About Orpheus.
Orpheus is a legendary character of Thracian origin. Poet, musician, philosopher to whom the Orphic Mysteries are attributed. He would have received an initiation directly from Apollo, and through his lyre he could charm any creature, be it human, animal, stone or plant. Orpheus travels to Hell (Hades) to rescue his wife, Eurydice, a nymph bitten by a poisonous snake.
With his enchanting music, he managed to persuade Hades, the underworld god, to allow him to take his wife back on one condition: never look back until they are out of Hell.
Orpheus managed to lead Eurydice back to the upper world, but in a moment of weakness and doubt he looked back to make sure she was following him and lost her forever because she disobeyed the imposed condition.
The Orphic Hymn To Jupiter.
OÂ Jove, much-honour’d, Jove supremely great,
To thee our holy rites we consecrate,
Our pray’rs and expiations, king divine,
For all things to produce with ease thro’ mind is thine.
Hence mother Earth and mountains swelling high
Proceed from thee, the deep and all within the sky.
Saturnian king, descending from above,
Magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove;
All-parent, principle and end of all,
Whose pow’r almighty shakes this earthly ball;
Ev’n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod,
Loud-sounding, arm’d with light’ning, thund’ring God.
Source of abundance, purifying king,
OÂ various-form’d, from whom all natures spring;
Propitious hear my pray’r, give blameless health,
With peace divine, and necessary wealth.
- Use fumigation from Storax