Orpheus and Eurydice | Victoria Olt

In Greek mythology, Orpheus was the son of the Muse Calliope, gifted with a voice so moving it could soften even the hardest of hearts. He fell deeply in love with Eurydice, a mortal woman whose beauty and spirit matched his own. They were wed, but their happiness was short-lived. Soon after the wedding, Eurydice was bitten by a venomous snake and died, her soul descending to the shadowy realm of Hades.

Overcome with grief, Orpheus resolved to follow her into the underworld. His pleas reached the hearts of its rulers, Hades and Persephone, who agreed to release Eurydice on one condition: he must walk ahead and not look back until they both reached the surface. With hope renewed, he led her through the dark caverns, the faint sound of her footsteps following behind. But as they neared the light of the living world, doubt crept into his mind. Unable to resist, he turned to see her, and in that instant, Eurydice was pulled away, vanishing forever into the shadows.

The tale of Orpheus and Eurydice is a story of love and loss, of trust and temptation. It speaks to the fragile line between hope and despair, and the human longing to hold on to what has already slipped away.