Death of Orpheus - Orpheus was the son of Apollo who taught him to play the harp so beautifully that even the animals were enthralled. When his wife Eurydice died from a snake-bite, he played no more and was determined to go down to the House of Hades and bring her back. King Hades was not going to release her until Orpheus played for him. He allowed her to go but only if Orpheus did not look at her following him until they were above ground. After a while, as they walked, he looked back without thinking and Eurydice vanished. In Thrace, where Orpheus lived, were some wild women whom he refuse to marry. Enraged, they cut off his head and threw it into the Hebros River.