Page 7 of Orpheus
“Well, I think it’s the perfect title, nephew,” Euterpe commended.
“Yes. Very fitting,” my mother added.
“I agree. Although it is rather ironic,” Thalia remarked, shifting the tone of the entire conversation. “That this song is about finding oneself, yet its main receiver is someone who has yet to come to terms with whotheyare.”
Her statement was an enigma. I had no clue how to decipher what she was referring to. However, my mother and my aunt Euterpe must have known exactly what Thalia meant by that cryptic comment, for they both glanced at each other subtly before turning to Thalia with scowls on their faces.
“Thalia! That is a rather bold statement to make!” Euterpe exclaimed.
“Such things should not be said about our godly leader, even if you may feel it is warranted. It is very unbecoming of you,” my mother scolded her sister with.
“Hmph!” Thalia crossed her arms over her bosom with resentment. “After what he did to me, that comment is barely a flesh wound in what he truly deserves,” she grunted.
“And what exactly did Apollo do to you?” I asked with more eagerness than I probably should have. But I was the outsider in this discussion. Clearly, I was missing something here. My mother and aunts knew about Thalia and Apollo’s relationship, but I was left in the dark on the whole thing. What happened between them two? I needed to know.
“Apollo used me, dear nephew. He made love to me many times and gave me whispering promises, but could not keep any of them. For he disposed of me. Our love. Soon thereafter, he started taking on multiplemenas his next wave of lovers,” Thalia stated with such hostility.
She seemed truly hurt by what Apollo did to her. Her genuineness and anguish were almost tangible. I sensed her pain and was floored by all of it at the same time.
“Enough, Thalia! You will do well to mind your tongue in speaking of Apollo in such a way. This stops now!” my mother demanded with outrage.
The remaining hours in the carriage ride then remained awkward, with lingering tension in the air. Everyone kept silent and to themselves.
However, I could not shake what Thalia had revealed to me off of my mind. I could not believe my aunt had an affair with the god of my dreams. The only man who I ever had sexual desires and cravings for. The thought of the two of them together left a bitter taste in the back of my throat. I could not stand the thought of Apollo having an affair with anyone else. It only derailed my adoration of him. Yet at the same time, I wondered how cautious I should be when it came to Apollo. Although he was a righteous and powerful god, was he also capable of chicanery? Would he also hurt me just as he did Thalia? I surely hoped not.
For the first time in a long time, my mind and my heart were completely disconnected when it came to my inner feelings and decisions. On one hand, my heart fluttered at the very thought of Apollo. He was remarkable and attractive and gifted in the arts, just as I was. We had so very much in common with each other. But on the other hand, I could not ignore that he was in fact a god, while I was a mere mortal. If I were to grow to love Apollo, I would only be putting myself through turmoil. His longevity was much greater than mine. Our love would not be permanent. It would be fleeting, and the masculine and talented god would surely move on and take on other lovers beyond me, just as he did with Thalia.
Despite these warnings that were now stacking up in my head, my heart was triumphing over them, and I came up with excuses for why Apollo would treat Thalia in such a way. I began to realize that this defense mechanism I was coming up with was the result of my mind and heart already having been made up. I desperately wanted Apollo, and I was determined to fully devote myself to him, no matter at what cost.
Once we arrived at Delphi, I could not get out of that carriage fast enough. I wanted to hear no more of my mother’s or her sisters’ chatter over meaningless subjects. They were nothing more than a vexation. A major distraction from me practicing and preparing for my major introduction as a skilled musician.
If I had it my way, I would have traveled in my own carriage during the entire length here. But only if I found the courage to make such a request aloud. It was easier to think that versus actually suggesting it to everyone. I avoided confrontation as much as possible. So, I tended to keep quiet and deal with situations as they came. But I was beginning to learn that such a personality never succeeds in this world. It’s only those who are vocal and make their opinions heard, who have their requests responded to and are the ones who actually get their way. I would keep this lesson in the back of my mind for the near future and moving forward.
I closed my eyes as I stepped onto the sacred grounds. It was a breath of fresh air to now inhale the atmosphere of Delphi. The climate, the waters, and the surrounding lands were blessed by the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. I could instantly sense the change in the air. It was invigorating and hair-raising unlike any place I had been to before.
As I opened my eyes, I had no idea what to think. The surrounding scene was directly out of a tale my teachers had spoken of. The grounds were the most luscious of thick green grass. The hills rolled with such a rounded slope, leading up to stone structures that were meant for sacred rituals and hearings. I was more nervous about performing in such a wonderful place because the landscape was so overwhelming.
My mother’s firm palm pressed into my shoulder, which calmed me. “Fear not, Orpheus. Let this majestic view only aid in your music. Enrapture yourself in the nature around you. Let it calm your spirit and only bring out the best in your music,” she stated.
I firmly nodded at her response. My most flawless performances were outside in the meadows or by the lakes. The most beautiful scenes around me stimulated my musical talents. And based on the wonders of Delphi, this performance was bound to be a worthy one of a lifetime. Euterpe, Thalia, and my mother traipsed ahead of me, and so I followed them beyond the vast verdant sloping hills and canyons until we reached a more mountainous peak where I could hear the constant trickling of flowing waters. I glanced up to see two ravishing stone lion-head statues spouting water from their mouths into the crystal blue spring below.
This, I gathered, was the Castalian Spring, as was described to me. My mother tilted her head to look at me before nodding to confirm my thoughts. “We have arrived, Orpheus. Here is the Castalian Spring.”
As we stepped closer towards the spring, I became more relaxed and aware of what would occur around me as I performed. There was a central slab of thick limestone in the middle of the pond of the spring, which is likely where I would be playing my aulos. Around the pond were cylindrical limestone seats no bigger than a tree’s stump that overlooked the middle island for the main performer. My stage was set, and I was now overcome with joy, able to visualize the astounding views around where I would be playing for everyone.
But the issue I had with this depiction was that not one place stood out for me as being somewhere a leader or a god would be seated at. I had no idea where Apollo would be watching me from, which left me slightly irritable. “Mother, where will Apollo be seated? I need to know where to lock my eyes when…”
As I tried to finish my line of questioning, my mother had already interrupted me. “I do not know, my son. He appears at random places. Sometimes he will be seated with the rest of us. Other times, he will not make his appearance known, but he will be sure to have witnessed the entire performance. Therefore, you should never worry yourself with where he will be. Just play to the best of your ability. Pretend you are back at the meadow playing for the flora and fauna. Play just as you would for them. That is when you are at your very best. So just close your eyes and imagine you are back home at Pimpleia,” Calliope advised.
“Yes. That is precisely what I will do, mother,” I replied. Although secretly, I knew I would constantly be wondering where exactly Apollo was as I breathed life into my aulos. But there was nothing more I could dwell on with it. I took my place inside a small tent behind the waterfalls and waited as the other artists, poets, and musicians took their place to perform for the day. I stood behind them, jittering all the more as my time to come approached with each passing minute.
“Our next musician is the son of King Oeagrus of Thrace and the Great Muse, Calliope. Ladies, Gentleman, Gods, and Goddesses, may I present to you, Orpheus, with his debut song, titledFinding Orpheus!” a sapphirine water nymph announced before she plunged herself back into the waters below.
I slowly dipped my feet into the warm pond. The lukewarm water sent a spark of heat up my spine. I trudged through the water and stepped onto the main platform, looking over my full audience. I could see my mother and eight aunts seated among the group, along with other stellar poets, artists, and musicians. But I saw no signs of Apollo. He would have easily stood out in this crowd with his tanned masculine body, and perfectly angled jawline that could likely chop the thickest of vegetables we grew on the farm behind our castle.
So, I became immediately overwhelmed with not knowing where his presence was. But I could not postpone my performance. I had a group of other honorable attendees before me, and it would be such an inappropriate action for a debut musician to be late on his act.
I retrieved my ivory aulos from the side-pocket of my white tunic. Bringing the instrument to my lips, I closed my eyes and began playing my song. Although there were no words I could speak for the instrumental song, I had my own lyrics I surmised in my head as I played the tune.
