Orpheus and Eurydice – Carnival That Never Ended

That day, the little calendar hanging in the living room indicated a rainy day on February 28, 2025, adding to the Friday's color. Right there, near the Sambadrome located in Praça da Apoteose, about six hundred meters away, lies Morro da Mineira, in the Catumbi neighborhood. It's a favela with many simple and humble houses in downtown Rio de Janeiro. As is well known, Morro da Mineira is a tribute to a spirited and dignified resident of the neighborhood who came from Minas Gerais to improve her life in 1950. It's immediately clear that Morro da Mineira is a large elevation of houses in that location, located on Sapucaí.

One day, a skinny, dark-skinned boy, 5'7" tall and with a ponytail, went by the name of Orpheus, son of Apollo and the muse Calliope of Greek mythology. Unemployed, Orpheus found a job as a motorman for the Rio de Janeiro Central State Railway, driving and guiding the Santa Teresa trams from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at a fare of R$20.00 per person.

It's worth noting that the Santa Teresa tram, located in Rio de Janeiro, is a historic and attractive form of transportation, and a popular tourist attraction that operates daily. Tickets are valid for round trips and can be purchased at Carioca Station, with payment options available in cash, credit, or debit card.

It was the muse Calliope who taught her son Orpheus to write epic poetry and speak with great eloquence when he was just six years old. Now an adult and living in Morro da Mineira, he is the man of the samba world. A true samba dancer who makes Rio de Janeiro tremble everywhere he dances. Only at Mocidade Unida da Mineira, a samba dance from the roots, on his days off does Orfeu immerse himself in the daily life of samba, connecting the ancestry of Brazilian culture with the corporeality of samba. For good reason, the Recreational Group, Bloco Carnavalesco Mocidade Unida da Mineira, maintains this union of the great samba dancer Orfeu, dressed in a red and white shirt with the Pegasus symbol.

One sunny morning in the center of Mocidade Unida da Mineira, Orfeu was singing the school's samba and dancing on the court. At that moment, their eyes met, and for the first time, Orfeu felt a strong emotion for Eurídice.

Eurídice was a Greek nymph girl from the state of Piauí, from the city of Campo Maior. She left her homeland to improve her life and set off for Rio de Janeiro. It is known, however, that Eurydice lived in the same community as Orpheus. Standing in the schoolyard, the light from Eurydice's green eyes sparkled in Orpheus's direction, illuminating his mind and bringing to his chest a tightness he had never felt before.

Orpheus, stopping singing and dancing, said the following:

-My day did not bend, it did not take long to find my flower,

Bathing my skin, wiping away all my carelessness,

I pray that you see the brightness of the night entering the day,

That roars and shakes my pain in a thousand ways, giving me love,

Tell me your name, where you live, and see that my name is Orpheus,

Please do not forget me, I will love you wherever you are,

Lightly touching with soft kisses those honey-colored lips.

Eurydice, hearing the poem recited, replied:

-I was born in the city nicknamed the Cradle of Heroes,

The bloodiest war before Brazil's independence,

In the Battle of Jenipapo, where the cries of the combatants could be heard,

Down the Jenipapo River from the village of Campo Maior in Piauí,

Still with many sickles, stones, and sticks, they were brave men,

Without any weaponry, pure carnage lay on the land and in the waters.

No matter what happens, I want only you in my life.

The two, longing for their gazes lost in the midnight sun, appreciated the single flower of love, marrying the perfect union that responded to the height of their voices. Amidst a thousand embraces, the kisses intensified throughout the afternoons of that day.

Orpheus articulated the following:

-My beloved woman, wherever I fly, I will carry your soul on my wings,

Whistling among the colors of the rainbow, is my beloved Eurydice,

In whom I dance and sing in my sweet voice your appreciation,

The voice of the Gods grows among all beings of the earth and the crescent moon,

Pursue me between the sheets of the cold night, while the day is dawning,

Seek me in the colors of your bright eyes and kiss me in your embrace,

Taking refuge in the forest of life the complete address of my heart,

I will always love you among the mountain ranges of my emotions,

Now fitting in the breath of the winds of Piauí and marked in Sapucaí,

Therefore, I love you, I want you, because I feel your flame,

Ardent, clinging to the womb of my desires, you are a seed for me,

In the turmoil of love, this magical line of the flower of my love blossoms.