The Horse and the Infant Lyrics - Epic: The Musical

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Writers: Jorge Rivera-Herrans
• Producers: Jorge Rivera-Herrans, Luke Holt
• Album: EPIC: The Musical
• Release Date: 2024-07-04
• Label: Winion Entertainment LLC
• Genre: Pop, Orchestral, Musical
• Language: English

Song Meaning and Annotations

Annotations:

Odysseus: The Cunning King and the Origins of the War

Odysseus, known as Ulysses in Roman mythology, stands among the most iconic figures of Greek legend. Famous for his intelligence and strategic mind, he earned the name “Odysseus the Cunning.” The son of Laertes and Anticlea, he often received guidance from the goddess Athena. He is the central figure in Homer’s The Odyssey, which follows his long and challenging journey home. Odysseus also plays an important role in The Iliad, where he devises the clever plan of the Trojan Horse, a trick that ultimately leads to the fall of Troy.
EPIC: The Musical begins in the final year of the Trojan War, a conflict born from a feud among the gods. The trouble began when Eris, goddess of discord, was excluded from a divine wedding. In retaliation, she threw a golden apple into the gathering, inscribed with the words “To the fairest.” Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed it. Paris, prince of Troy, was chosen to decide who deserved the apple. He chose Aphrodite, persuaded by her promise of being the world’s most beautiful woman. That woman was Helen, already married to King Menelaus of Sparta. Her abduction sparked a ten-year siege between Greece and Troy. These legendary events form the backdrop of the musical’s opening song.

Background details like the faint “Danger Is Nearby” motif begin layering a sense of unease behind their confident planning.

Diomedes, a revered warrior favored by Athena, is set to lead. Menelaus, whose lost wife began the war, has a particularly personal stake. Neo (Neoptolemus), son of Achilles, is tasked with avenging his father against Hector’s brothers — a nod to the complex blood debts within Greek epics. Odysseus’s address also foreshadows shifting priorities: from a leader rallying for collective survival to a man who will later prioritize personal return over his crew’s fate.

Personal Motivations: Penelope and Telemachus

As the soldiers chant "What do you live for? What do you fight for?", Odysseus's responses grow deeply personal. Penelope, his faithful wife, and Telemachus, his son whom he barely knows, surface as his true anchors. The musical score subtly intertwines Penelope’s identity with a soft viola line, setting up her musical leitmotif. Meanwhile, Telemachus symbolizes the life Odysseus hopes to reclaim — a child he left as an infant, whose memory keeps him grounded amid chaos. These tender moments underscore the emotional stakes of a narrative otherwise drenched in war and brutality.

Battle and Divine Intervention: Zeus Appears

As the Greeks pour into Troy, Odysseus experiences a strange, phantom wound. When he looks for the assailant, there’s nothing — instead, thunder crashes and an eagle cries out: the unmistakable signs of Zeus’s arrival. Zeus materializes to deliver a grim command: Odysseus must kill an infant boy. The child, Astyanax, is Hector’s son and the potential avenger of Troy's fall. If spared, Zeus warns, the boy will grow into a mortal threat that will destroy everything Odysseus holds dear.

This revelation is underscored by a chilling musical shift: soft, almost lullaby-like cradle music laced with the persistent "Danger Is Nearby" theme. In the background, Athena’s voice — invisible yet judging — sings softly, reminding listeners that Odysseus’s choices are under divine scrutiny. His characteristic pride flickers into doubt as he grapples with the horror of the task set before him.

The Moral Crossroad: Defying or Accepting Fate

Odysseus initially resists. Could he not raise the child as his own? Exile him? Hide him? But Zeus, relentless, refutes every possibility. Greek myth often teaches that fate cannot be escaped; efforts to subvert it only draw the noose tighter. Zeus and the gods even manipulate Odysseus through memories of previous coercions — notably, how Odysseus was forced to join the Trojan War after Palamedes exposed his feigned madness by threatening Telemachus.

As Zeus and the gods chorus around him, Odysseus collapses into desperation, uttering the haunting plea:

Please don't make me do this, don't make me do this.

The Unseen Cost: Blood That Cannot Be Washed Away

Odysseus’s choice — to commit infanticide under divine coercion — marks the first major moral rupture of his story in EPIC: The Musical. Though motivated by love and loyalty, the act stains him irrevocably. Blood will cling to his hands, no matter how many seas he sails or prayers he offers. The trauma will not only haunt his dreams but shape his future decisions, transforming the proud, battle-hardened warrior into a man broken by impossible choices and endless loss.

Unbeknownst to him, Zeus’s "gift" of survival is laden with isolation. While he may save Penelope and Telemachus, he pays by watching every comrade perish — a bitter consequence rooted in this single, brutal act.

“The Horse and the Infant” is no gentle prologue — it’s a thunderous, sword-drawn overture that plunges listeners into the final night of the Trojan War. This opening track from EPIC: The Musical sets the emotional stakes and moral dilemmas in motion with cinematic urgency, battle cries, and godly confrontations.

Strategy, Guilt, and Myth-Making

Odysseus, our sharp-tongued tactician, commands a moment of reckoning:

"Think of your wives and your children... Do what I say and you'll see them again."

The Divine Interruption

Then — boom. The narrative ruptures. Zeus, storm-god and divine instigator, appears with an impossible request: kill an infant. Why? Because that child is the son of Hector, and might one day bring vengeance. The dialogue is chilling:

"It's just an infant, it's just a boy... What sort of imminent threat does he pose?"

But Zeus warns:

"He will burn your house and throne."

Sound and Fury

Musically, the track flexes massive orchestral power — pounding drums, layered choirs, cinematic strings — intercut with quiet, breathless moments of pleading. Rivera-Herrans’ scoring invites comparisons to Hans Zimmer or Bear McCreary, but with the narrative clarity of Lin-Manuel Miranda. It’s both Broadway and a blockbuster.

Similar Songs

1. “Prologue” – Les Misérables (Original London Cast)
   Like “The Horse and the Infant,” this track establishes moral ambiguity and sets a narrative steeped in conflict. Both songs use ensemble vocals, character intros, and urgent pacing to hook the listener from bar one.
2. “Alexander Hamilton” – Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast)
   Both songs serve as opening statements — storytelling with rhythm, prophecy, and a central figure’s origin story. Odysseus and Hamilton: flawed geniuses set on paths of both greatness and destruction.
3. “The Battle” – The Prince of Egypt (Soundtrack)
   In terms of scale and tone, this song mirrors the mythic stakes and orchestral grandeur of “The Horse and the Infant.” Epic struggle meets spiritual consequence.

Questions and Answers

What is the central conflict in this song?

Odysseus must choose between morality and obedience when Zeus orders him to kill Hector’s infant son to prevent a future threat.

Why is this song called “The Horse and the Infant”?

The title contrasts two pivotal elements: the Trojan Horse (symbol of cunning) and the infant (symbol of innocence). Together, they represent Odysseus’ darkest ethical dilemma.

Who voices Odysseus?

Odysseus is voiced by Jorge Rivera-Herrans himself, lending emotional weight and immediacy to the performance.

What genre best describes the song?

It blends musical theatre, orchestral film scoring, and modern pop elements — a hybrid genre Rivera-Herrans is helping define through EPIC.

Is this song historically accurate?

It draws from myth rather than history, specifically from the post-Iliad myth where Odysseus contemplates killing Astyanax, Hector’s son, to prevent future revenge.

Fan and Media Reactions

“Every second of this felt like I was watching a movie. A dark, ancient, beautiful one.” – @MythosRises

“Odysseus is a monster and a hero and a dad and a villain all at once. Masterful writing.” – @EpicNerd97

“If this doesn’t win a Tony in the next decade, we’ve failed as a society.” – @StageSword

“Jorge is giving Zeus-level thunder with this one. Goosebumps, bro.” – @PantheonFanboy

“The Trojan Horse scene plus the baby plus Zeus?? I’m unwell.” – @EurydiceVibes