Mastering the Lyre: A Complete Guide to “The Gift of Song” in Hades

In Supergiant Games’ critically acclaimed rogue-like masterpiece Hades, the road out of Hell is paved with blood, sweat, tears, and… awkward musical notes? While most of your time in the Underworld is spent dashing, slashing, and dodging frantic bullet-hell patterns, the House of Hades also offers quiet moments of character development, emotional reconciliation, and unexpected hobbies.

Among the most charming—and notoriously time-consuming—side quests in the game is the Minor Prophecy known as “The Gift of Song.”

What is “The Gift of Song”?

Listed on the Fated List of Minor Prophecies (acquired via the House Contractor), “The Gift of Song” is a prophecy centered around Zagreus’s ambition to learn how to play the lyre. The official prophecy description reads:

“The son of the god of the dead shall someday learn to perform music halfway decently through the teachings of a solemn master of the art.”

Completing this quest rewards you with 2x Ambrosia, an invaluable endgame resource used to deepen bonds with characters and acquire legendary keepsakes. However, getting there requires patience, consistency, and a whole lot of bad music.

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing the Prophecy

Fulfilling “The Gift of Song” isn’t something you can speedrun in a single escape attempt. It is deeply tied to your overall progression and your relationship with Orpheus, the House musician.

Step 1: Unlock and Purchase the Lyre

Before you can become a virtuoso, you need an instrument.

• Progress through the game until you unlock the Fated List of Minor Prophecies from the House Contractor.
• Once available, check the Bedchambers category at the House Contractor to purchase the Lyre: Splendid for 1 Diamond.
• The lyre will appear right in Zagreus’s bedroom, ready to be abused.

Step 2: Get Orpheus Back to Singing

Orpheus starts the game trapped in a melancholic slump, refusing to sing. To eventually get guidance or dialogue regarding your musical skills, you need to thaw his spirits:

• Gift him Nectar and chat with him regularly.
• Reunite him with Eurydice by progressing their respective storylines (telling Orpheus about her fate in Asphodel and helping him remember his purpose).
• Once Orpheus begins singing again, he will eventually drop hints or dialogue encouraging Zagreus to try his hand at the instrument.

Step 3: Practice, Practice, Practice (The Grinding Phase)

This is where the true test of endurance begins. Every single time you return to the House of Hades—whether after a successful escape or a brutal death—make a habit of walking over to your lyre and interacting with it.

• The Progression: Zagreus starts off notoriously awful. The initial plucks sound jarring, uncoordinated, and genuinely painful to listen to.
• The Milestones: Over the course of dozens (and eventually over two hundred) interactions, the audio changes. Zagreus moves from hitting random, discordant thuds to playing a recognizable, albeit rudimentary, melody.
• The Requirement: You will need roughly 210+ total interactions with the lyre over the course of your playthrough.

Pro-Tip: Don’t try to grind all 210 interactions in one go—it physically won’t work. The game requires you to space them out across multiple runs. Interaction counts usually trigger progress after leaving and returning to the bedroom.

Step 4: Speak with Orpheus

Once you have interacted with the lyre enough times that Zagreus shifts from sounding like a tone-deaf novice to someone actually carrying a tune, Zagreus will remark that he is finally getting the hang of it.

Head down to the main hall, look for Orpheus with an exclamation point (!) over his head, and speak with him. He will acknowledge your musical evolution, which officially triggers the completion of the prophecy.

Why Bother with “The Gift of Song”?

In a game defined by fast-paced combat and high-stakes boss fights, “The Gift of Song” acts as a brilliant narrative and atmospheric palate cleanser. It mirrors Zagreus’s growth: he starts the game as a rebellious prince stumbling through his escape attempts, just as he stumbles over every string of the lyre. By the time he—and you—master the instrument, it symbolizes a profound settling into his own skin, transforming the gloomy House of Hades into a place of genuine culture and warmth.

Plus, those 2 Ambrosia rewards certainly don’t hurt when you’re trying to max out your favorite Olympian boons and keepsakes!