The evening world., 1921-01-28
The Worlds
Oldest
LOUe Stories
oRPHEus AND EURYDIcE.
By MGubeTt st. Georges
Opyrigbt, 1871, By DE Pres Pul1lishina %.
THE New York EEening Worldl


n RPHEUS WA the son Of Apollo
and the Muse Calliope. At his
birth he was presented with a
tyre by his father, who taught him
TO play on It and made htm the most
famous Of musicians. Not only his
fellow mortals but even wild beasts
we're softened by his strains. Trees
and rocks were sensible to the
charm. SO, too, was Eurydice, whom
Orpheus loved and won.
They we're married but their
happiness was short lived. Aris-
tanes, a shepherd, one day caught
s,gnL of Eurydice and struck by her
beauty made advances TO her. In
flying she trod upon a snake hidden
IN the grass and was bitton in the
foot Al the news of her death Or
pheus was like one bereft Of hiG
senses He sang his grief to all, sad
dening gods, men and beasts with his
haunting music.
Finally, finding his complaints Of No
avail he resolved 10 seek his love In
HadeA Maldng his way to the throne
Of Pluto and ProserpInI, he sang his
petitiOn, accompany Ing himself With
his Tyre. So wonderful was his song
that the ghosts themselves shed tears
Tantalus, forgetting his thirst ceased
70 reach for water, Ixion's wheel stood
still the VultureS ceased to tear out
the giants liver, tho daughters Ot
Faunus stopped drawing water in a
sieve and Slsyphus sat on his rock 20
listen For the first time the eyes Of
the Furies were wet with tears. Pro-
Serpine was moved and finally Pluto
himself gave way.
Eurydioe was called, and TO the Joy
Of her husband came forth from among
the ghosts still limping from her
wounded foot. Then Pluto told Or
pheus that he would be permitted to
take her with him on the condition
that he should not turn around and
look at her till they should have
reached the upper air. Promising 70
obey, they set forth on their way, Or
pheus in the lead. In accordance with
Pluto's orders. they were allowed 10
pass without let or hindrance, while
the ghosts watched mutely and jea4-
ously.
Mindful Of his promise, Orpheus
kept on looking before as Charon
rowed him across the Styx. They
were saved. Quickly with words
Of love he turned to clasp the be-
loved Eurydice to his heart. A,asi
Though be had reached the upper
world, Eurydice, who had been fol-
lowing a few feet behind, had not
Even as Orpheus sought TO take her
in his arms she seemed to fade into
nothingness. For a moment she
seemed 10 hang family In the adr;
then she disappeared forever.
Like a madmaD Orpheus sought TO
! follow. But Cerberus 'd before
him and the ferryman refused to row
him over again.
Sadly he left the realm Of Pluto and
wandered into Thrace. For seven
months he lived IN a cave mourning
| his twice lost wife, living on herbs and
berries, charming the tiger and the
wolf with his song. During these seven
months the Thracian matdens, famous
for their beauty, sought to captivate
| him, out in vain.
Then, when the celebration Of the
| rites OF Bacchus came, these women,
| maddened with wine and angered by
| hts refuaals, attacked him, throwing
| layelins and stones al him But the
| missiles as soon as they came within
sound OF his Tyre fell harmless at his
6eet. The women then raised "A scream,
drowning the sweet music and, over
! whelming him, tore him limb from
Rmh, and threw his remains into tho
river. Jupiter took his Tyre and placed
II among the stars, and the shade OF
the unfortunate bard for the second
time iourneyed to Hades to rejoin hiS
beloved wife