Orpheus and eurydice

How much can you give for the sake of love?

1. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE

2. HOW THE WORLD AND MANKIND WERE CREATED? LOVE

3. PROMPT QUESTION. To what extent would you use your strength to save the person you love?

4. GREEK MYTHOLOGY Greek   Mythology  is the set of stories about the gods, goddesses, heroes and rituals of Ancient  Greeks .  Greek   Mythology  was part of the religion in Ancient  Greece . The most popular  Greek   Mythology  figures include  Greek  Gods like Zeus, Poseidon & Apollo,  Greek  Goddesses like Aphrodite, Hera & Athena and Titans like Atlas. MYTH Are stories about gods, goddesses, and heroes passed from one generations to another. Many G reek myths have a great deal of influence on our culture. For ages, writers, artists, and musicians have used mythological characters a their inspiration.”

5. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE

6. Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. He has an ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music. He was the son of one of the Muses and a Thracian prince. Eurydice was an oak nymph or one of the daughters of Apollo (the god of light). She was the wife of Orpheus.

7. Orpheus met and wooed the maiden he loved, Eurydice. And when they were married, they looked forward to many years of happiness together. Directly after the wedding, as the bride walked in a meadow with her bridesmaids, a viper stung her… …and she died.

8. Orpheus' grief was overwhelming. He could not endure it. He was determined to go down to the world of death (underworld) and try to bring Eurydice back. He dared more than any other man ever dared for his love. He took the fearsome journey to the underworld. He climbed into a cave and through a dark passage that led to the underworld. In Styx (river) he struck his lyre, and at the sound all that vast multitude were charmed to stillness.

9. And Cerberus , the fierce three headed dog who guarded the gates, heard the sweet music and lay still to let him pass. Orpheus continued to play his lyre tenderly as he made his way through the gloomy underworld.

10. Tantalus,Sisyphus and Ixion , each condemned for heinous crimes against the gods.

11. At last Orpheus came to the palace of Hades and Persephone, King and queen of the underworld. Before they could order him to leave; he began his gentle song, pleading for Eurydice. They summoned Eurydice and gave her to him, but upon one condition:

12. That he would not look back at her as she followed him, until they had reached the upper world. Then he turned to her It was too soon; she was still in the cavern. He saw her in the dim light, and he held out his arms to clasp her; but on the instant she was gone. She had slipped back into the darkness. All he heard was one faint word, " Farewell ."

13. He wandered through the wild solitudes of Thrace, comfortless except for his lyre, playing, always playing, and the rocks and the rivers and the trees heard him gladly, his only companions. But at last a band of Maenads [women] came upon him.... They slew the gentle musician, tearing him limb from limb, borne along past the river's mouth on to the Lesbian shore; nor had it suffered any change from the sea when the Muses found it and buried it in the sanctuary of the island. His limbs they gathered and placed in a tomb at the foot of Mount Olympus. …. and there to this day the nightingales sing more sweetly than anywhere else.

14. PROCESSING QUESTIONS What was the greatest strength of Orpheus? What was his weakness? What reasons might the gods have for allowing Orpheus and Eurydice to be reunited? Explain why the gods gave a condition to Orpheus and to his bride to return to earth . What role does mythology played in today’s world? How does it teach people lessons?

15. ACTIVITY #1: Slogan Making Directions: Create a slogan for the theme of the story. Assignment: Research about the Flower-Myths: Narcissus, Hyacinth, and Adonis