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Elizabeth Cor
Senior Member
since 2000-10-13
Posts 879
Over the river and through the woods

0 posted 2000-10-24 05:44 PM


What is the rest of this verse, who wrote it, and what is it's source?

Orpheus, who could play the lyre quite fine,

Journeyed down to Hades to bring his love back.

He would try to charm Demeter's daughter, Proserpine.

All from a lyre to bring his wife back,

He would try to charm the Lord of the Dead.

He drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek,

And made Hell grant what Love did seek.


I should KNOW this...
Thanks.

~ Beth


© Copyright 2000 Megs - All Rights Reserved
Jamie
Member Elite
since 2000-06-26
Posts 3168
Blue Heaven
1 posted 2000-10-25 02:30 AM


There have been many poems on the subject, but i think Ovid's Metamorhoses is the one you seek..some excerpts...

"Arriv'd, he, tuning to his voice his strings,Thus to the king and queen of shadows sings. Ye Pow'rs, who under Earth your realms extend,To whom all mortals must one day descend;If here 'tis granted sacred truth to tell:I come not curious to explore your Hell;
Nor come to boast (by vain ambition fir'd)
How Cerberus at my approach retir'd.
My wife alone I seek; for her lov'd sake......

......Thus, while the bard melodiously complains,And to his lyre accords his vocal strains,The very bloodless shades attention keep,And silent, seem compassionate to weep;
Ev'n Tantalus his flood unthirsty views,
Nor flies the stream, nor he the stream pursues; Ixion's wond'ring wheel its whirl suspends,And the voracious vulture, charm'd, attends;No more the Belides their toil bemoan,And Sisiphus reclin'd, sits list'ning on his stone. Then first ('tis said) by sacred verse subdu'd,
The Furies felt their cheeks with tears bedew'd:Nor could the rigid king, or queen of Hell,Th' impulse of pity in their hearts repell.Now, from a troop of shades that last arriv'd, Eurydice was call'd, and stood reviv'd....

Milton and Southey also had poems with the same theme-- i think milton's was "or bid the soul of Orpheus sing" or something like that... but i could be wrong...



Jamie

Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito. - Virgil.
"Yield thou not to adversity, but press on the more bravely".



Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
2 posted 2000-10-31 01:10 AM


Geez - Jamie - you rock!  
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
3 posted 2000-10-31 01:11 AM


You know - there is such a thing as knowing too much for your own good... you know that right???  
Dopey Dope
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Moderator
Member Patricius
since 2000-08-30
Posts 11132
San Juan, Puerto Rico
4 posted 2000-11-04 02:12 PM


*whispers in chris's ear* somebody's got a crush.....



"I was born myself, raised myself, and will continue to be myself. The world will just have to adjust."

I hate your socks. I'd like to burn them!

Elizabeth Cor
Senior Member
since 2000-10-13
Posts 879
Over the river and through the woods
5 posted 2000-11-09 07:18 PM


Jamie,
I'm so sorry it took so long to give you any sort of reply. I was on vacation, and then I got sick, and then I was sooo busy I had no time for Passions (I'm a horrible person, I know). In answer to your question, the source was NOT Ovid.
Still researching Milton and Southey...
Where do you store all this information???
Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a few clues.

Rock, can't you keep your nose out of ANYthing?  

~looks at Dopey_Dope~ Oh no! Gossip! OUT! OUT! heheheh

~ Beth

[This message has been edited by Elizabeth Cor (edited 11-09-2000).]

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