The Sirens' Song
Odysseus Stop 5 of 8
In brief
- The Sirens lured sailors to their deaths with a song so beautiful that no one who heard it could resist steering toward it.
- Following Circe's warning, Odysseus had his men plug their ears with wax while he alone listened, lashed tightly to the mast.
- Driven mad by the song's beauty, Odysseus begged to be freed, but his men only bound him tighter until they had safely sailed out of range.
Circe had warned Odysseus of the Sirens, creatures whose enchanted song was so beautiful that any sailor who heard it would abandon all reason and steer straight toward them, only to wreck upon the rocks of their island, joining the bones of countless sailors who had come before.
Determined to hear the legendary song and survive it, Odysseus devised a plan as his ship approached the Sirens' island. He melted a block of wax and sealed it into the ears of every member of his crew, leaving them deaf to the song entirely, so they could row past safely without ever being tempted.
Odysseus himself, unwilling to miss what no living man had ever survived hearing, ordered his men to bind him tightly to the ship's mast with thick rope, and made them swear that no matter what he said or begged once the song began, they would not untie him until the island was far behind.
As the ship drew near, the Sirens' voices reached him, promising him knowledge of all things past and future in a melody more beautiful than anything he had ever known. Straining against his bonds, Odysseus screamed and pleaded to be released, but his deafened crew, following his own orders, only rowed harder and lashed him tighter, until the island faded from sight and the spell broke at last.
