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Inde per immensum, croceo velatus amictu,
aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras
tendit, et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur.
Adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba
nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen; 5
fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrimoso stridula fumo
usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes.
Exitus auspicio agravior. Nam nupta per herbas
dum nova, Naiadum turba comitata, vagatur,
occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10
Quam satis ad superas postquam Rhodopeius auras
deflevis vates, ne non temptaret et umbras,
ad Styga Taenaria est ausus descendere porta,
perque leves populos simulacraque functa sepulcro
Persephonen adiit inamoenaque regna tenentem 15
umbrarum dominum, pulsisque ad carmina nervis
sic ait: "O positi sub terra numina mundi,
in quem reccidimus, quidquid mortale creamur,
si licet et, falsti positis ambagibus oris,
vera loqui sinitis, non huc, ut opaca viderem 20
Tartara, descendi, nec uti villosa colubris
terna Medusaei vincirem guttura monstri.
Causa viae est coniunx in quam calcata venenum
vipera diffudit crescentesque abstulit annos.
Posse pati volui, nec me temptasse negabo; 25
vicit Amor. Supera deus hic bene notus in ora est;
an sit et hic, dubito. Sed et hic tamen auguror esse,
famaque si veteris non est mentita rapinae,
vos quoque iunxit Amor. Per ego haec loca plena timoris,
per Chaos hoc ingens vastique silentia regni, 30
Eurydices, oro, properata retexite fata.
Omnia debentur vobis paulumque morati
serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam.
Tendimus huc omnes, haec est domus ultima, vosque
humani generis longissima regna tenetis. 35
Haec quoque, cum iustos matura peregerit annos,
iuris erit vestri; pro munere posciums usum.
Quod si fata negant veniam pro coniuge, certum est
nolle redire mihi; leto gaudete duorum."
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Then Hymen departs through the vast heaven, having been covered with a saffron-yellow cloak and he proceeds to the shores of the Cicones and he is called by the voice of Orpheus in vain. He (Hymen) indeed was present, but he brought neither ceremonial words, nor happy faces, nor a lucky omen; also his torch, which he had held was continuously sputtering with tears, causing smoke and it found no fires [even] with movements.
(8) The outcome (of the wedding) was more serious than the omen. For while [his] new wife was wandering through the grass, accompanied by a crowd of river nymphs, she died with the fang of a serpent having been received into her ankle. After the bard of Mt. Rhodope mourned for her enough, in the upper air, lest he might not fail to try the Shades, he dared to descend to the River Styx by the gate of Taenarus, and through the weightless peoples and the ghosts having suffered burial he went to Persephone and the master of the shades holding his unlovely kingdom and with the strings beating to his song thus he spoke: “O divine wills of the underworld into which we fall back, whichever of us are created mortal, if it is allowed and you permit me to speak true things and with the wanderings of a false speech having been placed aside, I did not descend here in order that I might see shady Tartarus nor to bind the three throats of the monster of Medusa shaggy with monsters; the cause of my way is my wife, into whom a stepped on serpent poured venom in, taking away her budding years.
(26) This god is well known in the upper regions (earth); whether he may be here also, I doubt. But nevertheless, I sense that he also is here, and if the story of the old kidnapping is not a lie, love has joined you also. I beg by these places full of despair by this huge Chaos and the silence of this desolate kingdom, unweave the premature death of Eurydice! All things are owed to you and having delayed a little bit or later or swiftly, we hasten to one seat (death).
(34) We all strive here, this is the ultimate house and you hold the most enduring over the human race. She (Eurydice) also, when advanced in years, will be under your authority, we ask this right (to be reborn) for a tribute. But if the Fates deny this favor for my wife, it is certain for me to not want to return; enjoy the death of two.”
(40) The lifeless souls were crying over him saying such things and moving his strings (lyre) to his words; nor did Tantalus capture the fleeing water, and the wheel of Ixion ceased to turn, nor did the birds tear at his liver, and the descendants of Belas were free from their urns, and O Sisyphus you sat on your rock. Then first, it is said that the cheeks of the Furies, conquered by his song, were wet with tears; nor was the royal spouse able to deny him begging, nor he who rules below and they called Eurydice. She was among the recent shadows, and she walked with a step, slow from her wound.
(50) The Rhodopeian hero welcomed her and at the same time the restriction, lest he turns behind with his eyes until he will exite the valley of the underworld, or his gift would be nullified. The inclined footpath is pressed upon through the soundless silence, tall, dark and dense with mist. They were not far off from the border of the top of the land; here, fearing that she may lose strength and eager of seeing her, her lover turned his eyes. And immediately she fell back, holding her arms and struggling both to be grasped and to grasp, and the unlucky one grasped nothing except the retreating air; and now dying again, she did not complain about her husband at all (for what could she complain of except that she was loved?) She said her final goodbye, which now he scarcely received with his ears and again she fell back to the same place.
(64-71) Orpheus’s shock on seeing his wife die again is compared to being petrified when one sees Cerberus. Ovid tells the story of Olenos and Lethea. Lethea insults a deity and Olenos tries to take the blame, nevertheless the deity turns both into stone.
(72) The tollkeeper (Charon) restrained him begging and wishing to cross again in vain. Nevertheless, he, filthy, sat on the shores for 7 days without the gift of Ceres (grain); anxiety and grief of his soul and tears were food. Having complained that the gods of the underworld were cruel, he retreated onto high Rhodope and to Haemus beaten by the winds.
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