, Orpheus approached the throne of Hades and bowed before him. He struck the strings of the cithara harder and began to sing; he sang about his love for Eurydice and how happy his life was with her on the bright, clear days of spring. But the days of happiness quickly passed. Eurydice died. Orpheus sang about his grief, about the torment of broken love, about his longing for the dead. The entire kingdom of Hades listened to the singing of Orpheus, everyone was enchanted by his song. The god Hades listened to Orpheus with his head bowed on his chest. Leaning her head against her husband's shoulder, Persephone listened to the song; Tears of sadness trembled on her eyelashes. Fascinated by the sounds of the song, Tantalus forgot the hunger and thirst that tormented him. Sisyphus stopped his hard, fruitless work. I sat down on that stone that was rolling up the mountain and thought deeply, deeply. Enchanted by the singing, the Danaids stood, they forgot about their bottomless vessel. The formidable three-faced goddess Hecate herself covered herself with her hands so that the tears in her eyes could not be seen. Tears glistened in the eyes of Erinyes, who knew no pity; even Orpheus touched them with his song. But now the strings of the golden cithara sound ever quieter, the song of Orpheus becomes quieter, and it froze, like a barely audible sigh of sadness.

Deep silence reigned all around. The god Hades interrupted this silence and asked Orpheus why he came to his kingdom, what he wanted to ask him for. Hades swore an unbreakable oath of the gods - by the waters of the River Styx - that he would fulfill the request of the wondrous singer. This is how Orpheus answered Hades:

Oh, mighty lord Hades, you accept all of us mortals into your kingdom when the days of our lives end. I did not come here to look at the horrors that fill your kingdom, not to lead away, like Hercules, the guardian of your kingdom - the three-headed Kerberus. I came here to beg you to release my Eurydice back to earth. Bring her back to life; you see how I suffer for her! Think, lord, if they took away your wife Persephone from you, you too would suffer. You don’t return Eurydice forever. She will return again to your kingdom. Our lord Hades is a short life. Oh, let Eurydice experience the joys of life, because she came to your kingdom so young!

The god Hades thought and finally answered Orpheus:

Okay, Orpheus! I will return Eurydice to you. Lead her back to life, to the light of the sun. But you must fulfill one condition: you will go forward following the god Hermes, he will lead you, and Eurydice will follow you. But while traveling through the underworld, you should not look back. Remember! You look back, and Eurydice will immediately leave you and return forever to my kingdom.

Orpheus agreed to everything. He is in a hurry to go back as soon as possible. Quick as a thought, Hermes brought the shadow of Eurydice. Orpheus looks at her with delight. Orpheus wants to hug the shadow of Eurydice, but the god Hermes stopped him, saying:

Orpheus, you only embrace a shadow. Let's go quickly; our path is difficult.

We hit the road. Hermes walks ahead, followed by Orpheus, and behind him the shadow of Eurydice. They quickly passed the kingdom of Hades. Charon ferried them across the Styx in his boat. Here is the path that leads to the surface of the earth. The path is difficult. The path rises steeply, and it is all cluttered with stones. There is deep twilight all around. The figure of Hermes walking ahead is slightly visible in them. But then a light appeared far ahead. This is the way out. It seemed like everything was brighter all around. If Orpheus had turned around, he would have seen Eurydice. Is she following him? Didn't she remain in the complete darkness of the kingdom of the souls of the dead? Maybe she fell behind, because the path is so difficult! Eurydice fell behind and will be doomed to wander forever in the darkness. Orpheus slows down and listens. Can not hear anything. How can the steps of an ethereal shadow be heard? Orpheus becomes increasingly worried about Eurydice. More and more often he stops. Everything is brighter all around. Now Orpheus would clearly see the shadow of his wife. Finally, forgetting everything, he stopped and turned around. Almost next to him he saw the shadow of Eurydice. Orpheus extended his hands to her, but further, further the shadow - and drowned in darkness. Orpheus stood as if petrified, overcome with despair. He had to endure the secondary death of Eurydice, and he himself was the culprit of this second death.

Orpheus stood for a long time. It seemed as if life had left him; it looked like a marble statue standing there. Finally, Orpheus moved, took a step, then another, and walked back to the shores of the gloomy Styx. He decided to return to the throne of Hades again, again begging him to return Eurydice. But old Charon did not take him across the Styx in his fragile boat, Orpheus begged him in vain - the pleas of the singer inexorable Charon were not touched. For seven days and nights sad Orpheus sat on the bank of the Styx, shedding tears of sorrow, forgetting about food, about everything, lamenting gods of the dark kingdom of the souls of the dead. Only on the eighth day did he decide to leave the banks of the Styx and return to Thrace.

The beautiful love story of the ancient Greek youth Orpheus, the son of the god Apollo, and the beautiful nymph Eurydice still causes awe in the hearts of people. Legend has it that Orpheus had a special talent. He mastered playing the lyre perfectly, and his works made stones move towards the sound of enchanting melodies.

One day he met the wondrous Eurydice, and love took possession of his heart. They got married, but their happiness was short-lived. While walking through the forest, Eurydice was bitten by a snake. The young man did not have time to help his beloved. He could only watch as death carried her on its wings to kingdom of the dead.

Life without Eurydice made no sense for Orpheus. He abandoned music and singing, giving his heart to be torn apart by pain. Time passed, but the young man did not get any easier. And then he decided to go to the kingdom of the dead to persuade Hades to let Eurydice go. The young man was even ready to stay there if God underworld will refuse his request.

For a long time Orpheus searched for the way to the kingdom of the dead until he found himself in deep cave. Here he found a stream that flowed into the River Styx. The black waters of the Styx washed the domain of Hades, where Eurydice was.

Coming to the shore of the Styx, Orpheus began to wait for Charon, the carriers of dead souls. Finally he saw the rook. She swam to the shore, and the souls of the dead filled her. Orpheus also hurried to take a seat in it, but the carrier did not let him in. The living have no place in Hades. And then Orpheus took the cithara in his hands and began to sing. His voice was so full of melancholy that the waters of the Styx calmed down, and Charon imbued with the musician’s pain and took him with him.

All the way, Orpheus sang and played the cithara until the boat reached the shores of the kingdom of the dead. The young man's further journey was full of chilling horror and encounters with monsters. But he overcame everything and approached the god Hades with a song. Having bowed to him, Orpheus sang about his unhappy love and melted the hearts of the gods with his talent. Hades was so fascinated by the young man’s music that he decided to fulfill his every wish. Orpheus wanted only one thing - for Eurydice to become alive again.

Hades decided to fulfill his promise, but with one condition: the lovers could meet only when they found themselves among living people. Until this moment, Eurydice will follow her husband as a shadow, who under no circumstances should look back. Otherwise, the girl will forever remain in the kingdom of Hades.

And now Orpheus has already overcome the kingdom of the dead, crossed the Styx - there is only a short distance left to the world of the living. At the last moment, he decided to look back and make sure that Eurydice's shadow was really following him. As soon as he extended his hand to her, the girl disappeared.

Maddened with grief, Orpheus decided to again ask Hades to return his beloved. But no matter how long he stood on the shore of the Styx, Charon never sailed. The young man had to return to the world of living people alone. But the rest of his life was filled with longing for Eurydice. He walked around the world and composed songs, telling stories about his beautiful wife and tragic love.

So says the ancient Greek legend, in which music became a vessel for sincere and lively emotions.

Orpheus is one of the most mysterious figures in world history, about which very little information has reached us that can be called reliable, but at the same time there are a lot of myths, fairy tales, and legends. Today it's hard to imagine world history and culture without Greek temples, without classical examples of sculpture, without Pythagoras and Plato, without Heraclitus and Hesiod, without Aeschylus and Euripides. In all this are the roots of what we now call science, art, and culture in general. If we go back to the origins, then all World culture based on Greek culture, the impetus for development that Orpheus brought: these are the canons of art, the laws of architecture, the laws of music, etc. Orpheus appears at a very difficult time for the history of Greece: people plunged into a semi-savage state, the cult of physical strength, the cult of Bacchus, the most base and crude manifestations.

At this moment, and this was about 5 thousand years ago, the figure of a man appears, whom legend called the son of Apollo, dazzling with his physical and spiritual beauty. Orpheus - his name translates as “healing with light” (“aur” - light, “rfe” - to heal). In myths, he is told as the son of Apollo, from whom he receives his instrument, a 7-string lyre, to which he later added 2 more strings, making it an instrument of 9 muses. (muses as nine perfect forces of the soul leading along the path and with the help of which this path can be passed. According to another version, he was the son of the king of Thrace and the muse Calliope, the muse of epic and heroic poetry. According to myths, Orpheus participated in the journey of the Argonauts for the Golden Fleece, helping out his friends during trials.

One of the most famous myths- a myth about the love of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus' beloved Eurydice dies, her soul goes to the underworld to Hades, and Orpheus, driven by the power of love for his beloved, descends after her. But when the goal seemed to have already been achieved, and he was supposed to unite with Eurydice, he is overcome by doubts. Orpheus turns around and loses his beloved, great love connects them only in the sky. Eurydice represents the divine soul of Orpheus, with whom he unites after death.

Orpheus continues to fight against the lunar cults, against the cult of Bacchus, he dies, torn to pieces by the Bacchantes. The myth also says that the head of Orpheus prophesied for some time, and this was one of the most ancient oracles in Greece. Orpheus sacrifices himself and dies, but before his death he accomplished the work that he must accomplish: he brings light to people, heals with light, brings impulse for new religion and new culture. New culture and religion, the revival of Greece is born in the most difficult struggle. At a time when rudeness reigned physical strength, comes the one who brings the religion of purity, beautiful asceticism, the religion of high ethics and morality, which served as a counterweight.

The teaching and religion of the Orphics brought the most beautiful hymns, through which the priests conveyed grains of Orpheus’ wisdom, the teaching about the Muses, who help people through their sacraments to discover new powers in themselves. Homer, Hesiod and Heraclitus relied on the teachings of Orpheus; Pythagoras became a follower of the Orphic religion, who became the founder of the Pythagorean school as a revival of the Orphic religion in a new capacity. Thanks to Orpheus, the mysteries are again revived in Greece - in two centers, Eleusis and Delphi.

Eleusis or "the place where the goddess came" is associated with the myth of Demeter and Persephone. The essence of the Eleusinian mysteries was the sacraments of purification and rebirth; they were based on the passage of the soul through trials.

Another component of Orpheus' religion is the mysteries at Delphi. Delphi, as a combination of Dionysus and Apollo, represented the harmony of opposites that the Orphic religion carried within itself. Apollo, who characterizes the order and proportionality of everything, gives the basic laws and principles for the construction of everything, the construction of cities and temples. And Dionysus, like back side, as a deity of constant change, constantly overcoming all the obstacles that arise. The Dionysian principle in a person is constant, inexhaustible enthusiasm, which gives the opportunity for constant movement, striving for something new, and the Apollonian principle simultaneously strives for harmony, clarity and proportionality. These two principles were united in the Delphic Temple. The holidays that took place in it were associated with the union of these two principles. In this temple, the soothsayers of the Delphic oracle, the Pythia, speak on behalf of Apollo.

Orpheus brought the doctrine of the muses, the nine powers human soul, which appear in the form of 9 most beautiful muses. Each of them has its own component as a principle, like notes in divine music. Muse of history Clio, muse of oratory and hymns Polyhymnia, muse of comedy and tragedy Thalia and Melpomene, muse of music Euterpe, muse of the firmament Urania, muse of the divine dance Terpsichore, muse of love Erato, and muse of heroic poetry.

The teaching of Orpheus is the teaching of light, purity and Great boundless love, all of humanity received it, and every person inherited part of the light of Orpheus. This is a gift from the gods that lives in the soul of each of us. And through it you can comprehend everything: the powers of the soul hidden inside, and Apollo and Dionysus, the divine harmony of beautiful muses. Maybe this is what will give a person a feeling of real life, filled with inspiration and the light of love.

The myth of Eurydice and Orpheus

IN Greek myths Orpheus finds Eurydice and with the power of his love even touches the heart of the ruler of hell, Hades, who allows him to bring Eurydice out of the underworld, but with the condition: if he turns around and looks at her before Eurydice comes into the light of day, he will lose her forever. And in the drama, Orpheus loses Eurydice, cannot stand not looking at her, she disappears and the rest of his life passes in hopeless grief.

In fact, the end of this story is different. Yes, great heavenly love Orphea evoked compassion in the heart of Hades. But he does not lose Eurydice. The heart of the underworld represents the sacraments. Orpheus finds Eurydice because he approaches the mysteries of heaven, the mysteries of Nature, and the innermost. And every time he tries to look at her, Eurydice runs away from him - like the Star of the Magi appears to show the way, and then disappears to wait for the person to reach the distances that she showed him.

Eurydice goes to heaven and inspires Orpheus from heaven. And every time Orpheus, inspired, approaches the sky through his beautiful music, he meets Eurydice. If he is too attached to the earth, Eurydice cannot stoop so low, and this is the reason for their separation. The closer he is to the sky, the closer he is to Eurydice.

Orpheus about Eurydice

At this time, the Bacchantes had already begun to bewitch Eurydice with their spells, trying to take possession of her will.

Drawn by some vague premonition to the valley of Hecate, I walked one day in the middle of the thick grass of a meadow and horror reigned all around dark forests, visited by bacchantes. I saw Eurydice. She walked slowly, not seeing me, heading towards the cave. Eurydice stopped, hesitant, and then resumed her path, as if prompted by magical power, getting closer and closer to the mouth of hell. But I saw the sleeping sky in her eyes. I called her, I took her hand, I shouted to her: “Eurydice! Where are you going? As if awakened from sleep, she let out a cry of horror and, freed from the spell, fell on my chest. And then Divine Eros conquered us, we exchanged glances, and so Eurydice and Orpheus became spouses forever.

But the bacchantes did not resign themselves, and one day one of them offered Eurydice a cup of wine, promising that if she drank it, the science of magical herbs and love potions would be revealed to her. Eurydice, in a fit of curiosity, drank it and fell, as if struck by lightning. The cup contained deadly poison.

When I saw Eurydice's body burned at the stake, when the last traces of her living flesh had disappeared, I asked myself: where is her soul? And I went in inexpressible despair. I wandered all over Greece. I prayed to the priests of Samothrace to summon her soul. I searched for this soul in the depths of the earth and everywhere I could penetrate, but in vain. At the end I came to the Trophonian cave.

There, the priests lead the brave visitor through a crack to the fiery lakes that boil in the bowels of the earth and show him what is happening in these bowels. Having penetrated to the end and seen what no mouth should utter, I returned to the cave and fell into Sopor. During this dream, Eurydice appeared to me and said: “For my sake, you were not afraid of hell, you looked for me among the dead. I heard your voice, I came. I live on the edge of both worlds and cry just like you. If you want to free me, save Greece and give it light. And then my wings will be returned to me, and I will rise to the luminaries, and you will again find me in the bright region of the Gods. Until then, I must wander in the kingdom of darkness, anxious and sorrowful...”

Three times I wanted to grab her, three times she disappeared from my arms. I heard a sound as if from a broken string, and then a voice, weak as a breath, sad as a farewell kiss, whispered: “Orpheus!!”

At this sound I woke up. This name given to me by her soul transformed my entire being. I felt the sacred thrill of boundless desire and the power of superhuman love penetrate into me. A living Eurydice would have given me the bliss of happiness; a dead Eurydice would have led me to the truth. Out of love for her, I clothed myself in linen garments and achieved great initiation and the life of an ascetic. Out of love for her, I penetrated the secrets of magic and the depths divine science; out of love for her I walked through the caves of Samothrace, through the wells of the Pyramids and through the tombs of Egypt. I penetrated into the bowels of the earth to find life in it. And on the other side of life I saw the edges of worlds, I saw souls, luminous spheres, the ether of the Gods. The earth opened its abysses before me, and the sky its flaming temples. I plucked secret science from under the shrouds of mummies. The priests of Isis and Osiris revealed their secrets to me. They only had their Gods, but I had Eros. By his power I penetrated the verbs of Hermes and Zoroaster; by his power I pronounced the verb of Jupiter and Apollo!

E. Shure “Great Initiates”

Orpheus and Eurydice

The great singer Orpheus, the son of the river god Eager and the muse Calliope, lived in distant Thrace. Orpheus' wife was the beautiful nymph Eurydice. Orpheus loved her dearly. But Orpheus did not enjoy a happy life with his wife for long. One day, soon after the wedding, the beautiful Eurydice was picking spring flowers with her young nymph friends in a green valley. Eurydice did not notice the snake in the thick grass and stepped on it. The snake bit Orpheus's young wife in the leg. Eurydice screamed loudly and fell into the arms of her friends who ran up. Eurydice turned pale and her eyes closed. The snake's venom ended her life. Eurydice's friends were horrified, and their mournful cry was heard far away. Orpheus heard him. He hurries to the valley and there he sees the corpse of his dearly beloved wife. Orpheus fell into despair. He could not come to terms with this loss. He mourned his Eurydice for a long time, and all nature cried, hearing his sad singing.

Finally, Orpheus decided to descend into the dark kingdom of the souls of the dead to beg Hades and Persephone to return his wife to him. Through the gloomy cave of Tenara, Orpheus descended to the banks of the sacred river Styx.

Orpheus stands on the banks of the Styx. How can he cross to the other side, to where the kingdom of Hades is located? The shadows of the dead crowd around Orpheus. Their groans are barely audible, like the rustle of leaves falling in the forest in late autumn. Then the splash of oars was heard in the distance. This is the approaching boat of the carrier of the souls of the dead, Charon. Charon moored to the shore. Orpheus asks to transport him along with the souls to the other side, but the stern Charon refused him. No matter how Orpheus prays to him, he still hears one answer from Charon: “No!”

Then Orpheus struck the strings of the cithara, and its sounds echoed along the banks of the Styx. Orpheus charmed Charon with his music; He listens to Orpheus playing, leaning on an oar. To the sound of music, Orpheus entered the boat, Charon pushed it away from the shore with an oar, and the boat sailed through the gloomy waters of the Styx. Charon transported Orpheus. He got out of the boat and, playing the golden cithara, went to Hades, surrounded by souls who had flocked to the sounds of his cithara.

Orpheus approached the throne of Hades and bowed before him. He struck the strings of the cithara harder and began to sing. He sang about his love for Eurydice and how happy his life was with her on the bright, clear days of spring. But the days of happiness quickly passed. Eurydice died. Orpheus sang about his grief, about the torment of broken love, about longing for the dead. The entire kingdom of Hades listened to the singing of Orpheus, everyone was enchanted by his song. Hades bowed his head on his chest and listened to Orpheus. Leaning her head against her husband’s shoulder, Persephone listened to the song; Tears of sadness trembled on her eyelashes. Fascinated by the sounds of the song, Tantalus forgot the hunger and thirst that tormented him. Sisyphus stopped his hard, fruitless work, sat down on the stone that was rolling up the mountain, and thought deeply. Enchanted by the singing, the Danaids stood; they forgot about their bottomless vessel. The formidable three-faced goddess Hecate herself covered herself with her hands so that the tears in her eyes could not be seen. Tears glistened in the eyes of the Erinyes, who knew no pity; even Orpheus touched them with his song. But now the strings of the golden cithara sound ever quieter, the song of Orpheus becomes quieter, and it froze, like a barely audible sigh of sadness.

Deep silence reigned all around. The god Hades interrupted this silence and asked Orpheus why he came to his kingdom, what did he want to ask him for? Hades swore an unbreakable oath of the gods - by the waters of the River Styx - that he would fulfill the request of the wondrous singer.

Orpheus answered Hades:

- O mighty lord Hades, you accept all of us mortals into your kingdom when the days of our lives end. I did not come here to look at the horrors that fill your kingdom, not to lead away, like Hercules, the guardian of your kingdom - the three-headed Kerberus. I came here to beg you to release my Eurydice back to earth. Bring her back to life; you see how I suffer for her! Think, lord, if they took away your wife Persephone from you, you too would suffer. You don’t return Eurydice forever. She will return again to your kingdom. Our life is short, Lord Hades. Oh, let Eurydice experience the joys of life, because she came to your kingdom so young!

Hades thought for a moment and finally answered Orpheus:

- Okay, Orpheus! I will return Eurydice to you. Lead her back to life, to the light of the sun. But you must remember one condition: you will follow the god Hermes, he will lead you, and Eurydice will follow you. But while traveling through the underworld, you should not look back. Remember! You look back, and Eurydice will immediately leave you and return forever to my kingdom.

Ancient Greek myth "Orpheus and Eurydice"

Genre: Ancient Greek myth

The main characters of the fairy tale "Orpheus and Eurydice" and their characteristics

1. Orpheus, talented singer. Loyal, loving, fearless, impatient.
2. Eurydice, young, beautiful, timid.
3. Hades, the dark god of the underworld. Severe, but fair and a little romantic.
4. Charon, the ferryman across the Styx. Gloomy, stern, unsociable.

1. Orpheus and his wife Eurydice
2. Tragedy in the forest
3. Orpheus is looking for a way to the underworld
4. Orpheus enchants Charon
5. Orpheus in the Palace of Hades
6. Orpheus sings for Hades
7. Orpheus' request
8. Hades condition
9. Haste of Orpheus
10. The loneliness of Orpheus.

1. The beautiful Eurydice fell in love with the singer Orpheus and became his wife.
2. One day in the forest she was bitten by a snake and Eurydice was carried away by the god of death.
3. Orpheus went to search for the kingdom of the dead and found the River Styx.
4. Charon did not want to transport Orpheus, but he began to sing and no one dared to refuse him.
5. Orpheus came to Hades' palace, sang his song, and Hades released Eurydice's shadow.
6. Orpheus turned around at the exit of the cave and Eurydice's shadow flew away.

What does the fairy tale "Orpheus and Eurydice" teach?
The fairy tale teaches true and selfless love. Teaches you to strive to always be with your loved one, teaches you not to part with your loved ones. Teaches not to be afraid of obstacles, long journey, night shadows. Teaches you to be brave, even fearless. Teaches that talent is respected everywhere. Teaches you not to be hasty, and to keep agreements with those who are stronger than you exactly.

Review of the fairy tale "Orpheus and Eurydice"
I liked this romantic story, although of course it’s a pity that Orpheus, having traveled such a long and dangerous path, could not resist and be patient for a couple more minutes. Then Eurydice would be free. But excessive haste ruined the whole thing. But Orpheus himself managed to descend into the kingdom of the dead and return alive.

Proverbs for the fairy tale "Orpheus and Eurydice"
The quieter you go, the further you'll get.
Speed ​​is necessary, but haste is harmful.
For my dear, seven miles is not the outskirts.
Great love is not quickly forgotten.
The master's work is afraid.

Read summary, brief retelling fairy tales "Orpheus and Eurydice"
Lived in Ancient Greece famous singer Orpheus. Everyone really liked his songs, and the beautiful Eurydice fell in love with him for his songs. She became the wife of Orpheus, but they were not together for long.
It so happened that soon Eurydice was frightened by the noise in the forest, ran and carelessly stepped on a snake’s nest. She was bitten by a snake and Orpheus, who ran to his wife’s screams, saw only the black wings of the bird of death, which was taking Eurydice with it.
Orpheus' grief was immeasurable. He retired to the forests and there he poured out his longing for his beloved in songs.
And so great was his grief, so piercing were his songs that the animals came out to listen to them, and the trees surrounded Orpheus. And Orpheus prayed for death in order to meet Eurydice at least in the halls of death. But death did not come.
And then Orpheus himself went in search of death. In Tenara's cave, he found a stream that flowed into the underground river Styx, and along the bed of the stream descended to the banks of the Styx. Beyond this river began the kingdom of the dead.
Behind Orpheus, the shadows of the dead crowded around, waiting for their turn to cross the Styx. And then a boat landed on the shore, driven by a carrier dead souls Charon. The souls began to board the boat and Orpheus asked Charon to transport him to the other side.
But Charon pushed Orpheus away, saying that he only carries the dead. And then Orpheus began to sing. He sang so well that the dead shadows listened to him, and Charon himself listened to him. And Orpheus entered the boat and demanded to be taken to the other side. And Charon obeyed, enchanted by the music.
And Orpheus crossed into the land of the dead, and walked along it in search of Eurydice, continuing to sing. And the dead made way for him. This is how Orpheus reached the palace of the god of the underworld.
Hades himself and his wife Persephone sat on the throne in the palace. Behind them stood the god of Death, folding his black wings, and Kera crowded nearby, taking the lives of warriors on the battlefield. Here the judges judged the souls.
In the corners of the hall, Memories hid in the shadows, lashing souls with whips made of living snakes.
And I saw many other monsters in Underworld Orpheus - Lamius, who steals children at night, Empusa, with donkey legs, who drinks the blood of people, Stygian dogs.
Only the young god of sleep, Hypnos, rushed around the hall joyfully. He gave everyone a wonderful drink, which made everyone fall asleep.
And so Orpheus began to sing. The gods listened to him in silence, bowing their heads. And when Orpheus finished, Hades asked him what he wanted for his singing, and promised to fulfill any of his wishes.
And Orpheus began to ask Hades to let his Eurydice go, because sooner or later she would still return to the kingdom of the dead. And Orpheus began to beg Persephone to intercede for him before Hades.
Hades agreed to return Eurydice to Orpheus, but set one condition. Orpheus should not have seen his beloved while she followed him like a shadow. Only after emerging from the kingdom of the dead sunlight, Orpheus could look back. Orpheus agreed and ordered Hades the shadow of Eurydice to follow the singer.
So they passed through the kingdom of the dead and Charon transported them across the Styx. They began to climb up the cave and daylight already appeared ahead. And then Orpheus could not stand it and turned around, he wanted to check whether Eurydice was really following him. For a moment he saw the shadow of his beloved, but she immediately flew away.
Orpheus rushed back and sobbed for a long time on the banks of the Styx, but no one responded to his pleas. Then Orpheus returned to the world of the living and lived a long life alone. But he remembered his beloved and sang her in his songs.

Drawings and illustrations for the fairy tale "Orpheus and Eurydice"