ΟΡΦΕΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ / ORPHEUS AND CHRIST




Στον αρχαίο ελληνικό μύθο ο Ορφέας, γιος του θεού Απόλλωνα (ή κατά άλλους του Θράκα βασιλιά Αίαγρου), φτάνει μέχρι τον Κάτω Κόσμο – Άδη ζητώντας να σώσει την αγαπημένη του Ευρυδίκη. Ένα πολύ συνηθισμένο επεισόδιο από τον μύθο του θρυλικού μουσικού είναι η σκηνή που με την λύρα του μαγεύει τα ζώα γύρω του. Αυτή η σκηνή απεικονίστηκε πολύ στα μωσαϊκά πατώματα που κοσμούσαν τις Ελληνικές και Ρωμαϊκές βίλλες. Ήταν μια πολύ καλή ευκαιρία για τους χριστιανούς να υιοθετήσουν την απεικόνιση. Ο Χριστός, Υιός του παμβασιλέως Θεού, σαν άλλος Ορφέας κατεβαίνει στον Κάτω Κόσμο – Άδη για να σώσει και ζωοποιήσει την αγαπημένη του Ψυχή, την ανθρώπινη ψυχή. Από την υπέροχη μουσική του Ορφέα μαγεύονται τα ζώα γύρω του, όπως οι χριστιανοί θεωρούσαν ότι μαγεύονταν οι έχοντες ζωώδη βίο από τα υπέροχα λόγια του χριστιανικού κηρύγματος. Δίπλα στην Ορφική σκηνή, συνήθως εικονίζονταν και σκηνές κυνηγιού (venatio). Και αυτές οι σκηνές απέκτησαν χριστιανικό χαρακτήρα αφού πάμπολλοι χριστιανοί καταδικάστηκαν να πεθάνουν ως τροφή άγριων ζώων. Είναι γνωστή ως σήμερα η κραυγή που αντηχούσε στα ρωμαϊκά αμφιθέατρα: «Christiani ad bestias» (οι χριστιανοί στα θηρία)!

Α Φωτ.: Ο Χριστός ως Ορφέας. Κατακόμβη Πέτρου και Μαρκελλίνου, 4ος αι.

Β Φωτ.: Ο Ορφέας σε ψηφιδωτό δάπεδο της ίδιας εποχής. Φιλιππόπολις (Shahba) Συρία.

+Ε. Γ.

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In the ancient Greek myth, Orpheus, son of the god Apollo (or according to others of the Thracian king Aiagrus), reaches the Underworld - Hades, asking to save his beloved Eurydice. A very common episode from the myth of the legendary musician is the scene where he enchants the animals around him with his lyre. This scene was much depicted on the mosaic floors that adorned Greek and Roman villas. It was a very good opportunity for Christians to adopt the illustration. Christ, Son of the almighty God, like another Orpheus descends to the Underworld - Hades to save and revive his beloved Psyche, the human soul. The animals around Orpheus are enchanted by the excellent music, just as the Christians believed that the animal-lived people were enchanted by the wonderful words of the Christian sermon. Next to the Orphic scene, hunting scene (venatio) were usually depicted. And these scenes acquired a Christian character since many Christians were condemned to die as food for wild animals. The cry that went up in the Roman amphitheaters is still known today: "Christiani ad bestias" (Christians to the beasts)!

Photo A: Christ as Orpheus. Catacomb of Peter and Marcellinus, 4th c.

B Photo: Orpheus on a mosaic floor of the same era. Philippopolis (Shahba), Syria.

+E. G.

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