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Eurydice In Ovid's X Of The Metamorphoses

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Through the mythology of Ovid, there will be happiness, death, love and trust. The beginning of the book X of the Metamorphoses, describes the marriage ceremony of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus fell mainly in love with Eurydice, with her unique beauty. Hymen had heard the voice of Orpheus, Orpheus is known for singing and playing his lyre beautifully. Hymen is the god of marriage. Hymen was present on the wedding day, but he acted as if it were a funeral. He did not speak a word or showed any excitement. As well, Hymen did not bring any hope, grace and he did not bless the wedding. Many readers believe that Orpheus love and trust brought Eurydice back to life. However, there is a possibility that Orpheus love and trust was what killed Eurydice …show more content…

On their wedding day, a tragic event took place. While, Eurydice was walking on the meadows a snake bit her, Ovid said, “The bride, just wed, met death; for even as/ she crossed the meadows with her Naiad friends/ she stepped upon a snake; the viper sank its teeth into her ankle” (Metamorphoses 325). Eurydice died from the bite on her ankle but Orpheus did not lose hope on their love. Orpheus love and trust for Eurydice was unbreakable, he was willing to do anything to bring her back from the dead. Orpheus traveled to the underworld to approach Proserpina and Pluto. Proserpina and Pluto rule the dead. Proserpina is Pluto’s wife. Orpheus wanted them to give him his bride back. Orpheus knew that he could use his talent to get the gods to work in his favor. Afterwards, Orpheus got his lyre and started to sing to the gods. Orpheus …show more content…

Orpheus mourned the death of his bride Eurydice. He made an agreement with the gods of the underworld to bring her back to life. On the agreement there was a condition that Orpheus could not look at her until he had passed the valley of Avernus. Pluto wanted to test the faith and trust Orpheus had on Eurydice. Orpheus was tempted to look back at her. While, they were walking in an upward path, it was silent, dark and steep. Orpheus was afraid that she was going to disappear from him or let go of him, he had to look back. If his love and trust for her were strong enough he would of not looked back, the poem states, “they’d almost reached the upper world, when he/ afraid that she might disappear again/ and logging do to see her, turned to gaze/ back at his wife” (Metamorphoses 327). Orpheus trust was what got Eurydice killed for the second times. As well, the underworld gods knew that it was hard to not look back. Orpheus was truly in love with Eurydice that he had to make sure she was following him, but in this case it was based on trust. Sometimes you don’t need the presence of the person to know that they are there. In some occasions like in this poem, you have to believe and trust in the person in order to

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