The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice: A Love Beyond Life - Animated Version - Greek Mythology

The Greek world was full of musicians and poets who sang the deeds of gods and heroes, but none of them could compare to Orpheus. He was the son of the muse Calliope and the god Apollo. From his mother he inherited an unsurpassed melodious voice, and from his father a talent for writing outstanding music. When he played his lyre offered by Apollo, the animals would calm down and stop to listen to him, and even the plants would swing to the music's rhythm. But Orpheus was not only a virtuous artist, he was also endowed with great courage. The young man was part of the Jason crew in his quest for the Golden Fleece. Thanks to Orpheus, the Argonauts escaped the seductive siren's song, since the hero managed to muffle the deadly melody of sea creatures with his own music. After returning from the adventure, Orpheus met the beautiful Eurydice, falling in love. Eurydice was the biggest fan of Orpheus' songs. The young lady's passion for the songs often made him jealous of his own compositions. During the couple's marriage, dark omens pointed to a turbulent future. But nevertheless, the couple decided to live out their days as best they could. One day, while Eurydice was walking through the fields, she was spotted by Aristeas, the beekeeper. The young woman ran away from the man who wanted to rape her, but she encountered her sad fate. In her escape through the grass, the unfortunate girl was stung by a snake. Eurydice failed to take many steps and fell to the ground. Upon hearing the news, Orpheus ran to meet his beloved. The young woman died in the arms of her lover before departing for the kingdom of Hades. With her beloved's body in his arms and making use of his powerful voice, Orpheus cried out the saddest lamentation of all. The happiness in his songs disappeared, and from that day on, only dismal and melancholic sounds came out of his lyre. The unhappy Orpheus turned to Zeus, the supreme Olympian god, asking him to bring his beloved wife back to life. Zeus said he could not interfere in the affairs of his brother Hades, but Orpheus could go to the world of the dead to converse with the god of the underworld, with Hermes by his side. Along with the messenger god, Orpheus descended to the world of the dead. With his melodious verses, the young man softened the heart of boatman Charon, who agreed to make his crossing over the river of the dead. At the gates of the underworld was Cerberus, Hades' three-headed dog, responsible for stopping intruders from entering his master's domain. Orpheus played his lyre and sang him a quiet song that made the dog fall asleep. Hades and his wife Persephone were surprised by Orpheus' presence in their domains. Enraged, the god said, How dare you invade my domains, mortal creature? You shall tell me your motivation, or you will suffer in Tartarus for all eternity. I'm begging you to allow me to return to the world of the living with my beloved Eurydice. Orpheus sang a sad song, and the boy's pain was tremendously felt by all. While Orpheus played his lyre, the world of the dead stopped to listen to him. Sisyphus stopped rolling his stone, and for a moment, the Furies forgot to punish sinners and thieves. Everyone was stunned by Orpheus. Hades was moved by Orpheus' music, to the point of shedding an iron tear. Queen Persephone interceded for Orpheus, and Hades asked for Eurydice to be brought to their presence. The couple's reunion moved everyone. That's when Hades spoke, You two are free to go, but you must go ahead, and Eurydice will go right behind you, and under no circumstances can you look back, otherwise you will lose her again. A dark path emerged from the underground to the surface, and the couple set out for the world of the living. Orpheus walked all the way back feeling concerned, because he was not sure if Eurydice could keep up with him. When he was almost at the end of the tunnel, and the sunlight was already hitting his eyes, Orpheus couldn't contain himself and looked back to make sure his beloved was there. But at that very same instant, Eurydice was pulled back into the world of the dead. Orpheus still attempted to hold his beloved's hand, but it was too late. Orpheus was desperate and wanted to return to the underworld, but Hermes stopped him. The desolate Orpheus sank into a terrible depression, and his music never rejoiced again. Sometime later, he was found by a group of Bacchantes, the Dionysus' priestesses, who wished to sleep with the young man, but he could only play and sing his sad songs. Enraged, the Bacchantes threw stones at Orpheus, but the power of his music dodged them. The Bacchantes decided to muffle the music with bells, screams, and drums. No longer protected by the music, Orpheus was killed and pierced by the Bacchantes. His remains, along with his lyre, were thrown into the river. The dismayed Muses picked his divine lyre and honored him by turning it into a constellation. Despite his sad end, Orpheus' spirit was free to meet his beloved Eurydice in the Champs-Elysees.