The Text

The Middle English lay of Sir Orfeo was composed about 1330 in the East Midland, and is probably an adaptation of a French Breton lay. In Sir Orfeo, the classical story of Orpheus and Eurydice has been reinterpreted as a Celtic folk-tale. The abductor of Heurodis (Eurydice) is the Fairy King who takes her to his kingdom, the Other World rather than Hades. From this Celtic fairyland Orfeo happily regains her. The text here is based on the Auchinleck manuscript (1330/39).

Sir Orfeo




National Library of Scotland Manuscript,
Auchinleck, Advocates 19.2.1, fol. 302r,
the last 26 lines of the first column (lines 417-434)

Appendix

Sources/Colophon