cement Orpheus descends
into Hades. In the Padre Affo's later version of the work this song of
Orpheus does not appear, but a dryad announces to her sisters the death
of Euridice and then follows a chorus:

"L'Aria di pianti s'oda risuonare,
Che d' ogni luce e priva:
E al nostro lagrimare
Crescano i fiumi al colmo della riva--"

The refrain, "l'aria di pianti" is repeated at the end of each stanza.
At the conclusion of this chorus the dryads leave the stage. Orpheus
enters singing a Latin stanza of four lines beginning:

"Musa, triumphales titulos et gesta canamus
Herculis."

In Padre Affo's edition it is at this point that a dryad tells Orpheus
of Euridice's death. Mnesillus, a satyr, mocks him. The hero now sings
in the vernacular:

"Ora piangiamo, O sconsolata lyra," etc.
"Let us lament, O lyre disconsolate:
Our wonted music is in tune no more."

The story now moves similarly in both editions. Orpheus determines to
descend to Hades to try to move the infernal powers "with tearful songs
and words of honey'd woe." He remembers that he has moved stones and
turned the flowing streams. He proceeds at once to the iron gates and
raises his song. Pluto demands to know

"What man is he who with his golden lyre
Hath moved the gates that never move,
While the dead folk repeat his dirge of love."

These words leave no doubt that Orpheus sang. Even Proserpine, the
spouse of Pluto, confesses to her lord that she feels the new stirrings
of sympathy. She desires to hear more of this wondrous song. Now Orpheus
sings in octave stanzas. The last stanza of his song is thus translated
by Symonds:

"I pray not to you by the waves forlorn
Of marshy Styx or dismal Acheron,
By Chaos, where the mighty world was born,
Or by the sounding flames of Phlegethon;
But by the fruit that charmed thee on that morn
When thou didst leave our world for this dread throne!
O queen, if thou reject this pleading breath,
I will no more return, but ask for death."

Pluto yields up Euridice according to the well-known condition that
Orpheus keep silence and look not back till out of Hades. The poet again
sings four Latin lines and with his bride starts for the upper world.
The catastrophe is treated in much the same manner as it has been in
subsequent versions of the story. Euridice disappears. Orpheus is about
to turn back, but he is stopped by Tisiphone. He then breaks into
virulent r