Orpheus
Also known as: Thracian Orpheus · Family: Thracian · Role: religious founder · First appears: Book 2 · Chapter 30
Orpheus, also known as the Thracian Orpheus, was associated with religious rites: in Book 2, Chapter 30, he was credited with introducing rites connected with Hecate. In Book 3, Chapter 13, a temple to Proserpine was said to have been erected by him or, alternatively, by Abaris. Later accounts linked him with Eros, for whom he wrote verses for the Lycomidae to sing at mysteries, and depicted him beside Telete. The Greeks also believed he was the son of Calliope, though the account says this was not true.
In Book 9, Chapter 30, one story says that after Eurydice died, Orpheus went to Aornus to consult the oracle of the dead and lost her again when he turned to look back; “he slew himself from grief.” Another account from the same chapter says that women killed him at Dium. After Libethra’s destruction, his remains were moved to Dium.
Other accounts and depictions connected Orpheus with Dionysius, Amphion, Musæus, Promedon and Pelias. One described Musæus as imitating Orpheus, while another showed Pelias gazing at him.
Relationship record
Life events
- A temple to Saviour Proserpine was erected, reportedly by Orpheus or Abaris.(Book 3 · Chapter 13)
- With: Abaris Proserpine
- “the Lacedæmonians have a temple of Saviour Proserpine, erected some say by the Thracian Orpheus, others say by Abaris who came from the Hyperboreans”
- Orpheus lost Eurydice after turning back and killed himself from grief.(Book 9 · Chapter 30 · 📍 Aornus in Thesprotia)
- With: Eurydice
- “Others have recorded that, his wife Eurydice having died before him, he went to Aornus in Thesprotia, to consult an oracle of the dead about her, and he thought that her soul would follow him, but losing her because he turned back to look at her he slew himself from grief.”
- The Macedonians said women slew Orpheus at Dium.(Book 9 · Chapter 30 · 📍 Dium)
- “But the Macedonians who inhabit the district of Pieria, under the mountain and the city Dium, say that Orpheus was slain there by the women.”
- After Libethra’s destruction, Orpheus’s remains were moved to Dium.(Book 9 · Chapter 30 · 📍 Dium)
- “As the Libethrians therefore all perished, the Macedonians in Dium, according to the account I received from my host at Larissa, removed the remains of Orpheus to their city.”
Book 2 · Chapter 30
- with Hecate (Orpheus introduced the rites of Hecate.) “saying that Orpheus the Thracian introduced those rites”
Book 3 · Chapter 13
- with Proserpine (interaction) “erected some say by the Thracian Orpheus”
Book 5 · Chapter 26
- with Dionysius (Dionysius made the statue of Orpheus.) “And next the statue of Agon is Dionysus, and the Thracian Orpheus, and the statue of Zeus which I mentioned a little above. These are works of art of the Argive Dionysius.”
Book 6 · Chapter 20
- with Amphion (Both are described as magicians.) “This Egyptian also thought that Amphion and the Thracian Orpheus were wonderful magicians”
Book 9 · Chapter 27
- with Eros (interaction) “And after Olen Pamphus and Orpheus wrote verses to Eros for the Lycomidæ to sing at the mysteries”
Book 9 · Chapter 30
- with Telete (Telete is depicted beside Orpheus.) “There is also a statue of Thracian Orpheus with Telete beside him”
- parent: Calliope (This is reported as a belief, not as established fact.) “The Greeks believe many things which are not true, and among others that Orpheus was the son of the Muse Calliope”
- married with Eurydice “he went down alive to Hades to get back his wife Eurydice from the gods of the lower world”
Book 10 · Chapter 7
- with Musæus (Musæus imitated Orpheus in all things.) “nor Musæus from his imitation of Orpheus in all things, cared to contend in this musical contest”
Book 10 · Chapter 30
- with Promedon (Promedon was passionately fond of Orpheus's music.) “Others say he was a Greek who was passionately fond of music, and especially of that of Orpheus.”
- admirer: Promedon “Others say he was a Greek who was passionately fond of music, and especially of that of Orpheus.”
- with Pelias (interaction) “And next him sits Pelias, with beard and head all hoary, gazing at Orpheus.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.