Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Orpheus and Eurydice—Aristaeus—Amphion—Linus—Thamyris—Marsyas—Melampus—Musaeus explained
This chapter recounts the tragic love story of Orpheus and Eurydice, where Orpheus descends to the underworld to retrieve his wife after her death from a snakebite.
What happens
This chapter recounts the tragic love story of Orpheus and Eurydice, where Orpheus descends to the underworld to retrieve his wife after her death from a snakebite. He charms Pluto and Proserpine with his music, but loses Eurydice forever when he looks back before reaching the upper world. The chapter also covers the story of Aristaeus, who loses his bees and is instructed to appease the nymphs and the shades of Orpheus and Eurydice, resulting in a new swarm of bees. Additional mythical poets and musicians are introduced: Amphion, who built Thebes' walls with his lyre; Linus, Hercules' music teacher killed by his pupil; Thamyris, who challenged the Muses and was blinded; Marsyas, who challenged Apollo and was flayed; Melampus, who gained prophetic powers from serpents; and Musaeus, a semi-mythological poet and son of Orpheus.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Transformation
Orpheus's love for Eurydice drives his descent to the underworld and his grief; Aristaeus's loss of bees leads to a transformation through sacrifice.
Hubris and Divine Retribution
Thamyris challenges the Muses and is blinded; Marsyas challenges Apollo and is flayed; Linus is killed by Hercules for harsh reproof.
Mortality and Immortality
Orpheus's journey to the underworld explores the boundary between life and death; Eurydice dies twice, and Orpheus's music briefly overcomes death.
Characters to notice
- Orpheus
Son of Apollo and Calliope, gifted musician who descends to Hades to retrieve his wife Eurydice but loses her by looking back.
- Proserpine
Queen of the underworld who is moved by Orpheus's plea and persuades Pluto to release Eurydice.
- Phoebus Apollo
Father of Orpheus and god of music; also defeats Marsyas in a musical contest and flays him.
- Hercules
Pupil of Linus whom he kills with a lyre after a harsh reprimand.
- Minerva
Inventor of the flute who discards it after Cupid laughs at her playing; the flute is later found by Marsyas.
- Cupid
Laughs at Minerva's appearance while playing the flute, leading her to throw it away.
- Mercury
Gives Amphion a lyre and teaches him to play.
- Jupiter
Father of Amphion and Antiope, queen of Thebes.
Key passages
“Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the Muse Calliope. He was presented by his father with a lyre and taught to play upon it, which he did to such perfection that nothing could withstand the charm of his music.”
Orpheus, Apollo and Calliope's son, received a lyre from his father and mastered it so completely that his music charmed all living things and even inanimate objects.
Introduces Orpheus's divine parentage and extraordinary musical talent.
“He descended by a cave situated on the side of the promontory of Taenarus and arrived at the Stygian realm.”
Orpheus entered the underworld through a cave on Mount Taenarus and reached the realm of the dead.
Describes the physical location of Orpheus's descent into Hades.
“Orpheus was permitted to take her away with him on one condition, that he should not turn around to look at her till they should have reached the upper air.”
The condition for Eurydice's release was that Orpheus must not look back at her until they both reached the surface world.
Key condition that leads to the tragic loss of Eurydice.
“Melampus was the first mortal endowed with prophetic powers. Before his house there stood an oak tree containing a serpent’s nest. The old serpents were killed by the servants, but Melampus took care of the young ones and fed them carefully. One day when he was asleep under the oak the serpents licked his ears with their tongues. On awaking he was astonished to find that he now understood the language of birds and creeping things.”
Melampus gained prophetic abilities after serpents he raised licked his ears, enabling him to understand animal speech and foretell events.
Explains the origin of Melampus's prophetic powers through his kindness to serpents.
