You’ve probably spent hours dashing through the shifting chambers of Tartarus, dodging traps and getting pummeled by bone-munching hydras, only to stop and listen to that one melancholy dude sitting on a rock. Orpheus. He’s the court musician, he’s depressed, and he’s lost his voice. Well, technically he hasn’t lost his vocal cords, but he’s lost the will to use them. If you’re trying to 100% the game or just want the House of Hades to feel a little less like a funeral home, you’re looking for the gift of song in Hades.
It’s not an item you just pick up off the floor.
Honestly, it’s more of an emotional breakthrough. Most players think they can just throw Nectar at Orpheus until he starts singing again, but Supergiant Games doesn’t make it that easy. You have to navigate a messy, multi-layered questline involving a contract, a grumpy dad, and a woman stuck in Asphodel who is way too cool for her own good.
Why Orpheus Stopped Singing in the First Place
Orpheus is moping because he tried to rescue his wife, Eurydice, from the underworld and failed. Standard Greek tragedy stuff. In the game’s lore, Hades (the guy, not the place) separated them and essentially stripped Orpheus of his "musician" status, forcing him to serve as a solitary court performer who doesn't actually perform.
To trigger the gift of song in Hades, you have to bridge the gap between his grief and his duty.
You’ll find Orpheus sitting to the right of the House's main hall, looking absolutely miserable. Your first goal is basically just being a good friend. Talk to him. Every time you come back from a run—whether you beat Meg or got your butt kicked by a stray butterfly—check in on him. If you have Nectar, give it to him. He’ll give you the Distant Memory keepsake, which is okay, but we’re here for the music.
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The Asphodel Connection: Finding Eurydice
You can’t fix Orpheus without finding the other half of the equation. Eurydice is located in a specific "!" chamber in Asphodel. You'll know you've found her because you’ll hear her singing "Good Riddance" before you even enter the room.
She’s great. She cooks. She sings. She’s also incredibly bitter toward Orpheus because he looked back.
The Back-and-Forth Grind
Here is where the "game" part of the quest kicks in. You have to be the messenger. You talk to Eurydice, she mentions Orpheus (usually with a bit of shade), then you go back to the House and tell Orpheus you saw her. This isn't a one-and-done interaction. You might have to do ten, fifteen, or twenty runs where you just keep nudging them toward each other.
Eventually, you’ll realize that Orpheus is starting to perk up. He’ll ask about her. He’ll wonder what she’s singing. This is the precursor to the actual gift of song in Hades event.
Breaking the Contract (The Expensive Part)
If you want the music to return to the House, you have to deal with the paperwork. Hades is a stickler for rules. Orpheus is bound by a contract that prevents him from being with Eurydice and, essentially, from singing for pleasure.
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To break this, you need the Administrative Chamber unlocked.
If you haven't bought the "Administrative Privilege" from the House Contractor yet, start saving your Diamonds. It costs two. Once you have access, you need to wait for a specific dialogue where Nyx—the MVP of the House—tells you exactly where Orpheus’s contract is hidden in the archives.
- Talk to Nyx until she mentions the contract.
- Go into the Admin room.
- Locate the glowing scroll.
- Go back to the House Contractor.
- Pay the fee (3 Diamonds).
It's a steep price if you’re still trying to upgrade your weapons, but for the gift of song in Hades, it’s the only way forward. Once the contract is voided, Orpheus is free to travel to Asphodel to visit Eurydice during his "off-hours."
The Moment the Music Returns
The next time you head out on a run and reach Eurydice’s chamber, you might find them together. It’s one of the most rewarding moments in the game. They’ll be dueting.
But the "gift" isn't just for them.
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When you return to the House after this encounter, Orpheus will finally be back at his spot, but the vibe will be different. He will start singing again. Specifically, he will sing "Hymn to Zagreus," a song he wrote based on all those exaggerated stories you told him earlier in the game. Remember when you lied and said you and Dionysus were actually the same person? Yeah, he turned that into a banger.
Common Misconceptions About the Quest
A lot of people think the gift of song in Hades refers to a literal item you can equip. It isn't. It's an environmental change. Once he starts singing, the music in the House of Hades changes permanently. You can also go to the House Contractor and purchase the "Music Stand" or various "Orchestral" upgrades, but those are secondary.
Another weird thing? Some players get stuck because they don't talk to the characters enough. Hades is a "visual novel" hidden inside an action game. If Orpheus isn't progressing, it's usually because you have a backlog of other conversations with Nyx or Hades that are taking priority in the "dialogue queue."
Just keep dying. Seriously. The more you die, the more the story moves.
Actionable Steps to Complete the Song Quest
To wrap this up and get your House sounding like a concert hall, follow this exact progression path. Don't skip steps or you'll just be wasting Nectar.
- Max out your relationship with Orpheus and Eurydice. Give them Nectar until you see the locked heart icon. You usually need about 5-6 bottles for Orpheus.
- Talk to Nyx constantly. She is the gatekeeper for almost every contract-related quest in the game. If she’s talking about Chaos or your mother, she won't talk about Orpheus. Clear her dialogue.
- Invest in the Administrative Chamber. You cannot progress the gift of song in Hades story without the 2-Diamond entry fee to the archives.
- Check the House Contractor often. After finding the contract in the archives, the "Singer’s Sentence" work order must be purchased for 3 Diamonds.
- Listen for the duet. Once the contract is paid, keep playing until you find them together in Asphodel. This "activates" the return of music to the House.
After the song returns, make sure to visit the music stand near Orpheus. You can actually use the Diamonds and Gems you earn from bosses to buy the soundtracks for the different regions. This lets you change the background music of the House whenever you want, which is basically the ultimate endgame flex for a player who has spent 80+ hours in the pits of hell.
Strategic Insight: If you are short on Diamonds, prioritize the Orpheus/Eurydice quest over the Sisyphus quest. While Sisyphus is a great guy, the emotional payoff (and the sheer quality of the music) from the gift of song in Hades questline provides a much more noticeable change to the game’s atmosphere. Keep an eye on the Fated List of Minor Prophecies in Zagreus' room as well; completing this quest rewards you with a hefty stack of Ambrosia, which you'll need for the high-level companion summons later on.