Orpheus Against the Sirens

How to listen or subscribe

Listen to this show 

Subscribe to all shows  

This tone poem is part of larger projected work entitled The Orpheus Project, a symphonic triptych based on three myths about Orpheus. This first piece (included here) tells the little-known story of Orpheus’ encounter with and defeat of the Sirens; the second will narrate his loss of Eurydice and failed attempt to return her from Hades; and the third will tell the story of his death at the hands of the Bacchantes. When completed, the project will also be animated using elements from Greek vase-painting. For a sample of how the music and animation will work together, click here: Orpheus Animated. For optimum synchronization between the soundtrack and the visuals, download the file first and then play it on your computer.

Orpheus Against the Sirens is a tone poem composed by Daniel H. Foster. It is based on a lesser-known myth about Orpheus and his encounter with the Sirens while journeying with Jason and the other Argonauts to find the Golden Fleece. Like the more well-known story of Odysseus and the Sirens, the story of Orpheus concerns the Sirens’ attempt to seduce unsuspecting seafarers with their beautiful voices and lure them to their doom. According to the Orpheus story, Jason and his crew heard the Sirens, were overcome with desire for them, and begin to steer their ship, the Argo, toward the Sirens and certain death until Orpheus, apparently unaffected by the Sirens’ voices, strung his lyre and played a tune that overcame the song of the Sirens and brought the Argo and its men safely away. That is, all but one sailor who was so taken with the Siren song that he jumped off the ship and tried to swim to them. Eventually the gods had to intervene to save him, suddenly snatching him out of the Sirens’ grasp and transporting him elsewhere to safety. The main source for this story is Apollonius Rhodius’ The Argonautica, book 4, lines 885-921, which is reproduced below:

Now when dawn the light-bringer was touching the edge of heaven, then at the coming of the swift west wind they went to their thwarts from the land; and gladly did they draw up the anchors from the deep and made the tackling ready in due order; and above spread the sail, stretching it taut with the sheets from the yard-arm. And a fresh breeze wafted the ship on. And soon they saw a fair island, Anthemoessa, where the clear- voiced Sirens, daughters of Achelous, used to beguile with their sweet songs whoever cast anchor there, and then destroy him. Them lovely Terpsichore, one of the Muses, bare, united with Achelous; and once they tended Demeter's noble daughter still unwed, and sang to her in chorus; and at that time they were fashioned in part like birds and in part like maidens to behold. And ever on the watch from their place of prospect with its fair haven, often from many had they taken away their sweet return, consuming them with wasting desire; and suddenly to the heroes, too, they sent forth from their lips a lily-like voice. And they were already about to cast from the ship the hawsers to the shore, had not Thracian Orpheus, son of Oeagrus, stringing in his hands his Bistonian lyre, rung forth the hasty snatch of a rippling melody so that their ears might be filled with the sound of his twanging; and the lyre overcame the maidens' voice. And the west wind and the sounding wave rushing astern bore the ship on; and the Sirens kept uttering their ceaseless song. But even so the goodly son of Teleon alone of the comrades leapt before them all from the polished bench into the sea, even Butes, his soul melted by the clear ringing voice of the Sirens; and he swam through the dark surge to mount the beach, poor wretch. Quickly would they have robbed him of his return then and there, but the goddess that rules Eryx, Cypris, in pity snatched him away, while yet in the eddies, and graciously meeting him saved him to dwell on the Lilybean height. And the heroes, seized by anguish, left the Sirens, but other perils still worse, destructive to ships, awaited them in the meeting-place of the seas.