The tales told of Orpheus are legion. He is said to have been an
Argonaut--and to have saved Jason's life. Rivers are reported to have
stopped their flow to listen to the sounds of his lyre and his voice.
Plato cites his poetry and Herodotus refers to "practices that are
called Orphic." Did Orpheus, in fact, exist? His influence on Greek
thought is undeniable, but his disciples left little of substance behind
them. Indeed, their Orphic precepts have been lost to time.
W.K.C. Guthrie attempts to uncover and define Orphism by following its
circuitous path through ancient history. He tackles this daunting task
with the determination of a detective and the analytical rigor of a
classical scholar. He ferries his readers with him on a singular voyage
of discovery.