Vol. 7 (2015): Myth and Emotions
Published:
2015-09-24
Virgil recounts how Eurydice died of a hydrus or water-serpent’s bite. Afflicted and seeking consolation in song, Eurydice’s husband, the poet Orpheus, entered the Underworld through the caverns of Cape Tenarus, searching for her. The narrative penned by Virgil, as well as that of his successor Ovid, appears to contradict rational logic, since it seems unreasonable, going beyond death to search for someone. Yet emotional logic readily accepts Orpheus’s descent. In fact, there is nothing more natural than wanting the return of one’s beloved, and undertaking any means—even an unnatural one—to make it happen.
