In this episode, we’re looking at the legendary figure of Orpheus and what his myths can tell us about the world. The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed Orpheus was a real person. He had the ability to create music so beautiful it could make rocks cry. There’s one version where he plays his lyre and the rock someone threw at him just refused to hit him. He was that great at it. These days, musicians have to work a lot harder if they want to be blessed enough to make rocks emote.

For full show notes, head to http://deconstructedhistory.com/podcast/orpheus/

Resources and Links

• “Jason and the Golden Fleece” by Apollonius of Rhodes (Oxford World’s Classics, 2009). An updated version of the original published in 1993. It was recommended for its readability, accuracy to the original text, and with annotations within the same chapter. Also, it comes with maps.
• The game “Hades” by Supergiant Games. A single-player game released for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows following an early access release in December 2018. Later released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in August 2021. Released for iOS in 2024 through Netflix Games.
• “Hadestown Original Broadway Cast Recording” by Anaïs Mitchell (2019). Represents the Broadway show in its entirety. The deluxe 2-CD set comes with a 64-page booklet, including full libretto and production photos.