Orpheus

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Orpheus
    n 1: (Greek mythology) a great musician; when his wife Eurydice
         died he went to Hades to get her back but failed

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Orpheus \Or"phe*us\, prop. n. [L. Orpheus, Gr. ?.] (Gr. Myth.)
   The famous mythic Thracian poet, son of the Muse Calliope,
   and husband of Eurydice. He is reputed to have had power to
   entrance beasts and inanimate objects by the music of his
   lyre.
   [1913 Webster]

from Who Was Who: 5000 B. C. to Date

ORPHEUS

lutist.  When a young man he was given a lute.
Practised in obscurity, and later appeared before large
audiences.  Made several successful concert tours.  Married
Eurydice.  Spent a happy honeymoon.  The bride did not wear
shoes.  She was bitten by a serpent.  She died.  O. descended
to the abode of Old Nic, and charmed him with some Grecian
ragtime.  Nic promised to return the lady if O. would promise
to get out of the place without looking around to see what
other respectable people were there. O. started for the door.
He heard familiar voices and rubbered.  That ended the
contract, and for all the editor has been able to ascertain
Eurydice is there to this day.