Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-03-14
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There is something remarkably Singular
respecting the history of Lyra. It is.asser-
ALPHABETICALLY that this is the Lyfe that
gave to Orpheus, and upon WHICH he
played so admirably that the mighty fivers
to fow, the dark waves of the bois
ferrous Ocean ceased to lash the shore, the
fierce and rave4oas beasts of the forests for
got their wildhess, and were as gentle and
harmless as lambs and the hills and noun
tains came to listen to his song. OF all the
nymphs who went to hear him play, Fury
dice was the only one who made a deep i'm
preston on his heart, and their nuptials were
very soon celebrated. Their happiness was,
however, very short. Aristeus fell in love-
with Eurydice, and as she fed from him,
she was bitten by a serpent, lurking in the
grass, and she died of the wound. Orpheus
resolved to recover her. With his Tyre in
his hand, he entered the regions of death,
and gained admission to Pluto. Athwart
those dOleful regions he went, playing in the
most admirable strains. His satanic Males
ty was charmed, the wheel of Ixion stopped,
the stone Sisyphus stood still, Tantalus for
got his thirst, and the suries relented.
Pluto and Prosurpine were moved, and
consented to restore to him Eurydiee, provi-
ded he would not look behind him until he
had reached the most extreme part of their
dark dominions. This condition was accep-
ted, and he was within sight of the upper
~regions Of the air, whep be forgot, and t2gn'
following him, when sho1 fed and instaHti,
vanished from his sight. He attempted t
follow her, bat was refused admittance.
from tins time Orpheus separated himsel
from the society of mankind, which so Of
1ehdeo the itracian women, that thew seize
MIN, tore hiss body in pieces, and threw hi
neao In the River Hebrus, which continue
saying, as 1t was waited into the Egean sea
Eurydlce! Eurydice! !! Eurydice i! Ate
ms DEATH, he received divine honors. and hi
Lyre became one Of the consultations.
There LFeA, for the brightness of her stars.
wore tnan &deir number, eminent; thrice seven
1ne counts, and ONE of these Eliminates
Inc heavens far around, blazing imperial
In the fret ORDER"
1t Is the opinion of some Mythologist
1nat Orpteus, after being murdered. wa
changed intoa Swan, and placed near hi
Harp in the heavens.
~ -" Egean's dismal gloom alona
Inc melancholy monarch made his moan.
! AZ voice was lessened as he tried to speak,
ana issued through a long extended neck
ms mar transformed to down, his fingers met
II SKINNY MINIS, and shaped his oary feet
From both his sides the wings and feathers bro,L
ana from his mouth proceeds a blunted beak
All Vrpheas into a Swan was turned"
VI add the feathered race there is no bir
so majestic as the Swan. Every eminer
poet has taken notice of her. And afte
d Orpheas was converted into a Swan, he wa
consecrased to Apollo and the MUSES.. III
ancieHts entertained the opinion that thi
Olro IoUeooid Its own end, and sang MOI
Is sweetly at the approach of death.
"She, like the Swan
L. Expiring, dies in melody"
90 on the silver stream, when death is nipb.
Inc monr0ful Swan sings its own elegy,"
The. history of Lyra, however, was d,
signed merely to represent the power {
music ia the hands of those skilled !
the science. The Tyre was a famous stringe
instrument much used by the ancients.
was ln1eated by Mercury in the year of tn
world 1000. Some, however, suppose tha
1t was invented by Jubal. (Gen. 4, 21.l
was undoubtedly the first stringed instrr
ment used in Greece. IT
Murphy, N. G..