Greek Mythology #3 Orpheus and Eurydice

Orpheus was the son of Apollo and Calliope. Eurydice was a wood nymph.

Orpheus, was well known throughout Greece as maybe the best musician of all time. Both Orpheus and Eurydice were very well known and had many suitors. One day, Orpheus was going for a stroll in the woods, and got lost. But Eurydice saw him lost and helped him get back home. But when they saw each other, it was love at first sight. Orpheus every day would go into the woods every day and talk to Eurydice.

Orpheus and Eurydice got married. They brought all friends and family and their was a huge celebration. After the celebration, Orpheus and Eurydice were heading home. But they walked right into an attack from Aristaeus. Aristaeus was a suitor of Eurydice and was mad when Eurydice chose Orpheus. So he jumped out with a dagger and attacked Orpheus. Orpheus, pushed him out of the way and both he and Eurydice ran. Eurydice looked back to see how far away they were from Aristaeus and stepped in a pit of snakes, who bit and killed her.

With Eurydice now dead, nothing could cheer Orpheus up. In fact, he became such a bummer to be around, Apollo, his father, went to Orpheus and told him he should go to the underworld and ask Hades, the God of the Underworld for Eurydice back. So Orpheus brought his lyre to the underworld entrance, and entered the underworld. First he met Charon, the psychopomp of Greek Mythology. He looked at Orpheus and said, "You're not dead," and started to escort him back out the underworld but then Orpheus started playing his lyre. The tune was so beautiful that even a God, Charon was shell-struck and let Orpheus pass. Then he met the judges to the underworld, Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus. They agreed that because he wasn't alive, Hades would have to say what to do. So Orpheus had made it to the last step of his plan, Hades. So when he got to the palace of Hades. He played his lyre for Hades and Queen Persephone, and after a brief chat, they agreed to let Orpheus have Eurydice come back with him. But they just couldn't give the dead up or everyone else would come seeking dead relatives. So they faced him with a challenge; he couldn't look back until they had both made it to the mortal world. So he started his climb and eventually heard footsteps behind him. Eventually, he saw the light to the world, he had made it so far. Then he heard a tripping sound behind him, a thud, and a low moan. He looked back to make sure Eurydice wasn't hurt and then she turned into nothing.

After a few more years, Orpheus would die of a broken heart and meet Eurydice in Elysium.

Next Friday, the next Greek Mythology blog will come out on; The labyrinth, feeding children to monsters, stranding a person the day after they saved your life, and why colors can kill your father.