~The Death of Orpheus~

1
The Death of Orpheus

• Metamorphosis Book 11
• Pages 259-261

2
Where Ovid Continues

• Narrator takes over after tale of Venus and
  Adonis
• Orpheus is followed by the beasts, trees, and
  stones he has moved with his music.
• Circonian women (Maenads) see Orpheus and his
  unusual parade.
• Maenads, believing he is their despiser attack
  him with their wands.
• They dont hurt him because he is protected by
  his music.

3
Why is he Attacked?

• The common belief is that the Thracian women were
  jealous of Orpheus undying love for Eurydice.

4
No More Protection

• Orpheus singing and the lyre are overcome by
  other louder sounds trumpets, drums, flutes, and
  howling of the Maenads.
• His defenses are weakened, the stones they throw
  at him draw blood.
• The birds and snakes charmed by his music flee
  away.

5
Brutal Slaying

• The Thracian women beat Orpheus and rip his limbs
  apart.

Orpheus' Death, red-figure Attic stamnos by
Hermonax, ca. 470 BC
6
More Death Scenes
Death of Orpheus Albrecht Durer1494 engraving
Kunsthalle, Hamburg
Orpheus Slain By The Thracian Women - Emile Levy
7
Mourning Returning to the Underworld

• The stones, trees, and rivers all weep for
  Orpheus.
• The Hebrus River takes his head and lyre to
  Lesbos.
• A serpent tries to bite the head but Apollo turns
  it to stone.

• Orpheus spirit descends to the underworld,
  where it reunites with Eurydice.

8
Nymphs Finding the Head of Orpheus J.W .
Waterhouse
9
Finding of the Head of Orpheus
10
Orpheus is Avenged

• Bacchus demands punishment.
• He binds the Thracian women in the woods where
  they transform into trees.

11
Modern Retellings

• Orphée, 1950 french film by Jean Cocteau -
  Orphée, a poet whose infatuation with Death has
  caused his wife to die, gets shot in a brawl, but
  is later brought back to life by Death.

12
Modern Retellings

• Black Orpheus, 1959 film set during Carnival in
  Rio de Janeiro.
• Orpheus dies when attacked by his ex-fiancé. She
  throws a rock and makes him fall off a cliff.

13
Who also died when torn apart by angry Bacchus
followers?
Pentheus