In Thrace, land of mountains and forests, lived Orpheus - the most extraordinary musician who ever existed.

Orpheus was son of Calliope, the muse of epic poetry! From whom he inherited divine talent!

He played the lyre - a string instrument given by the god Apollo himself.

And when Orpheus played... the entire world stopped to listen.

When Orpheus played his lyre:

Wild animals approached tame! Lions and wolves lay at his feet!

Trees bent to hear better! Leaves danced even without wind!

Rivers changed their course to flow closer to him.

Stones cried tears of joy!

Even the gods on Olympus stopped their activities to listen.

No one - neither mortal nor immortal - played music as beautiful as Orpheus!

One day, Orpheus met a nymph named Eurydice.

She was beautiful as spring! Hair that shone like honey in the sun! Kind eyes! Musical laughter!

When Orpheus saw her, his heart sang a melody he had never played before - the melody of true love.

And when Eurydice heard Orpheus play... she fell in love too.

"Your music," said Eurydice, "speaks directly to my soul!"

"And your smile," said Orpheus, "is the only music my heart wants to hear!"

They married in a beautiful ceremony.

All the gods attended! Even Hymen, god of marriage, came to bless them!

But something strange happened: Hymen's torch smoked and went out! Bad omen!

People murmured nervously! But Orpheus and Eurydice had eyes only for each other!

"Nothing can separate us," they said! "Our love is eternal!"

They were incredibly happy! Every day was full of music, laughter, and love!

Orpheus composed songs for Eurydice! She danced while he played!

It was perfect love.

But the happiness lasted only a short time.

One day, Eurydice walked in a meadow with her nymph friends.

She picked flowers, laughing, dancing among the trees.

Suddenly, she felt something on her foot.

A poisonous serpent had bitten her ankle.

"AAAH!" Eurydice screamed in pain!

The venom spread quickly! She fell!

Her friends ran to help! But it was too late!

Within minutes, Eurydice was dead.

When Orpheus received the news, he screamed in pain.

He ran to where Eurydice's body lay! He held her in his arms!

"NO! NO! EURYDICE! COME BACK TO ME!"

But she was cold! Motionless! Her soul had departed for the World of the Dead!

Orpheus cried! His pain was so deep it made mountains tremble!

He played his lyre! But the music that came out was so sad that:

Trees lost their leaves.

Rivers stopped flowing.

Animals cried!

The sky itself darkened.

"I cannot live without her!" cried Orpheus! "I WON'T live without her!"

Then Orpheus made a decision no living mortal had ever made.

"I'm going to the World of the Dead!" he declared! "I'll bring Eurydice back!"

Everyone said it was madness.

"No living person enters Hades' realm and leaves!" they warned!

"Then I'll be the first!" said Orpheus!

He took his lyre and walked until he found an entrance to the World of the Dead - a deep cave that descended into darkness.

He descended... descended... descended.

For hours! Days! Until he reached the river Styx - the river that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead!

Charon, the ferryman of the dead, blocked the way.

"You are ALIVE!" he growled! "You cannot pass! Only the dead cross the Styx!"

Orpheus didn't argue! He simply began to play his lyre!

The music was so beautiful, so sad, so full of love that Charon... cried!

For the first time in millennia, tears flowed from the old ferryman.

"Enter," he whispered! "I've never heard such beautiful music!"

Orpheus crossed the river.

At the gate, Cerberus - the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance - growled.

His three mouths drooled! Ready to devour Orpheus!

But Orpheus played again.

The music was like a lullaby.

Cerberus... lowered his three heads! Closed his six eyes!

And slept! Snoring softly!

Orpheus passed the sleeping monster.

He walked through fields of lamenting spirits! All stopped to hear his music!

Even tormented souls found momentary peace hearing him play.

Finally, Orpheus reached the palace of Hades and Persephone - king and queen of the dead.

Hades was sitting on his throne of bones! Persephone at his side!

Both looked coldly at Orpheus.

"ALIVE?" thundered Hades! "YOU DARE enter my realm ALIVE?"

"Please," said Orpheus! "Hear me! Let my music speak!"

And he began to play.

The music told a story:

- Of love at first sight

- Of perfect happiness

- Of sudden loss

- Of unbearable pain

- Of a love so strong it defied death itself

While Orpheus played, something impossible happened.

Persephone began to cry!

She who had been abducted by Hades! She who knew separation! She who was divided between two worlds!

Tears flowed from her eyes.

And then... even more impossible...

Hades cried!

Hades! The god who never showed emotion! The lord of the dead! He who was hard as stone!

For the first time in eternities, Hades felt compassion.

"Stop!" said Hades with a broken voice! "Your music... is too powerful!"

"Orpheus," said Hades slowly, "you did the impossible! You moved my stone heart! We will return Eurydice!"

Orpheus almost fell to his knees with joy.

"BUT," continued Hades, "there is ONE condition!"

"Any one!" said Orpheus!

"Eurydice will follow behind you! She will walk in the shadows! You will guide her back to the world of the living!"

"Yes! Yes!"

"BUT you CANNOT look back! You CANNOT look at Eurydice until you are both completely in the sunlight! If you look before... she returns to me FOREVER!"

Orpheus trembled! "I... understand! I won't look! I promise!"

Orpheus began to ascend.

He left the palace! Passed Cerberus! Crossed the river Styx!

Climbed through the dark cave.

Behind him... silence.

He heard no footsteps from Eurydice! Heard no breathing!

"Is she there?" thought Orpheus! "Did Hades trick me? What if she's not following?"

But he continued! He didn't look!

He climbed more! The darkness began to lighten!

"Almost there!" he thought! "Just a little more!"

But doubt grew! "What if I reach the surface and she's not there? What if I'm walking alone?"

Orpheus could see sunlight ahead! So close!

"Almost! Just a few more steps!"

The anxiety was unbearable! "I need to know! I need to be sure she's with me!"

He took another step! Sunlight touched his face!

"It's done! I'm in the light!"

But... was he Completely in the light? Both his feet on the surface?

In that moment of uncertainty, in that second of doubt...

Orpheus looked back!

And there she was! Eurydice!

Beautiful! Alive! Smiling! Reaching out her hand!

Still in the shadows! Inches from the light!

"Orpheus!" Eurydice whispered! "Why did you look?"

Their eyes met! For a second, they were together again!

Then Eurydice began to disappear.

Pulled back into the darkness.

"NO!" Orpheus screamed! He reached out!

Their fingers touched... for an instant...

"Farewell, my love," whispered Eurydice! Without anger! Only sadness!

"Eurydice! EURYDICE!"

But she was sucked back! Like smoke! Dissolving in the shadows!

And disappeared.

Forever.

Orpheus tried to return! He ran to the cave entrance!

But now Charon refused.

"You had your chance!" said the ferryman! "There's no second opportunity!"

Orpheus stayed at the entrance for seven days! Without eating! Without drinking! Playing sad music!

But the doors of the World of the Dead remained closed.

Finally, shattered, Orpheus returned to the surface.

But he was a broken man! He never smiled again! He never loved again!

He only played sad songs about Eurydice.

For years, Orpheus wandered playing songs of lament.

He refused the love of all women! "My heart belongs to Eurydice!"

One day, a group of mad women called Maenads (followers of Dionysus) found Orpheus.

They wanted him to play happy songs! But Orpheus only knew sad songs!

Furious, the Maenads attacked him.

Orpheus tried to defend himself with music! But there were too many!

They tore him apart.

They threw his head and lyre into the river.

And they say that when Orpheus died, his soul descended to the World of the Dead.

And there, waiting for him, was Eurydice.

She smiled! She reached out her hand!

This time, nothing could separate them.

Because now both were dead! Together for eternity!

They walk through the fields of asphodel holding hands.

And Orpheus plays his lyre.

And Eurydice dances.

Forever.