Greek legend of Orpheus and Euredice

by Schizm 20 Replies latest social entertainment

• 

  Schizm

  This thread is for discussing the Greek legend of Orpheus and Euredice.

  Anyone here ever read this story? Did you enjoy reading it? Was it facinating? Were you left feeling really sad? Did you dream in your sleep afterwards?

  See a great painting of Euredice, along with the severed head of her beloved Orpheus laying on top of the lyre he played so beautifully: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/moreau/orpheus.jpg (Enlarge the photo by placing your cursor on it, then click the square box that appears.)

  And here's another great painting of Orpheus' head laying on top of his lyre: http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/d/p-delvill1.htm

  For any who may not be familiar with it here's the short story of the legend:

  The lovely Euredice is out walking in the meadows when she is set upon by an overly-amorous shepherd, Aristaeus. She runs from him, and, in her haste, does not see the poisonous serpent lurking in the grass, whose bite kills her. Her lover, Orpheus, is inconsolable. He vows to use the famous power of his lute to charm the god of the Underworld, Pluto, into giving her back. Orpheus succeeds, under the condition that he does not look back at Euredice until they have reached home. Simple enough, you might think. But, beset by doubts that he has been tricked, Orpheus cannot resist a glance. And the rest, as they say, is history.

  Schizm

  .
• 

  Spectre

  I love all the old myths. I find that I can enjoy these old stories and enjoy them as just stories and take from them what I want, as opposed to *ahem* another book of old tales. Ever read any of the Sandman comic-books by Neil Gaiman? He interwove a lot of old myths into the series to create a modern masterpiece. And his Morpheus did visit me in a dream once.
• 

  Schizm

  Here's another account of the story that gives a few more details:

  THE LEGEND OF ORPHEUS http://www.laorpheum.com/history.html
  
  GOD OF MUSIC AND POETRY
  
  Legend has it that the music of Orpheus could move mountains and still running streams. Son of the gods Apollo and Calliope, Orpheus enchanted the gods with his poetry and song. A magic lyre, a gift from his father, became more than an instrument and symbol.
  
  The legend begins as Orpheus sailed with mortal men on the ship Argo, seeking adventure. No one suspected his talents would accomplish more than calming the sailors during a storm or spurring them on during a luldrum. The music of Orpheus saved their lives! For eons, the mythical call of Sirens had tragically lured sailors to steer their ships ashore, resulting in their unsuspecting deaths on the rocks surrounding the island. These men, sailing on a forlorn and lonely ocean, could not resist the beautiful call of lonely women. The song of Orpheus was powerful enough to steer the Argo's sailors through this dangerous passage and onto other enthralling adventures!
  
  The rest of this sad but romantic legend explains the origin of a constellation of stars in the sky...
  
  Orpheus married the beautiful Eurydice. Awed by her beauty and wishing to keep her for himself, the bee keeper Aristaeus tried to attack her. Eurydice escaped harm, but suffered death from a snake bite as she fled away.
  
  Stricken, distraught and overcome with grief, Orpheus resolved to rescue her from the underworld. He gained entry to the underworld by distracting the gods Charon and Cerberus, guards of the gates of hell, with his music. Once there, the gods and judges of the dead were so charmed and mesmerized with his song that he was given a chance to whisk his love away from the tortures of the dammed. He was instructed to leave and never look back, or he would never see Eurydice again. Perhaps he was tempted to witness her safety on the journey back or he distrusted the reprieve of the Judges of the Dead, but Orpheus glanced back. Eurydice vanished! Orpheus lost Eurydice forever.
  
  Orpheus never recovered - he wandered the earth aimlessly, lamenting his loss. Perhaps it was jealousy of his love for Eurydice or further retribution for violating his contract with the Judges of the Dead, but Orpheus's life tragically ended. He ventured into the territory of the Maenads who killed him, tearing him limb from limb. His head, still singing, was tossed into the river Hebrus, where it floated to an island named Lesbos.
  
  Zeus commemorated the magic of Orpheus's music by turning his lyre into a constellation. To this day, it is said that Orpheus still keeps music and poetry alive as lovers at night gaze upon his stars.

  - Harry Connick Jr.

  Schizm

  .
• 

  Calliope

  i love that story/myth, and all greek mythology.

  i don't know why, but my wit dad used to read them to me when i was a child.

  Calliopé
• 

  Schizm

  A "lyre" ------------------------>

  .
• 

  gumby

  * sits and waits for ol' schizm to get into an argument with somebody*

  Gumby
• 

  Schizm

  .

  I've had the DVD of Moulin Rouge for several months now, and haven't taken the time to watch it. Not until today did I know that it was based on the Orpheus legend. Who else here has seen Moulin Rouge? Did you know that it was based upon the Greek legend of Orpheus? -- Schizm.

  ---

  

  Title: Moulin Rouge!Year: 2001
  Director: Baz LuhrmannStarring Cast: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo
  Rated: PG-13

  Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/moulin_rouge/largea.html

  ---

  http://www.clubmoulinrouge.com/html/member/background_orph.htm BEHIND THE moulin rouge STORY Baz Luhrmann's films are based on myths.

  In 'Strictly Ballroom', the myth is David and Goliath meets the Ugly Duckling. 'Romeo+Juliet' is about youthful love in conflict with society. The underlying myth in 'Moulin Rouge' is the myth of Orpheus.

  Luhrmann says:
  "The 'Red Curtain' style that defines our filmmaking comprises several distinct storytelling choices. A simple, even naïve story based on a primary myth is set in a heightened or created world that is at once familiar yet exotic, distant. Each of the 'Red Curtain' trilogy has a device which awakens the audience to the experience and the storyteller's presence, encouraging them to be constantly aware that they are in fact watching a film. In 'Strictly Ballroom' dance is the device, the actors literally dance out the scenes. In 'Romeo+Juliet' it is Shakespeare's heightened 400-year-old language. In 'Moulin Rouge', our ultimate 'Red Curtain' gesture, music and song is the device that releases us from a naturalistic world."

  Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope. Orpheus inherited from his mother the power to enchant every living creature with his music. When his love Eurydice was killed he descended into the Underworld to plead for her return. Orpheus enchanted Hades, the monarch of the Underworld, with his music and was permitted to leave with Eurydice. But there was one condition: on his journey back to the world above, Orpheus must lead Eurydice and not look back to see if she followed. Just as he reached the entrance to the Upperworld, fear overpowered him and he turned to see if she followed, thus losing Eurydice forever.

  ---

  Also see: http://www.preview-online.com/may_june2001/feature_articles/cannes/

  ---

  Discussion Forum

  http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/boardarchives/2002/apr2002/orpheusmoulinrouge.html

  Topic: Orpheus and Eurydice at the Moulin Rouge

  NatalieIrene comments:

  I have recently become a fan of the movie MOULIN ROUGE. And while searching the movie's official site (clubmoulinrouge.com), I was surprised to find the story was based on the great and tragic myth of Orpheus and his love, Eurydice.
  
  I've always had a love for the tragic love of Orpheus and Eurydice, and this recent discovery just reawakened my admiration.
  
  I now really have a craving to read a good novel based on the Orpheus myths. Does anyone know of any? I'd really appreciate it.

  That's what it said on the website, at least. And, in the movie, there seems to be countless ways to interrpret it.
  
  But the one way that comes to my mind, is, at the end, Christian (Orpheus) walks down the asile, leaving Satine (Eurydice) on stage. Then, Satine starts singing to him, and he finally turns around and they enjoy a few brief moments together before she is taken away from him again (she dies).
  
  That's my thought.
  
  But, thoughout the movie, they do keep refering to the Moulin Rouge as the "underworld." And Christian, an obvious outsider, does try to rescue her from that world (both literally, when they attempt to run away, and symbolically, with his love).
  
  And then there's the Duke, the other suitor who persues Satine (Eurydice), causing her ultimate doom (the death-bite from the snake).
  
  I'm not sure. There are just so many ways to interpret this film as a retelling of Oedipus and Eurydice (in my opinion).

  ---
• 

  Schizm

  Here's a neat video to watch of Orpheus & Euredice, cartoon style. -- Schizm.

  ---

  http://www.abc.net.au/arts/wingedsandals/storytime/orpheus.htm

  * 509kb - requires Macromedia Flash player

  ---
• 

  Schizm

  As a result of having been exposed to the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice I learned for the first time how one of the constellations actually got its name--the constellation Lyra (which means Lyre). I found out that it was specifically named after the very instrument that Orpheus played, namely the lyre (aka harp).

  Here's how it all came about: Because Orpheus refused to show interest in any other women after he had lost Eurydice there were certain women who came to hate him, and they attacked him and tore off his limbs and head. They buried his limbs in the ground, but threw his head in a river ... along with his lyre. Eventually his head and lyre floated upon a beach near the temple of Apollo ... who just happens to be Orpheus' father. (Apollo is also the god of music, principally the lyre, and is the one who gave Orpheus his lyre.) Apollo then convinces his own father Zeus (ruler of the heavens) that the instrument should become a constellation. Zeus agrees, and places the lyre of Orpheus between the constellations Hercules and Cygnus. And that's how the constellation "Lyra" (lyre) got its name! If you were to adjust a telescope's right ascension at 19 hours and its declination at 42 degrees you would be able to look into its eye-piece and see the constellation Lyra (a constellation in the northern hemisphere). The Ring Nebula (M-57) is located inside the constellation, as well as a globular cluster (M-56).

  Lyra. The image on its right is the same group of stars but enclosed inside Orpheus' musical instrument.

  Here's a little larger image of the constellation Lyra:

  

  In the 2 images below you can see how Lyra sits between the constellations Hercules and Cygnus, even as Zeus ordered that it be done (ha, ha):

  

  

  And here's those 2 objects that are found inside Lyra:

  
  M-56 Globular Cluster in Lyra
  M-57 Ring Nebula in Lyra

  Here's an "Interactive Sky Chart" I found that you might be interested in downloading: http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/skychart/article_1220_1.asp

  Schizm

  .
• 

  Schizm

  <-------- Orpheus' musical instrument, called the "lyre".

  <-------- Orpheus receiving his lyre from Apollo, his father. Apollo is also the god of music.

  The image below depicts Orpheus being killed by certain women who came to hate him after the death of his wife Eurydice (pronounced You-rid-i-see).

  .