WHEN Orpheus went down to the regions below, Which men are forbidden to see, He tun'd up his lyre, as old histories shew, To set his Eurydice free. All hell was astonished a person so wise Should rashly endanger his life, And venture so far; but how vast their surprise, When they heard that he came for his wife. To find out a punishment due to the fault Old Pluto long puzzled his brain; But hell had not torments sufficient he thought, So he gave him his wife back again. But pity succeeding soon vanquished his heart; And, pleased with his playing so well, He took her again in reward of his art, Such power has music in hell. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE FOR THE AMERICAN DEAD IN ASIA by THOMAS MCGRATH A REASONABLE AFFLICTION (1) by MATTHEW PRIOR PROSOPOPOIA, OR MOTHER HUBBERDS TALE by EDMUND SPENSER GREENES FUNERALLS: SONNET 12 by RICHARD BARNFIELD THE CONVERSION by RALPH WILHELM BERGENGREN WHY? by LOUISA SARAH BEVINGTON |