Page 6 of Orpheus
“Of course, Orpheus. You are a prodigy. The son of the King of Thrace and the Superior Muse. Your name is known by many already. Why do you speak so naively?” She raised her brow at me.
Little did my mother comprehend that I’ve lived a fairly sheltered life thus far. Yes, I have ventured all over Pimpleia and other towns in the Thracian kingdom, but never had I visited other lands beyond my own, including Greece. There was so much of the world I’ve only experienced through books and through the lessons of my teachers and scholars. But hearing testimonials of other cultured people and where I fit in into this world, I was not privy to.
Whether or not I was famous, I wouldn’t know. I was still a fledgling. An inexperienced man who had yet to explore the world and see it through different sets of eyes from all around. So, what did my mother expect? Surely, she had to acknowledge that my obliviousness to my status resulted from my upbringing.
“I’m just surprised, is all. Never have I been the center of attention in all my life. Especially in front of a god, for that matter. All eyes will be on me. It’s what I always dreamed of. But now that it’s happening, it’s so surreal,” I confessed my inner feelings aloud to her.
“You would do well to get used to this experience, my son. Achievement is just an arm’s reach away from you. Seize it now. For there will be many more performances by you in this lifetime and with much greater audiences.”
I listened to her advice intently. Every word seeping into my pores. “I will do just as you say, mother. I will represent our family well. I won’t let you or father down.”
“Very good, Orpheus. Now, do you have any questions for me before our departure tomorrow?”
I paced about the room, thinking to myself, wondering if there was anything I needed my mother to elaborate on that I needed to know about Castalian Spring. But nothing was coming to mind, except for constant thoughts on Apollo. Apollo was one of the two gods our family worshipped and prayed to, along with Dionysus. But I always found myself drawn to Apollo and all that he stood for. His passions, values, and beliefs were congruent with my own.
Not to mention from the various paintings, sculptures, and other works of art I’ve come across that depicted him, I recognized that he was a fairly handsome and strong looking god. This too thrilled me to no end. I longed to see what he was like, up close. To be able to gaze into his gorgeous eyes, and admire his smooth silky skin, and golden curled hairs that radiated like the sun.
A smile emerged on my face, just reveling in the thought. I sat down on my mother’s crimson sofa near her desk, propping my head up with my elbow, daydreaming into the flaking embers of the fireplace. “Tell me, what is Apollo like, in person? Is he truly everything everyone describes him as?”
I was so caught up in my fascination with thinking about Apollo that I failed to notice my mother’s demeanor change as I asked this. A wily grin appeared on her face and she stood from her desk and made her way over to sit beside me on the red satin sofa. Her graceful hand reaching to caress my knee, rubbing it in a soothing manner.
“He is everything andmore,” she replied. “A phenomenal god with many gifts and talents. He is generous to all and the most stunning and captivating creature. Both men and women flock to him. Their physical and emotional attraction to him sometimes unhinged as a result,” she added.
“Both men and women adore him in such a way?” I asked with skepticism, needing further clarification on this. In my life, I’ve only ever heard about and seen male mortals in the company of female mortals. Never had I heard that men could possess attractions and physical desires for other men. But now that I had time to harbor my own running thoughts and emotions, I’ve realized I too have never possessed a longingness for a woman yet. My only cravings and eruptions of pleasure in my body emerged strictly when I had thoughts about strong and alluring gods like Apollo and even some of my father’s fierce and robust guardsmen and warriors.
Did that mean I was charmed by other men, too? It was unheard of, but based on what my mother had just presented me with, it seemed those thoughts were more common among other men than I had realized.
“Yes. He is loved by men and women and Apollo in turn loves men and women, as well,” my mother further explained.
“Really? I honestly had no idea.” Then the thought rushed into me like Artemis’ arrow piercing through the thick hide of her prey.Apollo and I together. Feeling his warm body against mine. The two of us kissing. Our lips closing in on each other. His broad hands stroking and caressing every surface of my skin. A wild urge overcame me, and I found my entire body being stimulated by the very idea of it.
“Such relationships are common among gods, dear Orpheus. Love is an art, just like music, poetry, and painting. Just like any art, there always should be that freedom of expression, to allow your deepest passions buried within you to come to life in your works. Love comes in all shapes and forms. No one should ever restrict themselves to loving only certain types of individuals. Love is meant to be explored, to allow you to understand your true desires, without limitations.”
“So, does that mean Apollo could possibly be attracted to me? He could love me?”
My mother nodded. “Based on Apollo’s enthusiasm for wanting to meet you, I have a feeling he isalreadyattracted to you, my dear son. Hence, his willingness to want to have the opportunity to see you perform in person soon.”
Now, there was more on the line for me at Delphi tomorrow than just trying to impress a god with my musical skills. My mission had become greater, more than I had ever imagined. The stakes were high and so much was on my plate. I wanted to attract Apollo, to seduce him. To make himmine. I not only possessed the artistic talents in order to do this, but I now was even more confident in my physical attributes, which garnered the god’s attention, as well, according to my mother.
I would soon realize that having both the looks and the talent would prove to be a lethal threat in this world. Because when you had a combination of these two traits going for you, then you could easily accomplish anything you put your heart and mind to.
Chapter 3
The trek to Delphi was a long one. It was a full day’s trip my mother and I spent in the horse-drawn carriage. Euterpe and Thalia also joined us on the ride. The other muses used another set of two carriages to make the journey with us. They were riding just behind us along the narrow dirt road.
There were several stops we had to make along the way, for personal hygienic reasons and to sustain our appetites. Luckily, we had a few servants who accompanied us on the trip. They prepped the fires and cooked up our meals. Once we ate, we were already on the road again. Time was of the essence, and we could not afford to stay put for too long. The less time wasted being still, the better, if we wanted to arrive in Delphi at a reasonable hour the following morning to give us ample time to prepare for my scheduled musical number.
My two aunts and mother chatted and gossiped for much of the ride, giggling and coming up with clever riddles and poems for one another. But I chose not to participate in much of their laughter and banter, for I was so focused and concentrated on my mission at hand that I could not be distracted by any and all things around me.
I held my white aulos in my grasp, altering my fingers over the holes along the shaft of the instrument, practicing the intricate movements required for the song I was to play. “Does it have a name?” I lifted my head to see Euterpe staring at me. “The song you created. Have you given it a title?”
I never really considered giving it a name until now. I guess it would be wise to come up with something, especially if I was going to be introduced by someone at Castalian Spring. If the song were to become famous and well-known, it would be necessary to have a name given to it. I stroked the end of my chin, going through many workable ideas in my mind with a worthy title. Finally, one hit me that sounded perfectly fitting.
“It’s calledFinding Orpheus,” I revealed.
“Oh. How interesting,” my mother chimed in with. “And what is the meaning of it?”
“Something is lost. You can hear it in the melodies in the beginning of the song. But as the chords progress and become more intense, what was once lost is finally found. I like to believe it relates to me. I’m finally starting to find myself and my passion and who I want to be in this very world,” I explained to them.
