Eurydice
The snake-bitten wife conditionally released from death but lost again when Orpheus looks back.
Overview
In Pseudo-Apollodorus’ brief account, Eurydice is the wife of Orpheus. A snakebite kills her and directly motivates her husband’s descent. Persephone allows her to return under the condition that Orpheus must not look back before leaving; when the condition is broken, she remains among the dead again. The source gives her no long speech or independent journey, so this account does not invent a psychological motive. She has her own place in the event: death, the negotiated return and the second loss, not merely an unnamed object in Orpheus’ story.
Key facts
Death by snakebite
Pseudo-Apollodoran accountPseudo-Apollodorus says Eurydice dies after being bitten by a snake.
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Relationships
- Orpheus Descends to Hadesis the shade offered conditional return
Eurydice is the dead wife Orpheus seeks to bring back.
- Orpheusdescends for her
After Eurydice dies, Orpheus descends in an attempt to recover her.
- Persephonepermits a conditional return
Persephone lets Eurydice follow Orpheus back under a condition against looking back before departure.
- Orpheuslooks back and loses her
Orpheus looks back before leaving and Eurydice remains below again.
Story appearances
- Gates of the UnderworldShade granted conditional return but losing the exit again
Shade granted conditional return but losing the exit again, part of the Underworld story's crossings, losses, judgments or guarded spaces.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.