2016-12-23 Fri

“Yet the story of Orpheus, it occurs to me, is not just about the desire of the living to resuscitate the dead but about the ways in which the dead drag us along into their shadowy realm because we cannot let them go. So we follow them into the Underworld, descending, descending, until one day we turn and make our way back.” ? Meghan O'Rourke

Orpheus, son of God Apollo is known to have been the most talented music player of the ancient times. Such was his music that no God or mortal could resist his music and even rocks and trees would move themselves to be near him. His melodious voice garnered him an audience from far afar and at one such place his eyes fell upon Eurydice, a wood nymph.

She was a beautiful and shy girl and his music was so enchanting that day that neither could take their eyes off each other. They fell deep in love and unable to spend a single moment apart, decided to get married. Their marriage was a very joyous occasion and guests from far afar had come to bless this couple, including Hymenaios- the God of Marriage. Starry-eyed and holding hands, they departed for their home.

However, Aristaeus, a shepherd, hidden in the bushes they would pass through had decided to pounce upon Orpheus and kill him, thus conquering Eurydice for himself. As soon as the shepherd attacked them, Orpheus grabbed Eurydice by her hand and they ran for many miles with the shepherd following them closely refusing to give up. Suddenly, she fell to the ground and Orpheus saw that her cheeks were deadly pale. Aristaeus had left them mid-way for he had witnessed that a few steps ago, while running, Eurydice had stepped on a nest of snakes and a deadly viper had bit her; she died.

Unable to bear the death of his beloved wife he soon thought of a crazy but brilliant idea: he decided to go to the Underworld to try and get his wife back. He requested his father to talk to Hades, the God of the Underworld. Along with his Lyre, he went to the Underworld and no one stopped him from entering. He sang to the King Hades and Queen Persephone that Eurydice be returned to him. Not even the most stone-hearted of people or Gods could have neglected the hurt in his voice. The king and queen openly wept and even Cerberus, the gigantic three-headed hound guarding the entry to the underworld, covered his many years with his paws and howled in despair.

Hades was so moved that he promised Orpheus that Eurydice would follow him to the upper world (living world). However, he warned Orpheus that for no reason must he look back while his wife was still in the dark, for that would undo everything he hoped for. With joy in his heart Orpheus left and could hear her footsteps following him. As soon as he stepped in the upper world, he turned around to hug his wife. Unfortunately, Eurydice hadn’t seen the daylight and he only got a glimpse of her before she was drawn back into the underworld. The doors of the underworld had now closed for him. He lived in utmost despair oblivious to the world and was soon killed by a group of irate women who were furious for his scorn towards them. They finally reunited in the underworld.

This is a 60 cents Greece stamp of Orpheus and Eurydice published in 2014 expressing their tragic love story.