Journeying To The Underworld : Orpheus Flashcards
Who taught Orpheus how to play the lyre and sing
Apollo taught him the lyre and his mother calliope taught him to sing
What power did Orpheus’ song be said to have
His song was set to enchant gods human or animals. It was believed he had the power to move even inanimate objects e.g. stones and trees, to tears
When Orpheus was on his quest with Jason and the Argonauts how did he save them
His melody saved the crew from jumping overboard when they heard the voices of the Sirens
What happened during lines 1 to 10
Orpheus’s wedding was taking place. Hyman the God of marriage ceremonies attended but he did not ‘speak with the usual words’ and held a bad expression. These ill-omens foreshadowed the death of Eurydice
What happen during lines 11 to 39
Orpheus overcome with grief had charmed Charon and the Cerberus, guardians of the river Styx, with his Song gaining access to the underworld
What did Orpheus appeal to Pluto and Proserpina
He stated that ‘all things are destined to be yours’ and that the underworld would eventually be our ‘home’. These comments highlighted in the Roman beliefs about life after death
What did Orpheus sing about in the underworld
He sang that although the underworld was Eurydice’s final resting place it was unfair to cut her life on Earth this short this soon
What happened during lines 40 to 64
His song echoed in the underworld and even the faces of the Furies were wet with tears. Souls who are subjected to internal damnation stoped and listened
What was Tantalus’ sin and what was his punishment
He had served his son Pelops to the gods and to test their omniscience- his punishment was that he would always be reaching for food a water but it would retreat whenever he would reach for it
What was Ixion’s sin and his punishment
He committed the first murder before attempting to seduce Hera. He was bound to a fiery wheel which turned for all eternity
What was Tityus’ sin and what was his punishment
He attempted to rape Leto and was punished by being pinned to a wall where two vultures would pick on his ever-regenerating liver
What was Belides’ sin and their punishment
They killed their husbands on their wedding nights and were punished by being challenged to fill a basin of water however they had to use sieves
What was sisyphus’ sin and what was his punishment
Sisyphus had cheated death twice. Zeus punished him by making him roll a boulder up a hill which would fall back down when he reached the top
What condition did Pluto and Prosperina agree to
That they would let him take Eurydice but he wasn’t allowed to look back until they had left
What happened just before Orpheus reached the gates
Orpheus lost faith and looked back which caused Eurydice to be pulled back into the underworld
