The sirens

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Sirens

Armand Point - The Siren, 1897.


The Sirens were three sea nymphs beautiful but dangerous creatures that lured the sailors with their beautiful voices causing the ships to crash on the reefs near their island.

They were formerly handmaidens of the goddess Persephone daughter of goddess Demeter.

When the girl was secretly abducted by Haides, Demeter gave them the bodies of birds, and sent to assist in the search.

The Siren, by John William Waterhouse (c. 1900), depicted as a fishchimera


The Argonauts encountered the sirens but successfully evaded them with the help of Orpheus,the poet wrote out their music with his song .

Odysseus and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper, c. 1909


Odysseus, advised by Circe, plugged the crew's ears with wax and ordered them to bind him on the mast of the ship. The Seirenes were so distressed to see a man hear their song and yet escape, that they threw themselves into the sea and drowned.

Odysseus and the Sirens. An 1891 painting by John William Waterhouse.

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References P. Grimal, Diccionario de mitología griega y romana. Ed. Paidós http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_(mythology) http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Sirens/sire ns.html

Odysseus and the Sirens, eponymous vase of the Siren Painter, c. 480– 470 BC, (British Museum)


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