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Last Update: 26 Apr 2021
Sirens, Alluring Sea Nymphs
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were special Sea Nymphs who sang in a very seductive way
Appearance of the Sirens
The Sirens were dangerous Sea Nymphs, who lived on a desert island called the Island of the Faiakes. They had the body of a bird, but their head was human-like.
What made the Sirens extraordinary?
The Sirens had the gift of singing in a very seductive way. Every sailor who passed by this island was bewitched by her voice and was doomed to stay on her island forever and die. All over the island of the Faiakes lay the bones of sailors who could not resist the divine melody of the Sirens.
The Sirens in the Odyssey
The Sirens are most notably mentioned by the Greek poet Homer in his epic poem "Odyssey", where the Sirens encounter the hero Odysseus and his companions on their journey back to the island of Ithaca.
The Sirens were expecting Odysseus' arrival and immediately started singing - but Odysseus was prepared for the situation, so he ordered his companions to put wax in their ears and tie him to the mast of the boat, not giving in to his pleas to free him. In this way, the Greek hero Odysseus was able to escape temptation and continue his long journey to Ithaca.
