| Orpheus | |
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Real Name |
Orpheus |
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First Appearance |
Greek Myth |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
In Greek mythology, Orpheus was a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece, and even descended into the underworld of Hades, to recover his lost wife Eurydice.
The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music, his attempt to retrieve his wife Eurydice from the underworld, and his death at the hands of the maenads of Dionysus, who got tired of his mourning for his late wife Eurydice.
When traveling with the Argonauts, Orpheus took part in this adventure and used his skills to aid his companions. Chiron told Jason that without the aid of Orpheus, the Argonauts would never be able to pass the Sirens—the same Sirens encountered by Odysseus in Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. The Sirens lived on three small, rocky islands called Sirenum scopuli and sang beautiful songs that enticed sailors to come to them, which resulted in the crashing of their ships into the islands. When Orpheus heard their voices, he drew his lyre and played music that was louder and more beautiful, drowning out the Sirens' bewitching songs. According to 3rd century BC Hellenistic elegiac poet Phanocles, Orpheus loved the young Argonaut Calais, "the son of Boreas, with all his heart, and went often in shaded groves still singing of his desire, nor was his heart at rest. But always, sleepless cares wasted his spirits as he looked at fresh Calais."
The most famous story in which Orpheus figures is that of his wife Eurydice (sometimes referred to as Euridice and also known as Argiope). While walking among her people, the Cicones, in tall grass at her wedding, Eurydice was set upon by a satyr. In her efforts to escape the satyr, Eurydice fell into a nest of vipers and suffered a fatal bite on her heel. Her body was discovered by Orpheus who, overcome with grief, played such sad and mournful songs that all the nymphs and gods wept. On their advice, Orpheus traveled to the underworld. His music softened the hearts of Hades and Persephone, who agreed to allow Eurydice to return with him to earth on one condition: he should walk in front of her and not look back until they both had reached the upper world. Orpheus set off with Eurydice following; however, as soon as he had reached the upper world, he immediately turned to look at her, forgetting in his eagerness that both of them needed to be in the upper world for the condition to be met. As Eurydice had not yet crossed into the upper world, she vanished for the second time, this time forever.
For the Greeks, Orpheus was a founder and prophet of the so-called "Orphic" mysteries. He was credited with the composition of a number of works, including several theogonies, the Orphic Hymns, the Orphic Argonautica, the Lithica and the Hexameter poem. Shrines containing purported relics of Orpheus were regarded as oracles.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Orpheus from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Argonautica
- Georgics
- Metamorphoses
- Bibliotheca
- Symposium
- The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (523 AD)
- Sir Orfeo (c. late thirteenth or early fourteenth century)
- The Tale of Orpheus and Erudices his Quene (c.1470)
- Orpheus. Eurydice. Hermes (1907)
- Sonnets to Orpheus (1922)
Public Domain Music & Ballet Appearances[]
- Euridice (1600)
- Euridice (1602)
- L'Orfeo (1607)
- Orfeo (1647)
- Orpheus (1726)
- Orpheus and Euridice (1735)
- Orfeo ed Euridice (1762)
- Orfeo ed Euridice (1776)
- L'anima del filosofo, ossia Orfeo ed Euridice (1791)
- Orpheus in the Underworld (1858)
- Orpheus und Eurydike (1926)
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Kid Eternity #9
- Treasure Chest of Fun & Fact #256
- Thrilling Romances #15