THE LEGEND OF LYRA TELLS THE STORY OF ORPHEUS WHO WAS GIVEN A HARP BY THE GOD APOLLO. ORPHEUS MUSIC WAS SWEETER THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER MORTAL MAN. IT COULD SOOTHE ANY SAVAGE, BRING JOY TO THE HEART OF THE WEARY; IT WAS EVEN SAID THAT RIVERS CHANGED COURSE TO STAY NEAR ITS BEAUTY.
ORPHEUS MARRIED THE LOVELY MAIDEN EURYDICE. BUT AFTER THEIR WEDDING, AS SHE WALKED WITH HER BRIDESMAIDS, SHE WAS BITTEN BY A SNAKE AND DIED.
ORPHEUS WAS SO STRICKEN WITH GRIEF THAT HE JOURNEYED TO THE UNDERWORLD TO WIN HER RETURN. HIS MUSIC NOT ONLY GAINED HIM ENTRY TO HADES, IT CAUSED PLUTO, THE GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD, TO SOFTEN HIS HEART AND GRANT ORPHEUS WISH.
BUT THERE WAS ONE CONDITION. EURYDICE WOULD FOLLOW ORPHEUS, WHO COULD NOT LOOK BACK UNTIL BOTH HAD GAINED THE UPPER WORLD. ORPHEUS FOLLOWED HIS INSTRUCTIONS - UNTIL HE REACHED THE SURFACE. BEFORE EURYDICE COULD TAKE THE FINAL STEPS INTO THE LIGHT, HE TURNED TO GAZE UPON HER. SHE VANISHED, WITH ONLY ONE WORD TO HER LOVE: FAREWELL.
CRAZED WITH GRIEF, ORPHEUS WANDERED THE HILLS OF GREECE UNTIL HE WAS MURDERED. THE MUSES BURIED HIM, AND APOLLO PLACED HIS MAGICAL HARP IN THE SKY - AS LYRA.
CREDIT TO STARDATE.ORG
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