Orpheus's Catabasis

Orpheus is the son of one Oigreus, but occasionally there are hints that he's the offspring of Apollo himself. He comes from Thrace, the highlands of ancient Greece, an area divided up nowadays between Turkey, European Turkey, and the lower Balkan states. As we shall see many of the features of the classical barbarians sage accrue to his name including the foundation of mystery rites, Teletai.