Orpheus and Eurydice - who are they in mythology? Orpheus and Eurydice - Myths of Ancient Greece The myth of Orpheus in the underworld summary.

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice

Orpheus is one of the most mysterious figures in world history, about whom there is very little information that can be called reliable, but there are a lot of myths, fairy tales, and legends. Today it is difficult 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 turn to the origins, then the entire world culture is 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 is the myth of 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 been achieved, and he was supposed to unite with Eurydice, he is overcome by doubts. Orpheus turns around and loses his beloved; great love unites them only in heaven. 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 impetus for a new religion and a new culture. A new culture and religion, the revival of Greece, is born in the most difficult struggle. At a moment when brute physical force dominated, one comes who brings a religion of purity, beautiful asceticism, a 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, as the other side, as the deity of constant change, constant overcoming of all emerging obstacles. 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 forces of the 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 lord 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, the great heavenly Love of Orpheus aroused 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 the sky, the mysteries of Nature, 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 was walking one day in the middle of the thick grass of a meadow and all around me reigned the horror of dark forests haunted 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 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 being 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 a lethargic sleep. 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 of 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”

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In the north of Greece, in Thrace, lived the singer Orpheus. He had a wonderful gift of songs, and his fame spread throughout the land of the Greeks.

The beautiful Eurydice fell in love with him for his songs. She became his wife. But their happiness was short-lived.

One day Orpheus and Eurydice were in the forest. Orpheus played his seven-stringed cithara and sang. Eurydice was picking flowers in the meadows. Unnoticed, she moved far from her husband, into the wilderness of the forest. Suddenly it seemed to her that someone was running through the forest, breaking branches, chasing her, she got scared and, throwing the flowers, ran back to Orpheus. She ran, without knowing the road, through the thick grass and in a rapid run stepped into a snake’s nest. The snake wrapped itself around her leg and bit her. Eurydice screamed loudly in pain and fear and fell onto the grass.

Orpheus heard his wife's plaintive cry from a distance and hurried to her. But he saw large black wings flash between the trees - it was Death that was carrying Eurydice into the underworld.

Great was the grief of Orpheus. He left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests, pouring out his melancholy in songs. And there was such power in these melancholy songs that the trees moved from their places and surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, birds left their nests, stones moved closer. And everyone listened to how he missed his beloved.

Nights and days passed, but Orpheus could not console himself, his sadness grew with every hour.

No, I can’t live without Eurydice! - he said. - The land is not dear to me without her. Let Death take me too, let me at least be in the underworld with my beloved!

But Death did not come. And Orpheus decided to go to the kingdom of the dead himself.

For a long time he searched for the entrance to the underground kingdom and, finally, in the deep cave of Tenara he found a stream that flowed into the underground river Styx. Along the bed of this stream, Orpheus descended deep underground and reached the bank of the Styx. Beyond this river began the kingdom of the dead.

The waters of the Styx are black and deep, and it is scary for the living to step into them. Orpheus heard sighs and quiet crying behind him - these were the shadows of the dead, like him, who were waiting for crossing into a country from which no one can return.

A boat separated from the opposite shore: the carrier of the dead, Charon, was sailing for new newcomers. Charon silently moored to the shore, and shadows obediently filled the boat. Orpheus began to ask Charon:

Take me to the other side too! But Charon refused:

I only transfer the dead to the other side. When you die, I will come for you!

Have pity! - Orpheus prayed. - I don’t want to live anymore! It's hard for me to stay on earth alone! I want to see my Eurydice!

The stern ferryman pushed him away and was about to set sail from the shore, but the strings of the cithara rang plaintively, and Orpheus began to sing. Sad and gentle sounds echoed under the gloomy arches of Hades. The cold waves of the Styx stopped, and Charon himself, leaning on his oar, listened to the song. Orpheus entered the boat, and Charon obediently transported him to the other side. Hearing the hot song of the living about undying love, the shadows of the dead flew from all sides. Orpheus walked boldly through the silent kingdom of the dead, and no one stopped him.

So he reached the palace of the ruler of the underworld, Hades, and entered a vast and gloomy hall. High on the golden throne sat the formidable Hades and next to him his beautiful queen Persephone.

With a sparkling sword in his hand, in a black cloak, with huge black wings, the god of Death stood behind Hades, and around him crowded his servants, Kera, who fly on the battlefield and take the lives of warriors. The stern judges of the underworld sat to the side of the throne and judged the dead for their earthly deeds.

Memories were hidden in the dark corners of the hall, behind the columns. They had scourges made of live snakes in their hands, and they painfully stung those standing before the court.

Orpheus saw many kinds of monsters in the kingdom of the dead: Lamia, which steals small children from mothers at night, and the terrible Empusa with donkey legs, drinking the blood of people, and ferocious Stygian dogs.

Only the younger brother of the god of Death - the god of Sleep, young Hypnos, beautiful and joyful, rushed around the hall on his light wings, stirring a sleepy drink in his silver horn, which no one on earth can resist - even the great Thunderer Zeus himself falls asleep when Hypnos splashes into it with your potion.

Hades looked menacingly at Orpheus, and everyone around him began to tremble.

But the singer approached the throne of the gloomy ruler and sang even more inspired: he sang about his love for 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. The singer 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 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 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. I can't 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.

Selezneva Daria

Orpheus and Eurydice

Summary of the myth

Frederic Leighton. Orpheus and Eurydice

According to legend, the singer Orpheus lived in the north of Greece, in Thrace. His name translates as “healing with light.”

He had a wonderful gift of songs, and his fame spread throughout the land of the Greeks. The beautiful Eurydice fell in love with him for his songs. She became his wife. But their happiness was short-lived. One day Orpheus and Eurydice were in the forest. Orpheus played his seven-stringed cithara and sang. Eurydice was picking flowers in the meadows. Unnoticed, she got lost. Suddenly it seemed to her that someone was running through the forest, breaking branches, chasing her, she got scared and, throwing the flowers, ran back to Orpheus. She ran, without knowing the road, through the thick grass and in a rapid run stepped into a snake’s nest. The snake wrapped itself around her leg and bit her. Eurydice screamed loudly in pain and fear and fell onto the grass. Orpheus heard his wife's plaintive cry from a distance and hurried to her. But he saw large black wings flash between the trees - it was Death that was carrying Eurydice into the underworld.

Nights and days passed, but Orpheus could not console himself, his sadness grew with every hour. Realizing that he could no longer live without his wife, Orpheus went to look for her in the underground kingdom of Hades. For a long time he searched for the entrance to the underground kingdom and, finally, in the deep cave of Tenara he found a stream that flowed into the underground river Styx. Along the bed of this stream, Orpheus descended deep underground and reached the bank of the Styx. Beyond this river began the kingdom of the dead. The waters of the Styx are black and deep, and it is scary for the living to step into them.

Having gone through many trials in the kingdom of the dead, Orpheus, driven by the power of love, reaches the palace of the formidable ruler of the underworld - Hades. Orpheus turned to Hades with a request to return Eurydice to him, who was still so young and loved by him. Hades took pity on Orpheus and agreed to let his wife go only on one condition, which Orpheus had to fulfill: he should not see her throughout their entire journey to the land of the living. He promised Orpheus that Eurydice would follow him, but he should not turn around and look at her. If he violates the ban, he will lose his wife forever.

Orpheus quickly headed towards the exit from the kingdom of the dead. Like a spirit, he passed through the land of Death, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. They entered Charon's boat, and he silently transported them back to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led up to the ground. Orpheus slowly climbed the mountain. It was dark and quiet around him and quiet behind him, as if no one was following him.

Finally it began to get lighter ahead, and the exit to the ground was close. And the closer the exit was, the brighter it became ahead, and now everything around was clearly visible. Anxiety squeezed Orpheus’s heart: is Eurydice here? Is he following him? Forgetting everything in the world, Orpheus stopped and looked around. For a moment, very close, he saw a sweet shadow, a dear, beautiful face... But only for a moment. Eurydice's shadow immediately flew away, disappeared, melted into the darkness. With a desperate cry, Orpheus began to go back down the path and again came to the shore of the black Styx and called for the ferryman. But in vain he prayed and called: no one responded to his prayers. For a long time Orpheus sat on the bank of the Styx alone and waited. He didn't wait for anyone. He had to return to earth and live. But he could not forget his only love - Eurydice, and the memory of her lived in his heart and in his songs. Eurydice represents the divine soul of Orpheus, with whom he unites after death.

Images and symbols of myth

Orpheus, a mysterious image from Greek myths and a symbol of a musician who, with the conquering power of sounds, could move animals, plants and even stones, and evoke compassion among the gods of the underworld (underworld). Image of Orpheus- it is also overcoming human alienation.

Orpheus- this is the power of art, which contributes to the transformation of chaos into space - a world of causality and harmony, forms and images, the real “human world”.

The inability to hold on to love also turned Orpheus into a symbol of human weakness, leading to failure at the moment of crossing the fatal threshold, a reminder of the tragic side of life...

Image of Orpheus- the mythical personification of the secret teaching according to which the planets revolve around the Sun, located at the center of the Universe. The force of attraction of the Sun is the source of universal connection and harmony, and the rays emanating from it are the reason for the movement of particles of the Universe.

Image of Eurydice- a symbol of silent knowledge and oblivion. The idea of embodied silent omniscience and detachment. She is also associated with the image of the music that Orpheus is looking for.

Image of Lyra- a magical instrument with which Orpheus touches the hearts of not only people, but also the Gods.

Kingdom of Hades- the kingdom of the dead, which begins far in the west, where the sun descends into the depths of the sea. This is how the idea of night, death, darkness, winter arises. The element of Hades is the earth, which again takes its children to itself, but in its bosom lie the seeds of a new life.

Communicative means of creating images and symbols

Emil Ben
Death of Orpheus, 1874

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice was first mentioned in the works of the greatest Roman poet Publius Ovid Naso. His main work was the book “Metamorphoses,” in which Ovid expounds about 250 myths about the transformations of Greek gods and heroes. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, as presented, has attracted poets, artists and composers in all times and eras.

Almost all the subjects of the myth were reflected in the paintings of Rubens, Tiepolo, Corot and many others.

Many operas were written, the leitmotif of which was the myth of Orpheus: the opera “Orpheus” (C. Monteverdi, 1607), the opera “Orpheus” (K.V. Gluck, 1762), the operetta “Orpheus in Hell” (J. Offenbach, 1858 )

In the 15th-19th centuries. various plots of the myth were used by G. Bellini, F. Cossa, B. Carducci, G. V. Tiepolo, P. P. Rubens, Giulio Romano, J. Tintoretto, Domenichino, A. Canova, Rodin and others.

In European literature of the 20-40s. 20th century The theme “Orpheus and Eurydice” was developed by R. M. Rilke, J. Anouilh, I. Gol, P. Zh. Zhuve, A. Gide and others.

Orpheus is the hero of J. Cocteau's tragedy "Orpheus" (1928). Cocteau uses ancient material in search of the eternal and always modern philosophical meaning hidden at the heart of the ancient myth. Two films by Charles Cocteau were devoted to the theme of Orpheus - “Orpheus” (1949) and “The Testament of Orpheus” (1960). The ancient singer is the hero of G. Ibsen’s “family drama” “Orpheus” (1884). T. Mann uses the image of Orpheus as the main character in the work “Death in Venice” (1911). Orpheus is the main character in The Tin Drum (1959) by Günter Grass.

In Russian poetry of the early 20th century. The motives of the myth of Orpheus were reflected in the works of O. Mandelstam and M. Tsvetaeva (“Phaedra”, 1923).

In 1975, composer Alexander Zhurbin and playwright Yuri Dimitrin wrote the first Soviet rock opera, Orpheus and Eurydice. It was staged by the Singing Guitars ensemble in the opera studio at the Leningrad Conservatory. In 2003, the rock opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the musical performed the maximum number of times by one ensemble. At the time of registration of the record, the performance was performed for the 2350th time. This took place at the St. Petersburg Rock Opera Theater.

Social significance of the myth

"Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice" 1648

Orpheus is the greatest singer and musician, the son of the muse Calliope and Apollo (according to another version, the Thracian king), 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. According to myths, Orpheus participated in the Argonauts' journey for the Golden Fleece, helping out his friends during trials. Orpheus was considered the founder of Orphism - a special mystical cult. According to Orphic teaching, the immortal soul dwells in a mortal body; after human death, she goes to the underworld for purification, and then moves into another shell - the body of a person, animal, etc., enriching herself with the experience acquired during these successive reincarnations. Reflections of the Orphic idea that the soul can become free only by breaking away from the body.

Time passed, and the real Orpheus became hopelessly identified with his teachings and became a symbol of the Greek school of wisdom. The initiates abstained from carnal pleasures and wore white linen, symbolizing purity. The Greeks highly appreciated the amazing strength and intelligence of Orpheus, his courage and fearlessness. He is the favorite of numerous legends, he patronized sports schools, gymnasiums and palaestras, where young men were taught the art of winning. And among the Romans, retiring gladiators dedicated their weapons to the famous hero. The image of Orpheus to this day revives in people faith in the power of eternal, beautiful, incomprehensible love, faith in fidelity and devotion, in the unity of souls, faith that there is at least one small hope of getting out of the darkness of the underworld. He combined internal and external beauty, thereby being a role model for many.

References

Myths of the peoples of the world //http://myths.kulichki.ru
Abstract: The image of Orpheus in mythology, ancient literature and art. Plots. Attributes http://www.roman.by
Orpheus //http://ru.wikipedia.org
The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in the lyrics of the Silver Age //http://gymn.tom.ru

Not only people, but even gods and nature itself submitted to the music and voice of the wonderful musician and singer Orpheus. Orpheus took part in the Argonauts' campaign for the Golden Fleece, and calmed the sea waves with his playing of the cithara. Orpheus lived in distant Thrace, was married to the beautiful nymph Eurydice, whom he loved immensely. But his happiness did not last long. One spring, together with her friends, she was picking flowers in the meadow; The god Aristeus saw her and began to pursue her. Eurydice, running away from him, stepped on a poisonous snake hiding in the tall grass and died from its bite.

From the grief that had fallen, Orpheus did not know what to do, how to live further. He sang sad songs in honor of the deceased Eurydice. Trees, herbs and flowers mourned his wife with him. Desperate, he decided to go to the underground kingdom of the god Hades, where the souls of the dead went, and try to rescue his beloved from there. Having reached the terrible noisy underground river Styx, Orpheus heard the loud groans of the souls of the dead. The carrier Charon, who transported souls to the other side, refused to take him with him. Then Orpheus stroked the strings of his golden cithara and began to sing. The sounds of his instrument, his voice pacified the river, it stopped making noise, the groans of dead souls died down. Charon involuntarily listened and allowed Orpheus to enter his boat. He transported him to the other side.

Orpheus, without stopping playing and singing, reached the golden throne of the gloomy god Hades and bowed before him. In his song, he told God about his love for Eurydice, about how he spent his happy days with her. But then Eurydice passed away, and life lost all meaning for him.

The entire kingdom of Hades froze, everyone listened to the sad confession of the singer and musician. Hades and his wife Persephone did not say a word. Having listened to Orpheus, Sisyphus stopped his useless work, Tantalus stopped suffering from thirst, hunger and fear. And even the ruthless Erinyes could not hold back their tears. Orpheus touched everyone. When he finished, silence reigned in the kingdom of gloomy Hades. Hades himself broke it and asked the singer why he came to him in the dungeon.

Forgive me, great Hades, guardian of underground riches and the souls of the dead,” Orpheus told him, “forgive me for invading your domain.” I came to tell you about my love for Eurydice, because I can’t imagine life without her. When it’s my turn to leave the earth, I will also come to you, but now I ask you to return Eurydice to me. Let her go with me to earthly life. She will return to you when you call on her. And I will come to you, but give us time for love.

Hades listened to the singer and agreed to release Eurydice to earth, although this was against his rules. At the same time, he set one condition: Orpheus must not look back and turn to Eurydice all the way to leaving the kingdom of the dead, otherwise Eurydice will disappear. Orpheus happily agreed with everything.

The loving couple set off on a difficult journey along a steep desert path. Hermes moved ahead with a lantern. They have already approached the kingdom of light. Out of joy that they would soon be together again, Orpheus forgot about God’s warning and at the last moment of his stay in the kingdom of darkness looked back. Eurydice stretched out her hands to him and began to move away. Orpheus rushed to catch up with her, but Charon refused to take him to the other side. Eurydice's shadow disappeared into the dark fog.

Orpheus was petrified with grief. He sat for seven days and nights on the banks of an underground river. But no one else wanted to help him. Completely alone, he rose to the surface and returned to his Thrace. There he lived only three years in deep sadness and sorrow. Then the singer’s shadow descended into the kingdom of the dead, found his Eurydice there and was never separated from her again.