Greek heroes and characters
Orpheus
In Greek mythology, Orpheus is the greatest musician and singer, his singing calms the beasts, birds and all of nature. He was the son of the muse Calliope and the river god Oiagra (some sources mention the god Apollo as his father).
Orpheus loved his wife Eurydice more than anything, but one day she stepped on a viper and died. A desperate Orpheus then went to the underworld to reclaim his wife. He tried to soften everyone, including Charon, Hades, Persephone and others, by singing of his love for Eurydice. He demanded that she be returned to him because he would go to the underworld once he died anyway. And if they wouldn't give her to him, then let them take him to the underworld too, so he could be by his wife's side.
His songs made even the greatest sinners in the underworld rejoice, so Hades promised to give Eurydice to him. But on one condition - that he must go all the way first and never once look back at his wife. But just before leaving the underworld, Orpheus looked back, and at that moment Eurydice became a shadow. Sadly, Orpheus then returned to Thrace and subsequently wandered the world (among other things, with the Argonauts).
Four years after his wife's death, he was reunited with her. He was killed by the drunken Bacchantes, who began throwing stones at him and eventually tore him to pieces. His head and lyre were then thrown into the river. The river god Hebros let these remains float to the island of Lesbos.