These are the couples of ancient Greece
and Rome too, I guess I can’t forget that
their stories have traveled through centuries
to see us here in this Latin class

Orpheus, lover of girls and lyre
Eurydice, lover of Orpheus
Eurydice died on their wedding night
and Orpheus went to find her
Hades was having none of this
Persephone tried to help him
see that Orpheus, lover of lyre
really kind of needed his girlfriend
so they set out on their journey to life
Orpheus never once looked back
Eurydice called to him, “Orpheus, my love!”
one glance and she was gone

Odysseus, traveler of far and wide
fought Polyphemus as his first test
Penelope, loyal and careful wife
slept in his bed, quite restless
Circe, sorcerer, wanted nothing more
than a set of guinea pigs to test
Odysseus had his son back at home
and so he set free all his men
suitors, handlers, homeless too,
Penelope stayed true to Ulysses
She asked, “Where’s my bed?” and no one knew
until someone said, “In a tree.”

Pyrrha, Deucalion, the child of a titan
walked the Earth just like you and me
lived through the deluge, the flood of the ocean
built a chest and were free
give thanks to Zeus and walk on the water
wonder what there is to do next
ask an oracle that exact question
answers in riddles, just like this:
“Be quite humble and keep your head down
pick up the bones of your mother
don’t look behind you, a crowd there grows from
the bones you throw o’er your shoulder.

These are the couples of ancient Greece
and Rome too, I guess I can’t forget that
their stories have traveled through centuries
to see us here in this Latin class