Orpheus is playing his lyre with tears in his eyes, begging the rulers of the underworld to return Eurydice to him.
All Pluto and Persephone want is to be rid of those dewy eyes, tearing at their heart strings. They tell him he can have her back on one condition: that he doesn’t look back the whole way out of the underworld.
By the time Orpheus has broken this condition, as he surely will, and he’s crying again, he’ll be long gone and the king and queen won’t have to worry about it.
He’s almost out of the underworld and, worried that Eurydice might not be behind him, he looks back.
As she’s pulled away from him forever there is no look of complaint in her eyes: she was loved and that is enough for her. She whispers a farewell and is gone.
Orpheus finds the denizens of the underworld hardened against him as he tries to re-enter: he’s pushed away from the boat and his song is cut short. They know his tricks now. Distraught, he returns to the daylight to mourn.
All eyes are on him during his time on earth, the famous poet. He is loved by everyone and everything. If he sits in the sun he soon finds himself in shade: the trees have crept toward him to hear his songs.
(I’ve been reading Ovid’s Metamorphoses.)
(Image is from Pixabay.)
Lee Watkins 
I have always loved this story of Orpheus and Eurydice ever since the first time I read it. Thanks for sharing this, Lee!
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Thanks for reading!
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Good to see you’re still writing posts in these ‘interesting times’. I’ve stopped writing on mine but will continue to visit other peoples’ like yours, so there’s no need to look for something to ‘like’ on my blog.
I studied ‘Metamorphoses’ at school; I still find it a fascinating collection of stories. I hoped you enjoyed the read.
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Thanks! I hope you’re keeping safe and well. I was wondering how your writing is going since you can’t make your coffee shop visits. I hope you’re managing to find time to write amid all this.
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Yes, had to relearn writing first drafts at home! So, still writing.
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Metamorphoses is truly a great source of inspiration! Keep it up!
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Thanks for reading!
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