Orpheus.

     A follower of the god Dionysus (Bacchus) and the son of a Muse, perhaps Calliope, Orpheus was a consummate musician: the sound of his lyre could charm wild beasts and move trees and rocks. Orpheus sailed with Jason and the Argonauts and, with his singing, prevented them from being lured to their death by the Sirens. He married the Dryad Eurydice and, when she was killed by a poisonous snake, went to the Underworld to beg Hades and Persephone for his wife’s return. His wish was granted, but as he led her out of Hades he disobeyed Persephone’s order not to look back, and Eurydice was lost to him forever. Orpheus was later torn to pieces by the madwomen of Thrace (or by maenads) who felt that he had dishonored Dionysus.
    According to several poems written from the middle of the seventh century BCE onward, Orpheus was credited as the founder of the Orphic Cult, a religion characterized by secret rites and initiations. Although never formally organized as a unified spiritual movement, the cult enjoyed a revival during the Roman empire.
    Because of his association with music and poetry,Orpheus has become a symbol of the arts in general and, by extension, social harmony and civilization itself. Artistic depictions of Orpheus most commonly portray him charming the animals and trees with his lyre.

    Further Reference: Kosinsky, Dorothy M. 1989. Orpheus in Nineteenth-Century Symbolism. Ann Arbor: UMI Research Press.


Listings are arranged under the following headings:
Orpheus, General List
Orpheus and Eurydice
Death of Orpheus
See also Jason, and the Argonauts