Difference between revisions of "Siren" - New World Encyclopedia

Latest revision as of 22:34, 29 January 2023

The Siren, by John William Waterhouse(circa 1900

In Greek mythology the Sirens or Seirenes (Greek Σειρήνες or Acheloides) were creatures who lived on a remote island surrounded by rocky cliffs, later identified as Sirenum scopuli. The Sirens lured passing sailors by their singing, which would enchant any sailor listening to the point that he would lose all will-power, and crash his ship upon the Sirens' rocky shore and cliffs, killing all the men aboard. While the Sirens were used frequently by the most famous of the classical authors (Homer's The Odyssey and Jason and the Argonauts), they appear rarely in contemporary fiction. There is the possibility that they influenced Northern Europen tales of mermaids, legendary aquatic creatures with the head and torso of human female and a fish-like tail. The legend of Loreley of the Rhine, who sang to lure sailors to their death on the rocks below, shows clear parallels to the tales of Sirens. There is, however, no evidence of the existence of Sirens in reality.

Origin

Odysseus and the Sirens, eponymous vase of the Siren Painter, ca. 480-470 B.C.E., British Museum

Sailing was a very important part of ancient Greek life, but the waters of the Mediterranean were very dangerous and the epic literature of the times reflected this awe and fear of the sea. It is most probable that out of these mixed feelings for the waters came the seed for the Sirens, reflecting the communion that sailors feel with the ocean, one that is both beautiful and deadly. Originally, not much was known about the Sirens, because anyone drawn to their calls never came back alive. However, later Roman authors expanded on the idea of the Sirens, laying out the general depiction known today.

Their number is variously reported by such authors as between two and five, and their individual names as Thelxiepia/Thelxiope/Thelxinoe, Molpe, Aglaophonos/Aglaope, Pisinoe/Peisinoë, Parthenope, Ligeia, Leucosia, Raidne, and Teles. As far as parentage, they have been linked to Phorcys, Achelous, Melpone, Sterope, and Terpsichore. It was Ovid who came up with the tale of their origin—the Sirens were playmates of young Persephone and were changed into the monsters of lore by Demeter for failing to intervene when Persephone was abducted.^[1]

It has been suggested that the Siren is actually the precursor for the Northern European mermaids, half-women and half-fish creatures that lured individual sailors into the water, where they were drowned and eaten. In fact, the words for mermaid in Spanish, Siren, French, Sirène, Italian, Sirena, Polish, Syrena, and Portuguese, Sereia, show the connection between the Siren and mermaids. However, it should be noted that while the Sirens were an influence, in the English language, Siren and mermaid are not used interchangeably.^[2] Also, merpeople were often present in Greek mythology distinct from the Sirens. For example, the sea god Triton, son of the King and Queen of the Sea, Poseidon and Amphitrite, is usually depicted with the upper torso of a man and the tail of a fish.

Appearance

Bearded siren. Plate, Middle Corinthian, ca. 580–570 B.C.E. Louvre

In early Greek art the Sirens were represented as birds with large heads and scaly feet, and sometimes manes of lions. Later, they were represented as female figures with the legs of birds, with or without wings, playing a variety of musical instruments, especially harps.

The tenth century encyclopedia Suda says that from their chests up Sirens had the form of sparrows, below they were women, or, alternatively, that they were little birds with women's faces.^[3] Birds were chosen because of their characteristic, beautiful voices. However, later in history, Sirens were sometimes also depicted as beautiful women (whose bodies, not only their voices, were seductive).

Encounters with the Sirens

There are two main legends that directly deal with the Sirens. The first is the story of Jason and Argonauts. While at sea, Jason and his crew become mesmerized by the distant song of the Sirens. The crew immediately changes direction towards the song, heading on a crash course with the rocky cliffs. The only crew member not to be enchanted was Orpheus, who realizing what was happening, drew his lyre and played his own music, which was powerful enough to drown out the Sirens call and break the enchantment. One of the crew, however, the sharp-eared hero Butes, continued to hear their song and leaped into the sea, but he was caught up and carried safely away by the goddess Aphrodite.^[4]

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

The other infamous encounter with the Sirens takes place in Homer's The Odyssey. Upon leaving the island of Circe, Odysseus is warned that in order to travel the route back home to Ithaca, he will have to pass by the island of the Sirens. Ever the schemer, Odysseus comes up with the idea to plug all the ears of his crew with wax, so that the sounds of the Sirens would be blocked out. However, curious as to what the Sirens actually sounded like, Odysseus orders himself tied to the mast of his ship, while they pass; the songs of the Sirens seduce Odysseus, promising him knowledge and power if he follows the sound, except his ropes keep him in place and the entire crew makes it safely out of the Sirens' range. Because of the prophecy that the Sirens would die if anyone escaped their call, after Odysseus and his crew sailed safely by the island, the Sirens reportedly fell into the ocean and died.^[5]

Later legends stated that the Sirens were actively engaged with the process of death, watching over those who are about to die and even sometimes accompanying the soul to the netherworld. In contrast to their earlier malicious nature, people claimed that the Sirens were sensitive beings, who even would mourn for the dead at funerals.^[6]

Literature and Pop Culture

Because of the resurgence of interest in Classical literature during the European Renaissance, the Sirens were often used in fictitious narrative and poetry. Like many other aspects of ancient Greek mythology, the Sirens were often employed as narrative devices, such as allusions, and outside of the Roman authors, few actually delved deeply into the personal story of the Sirens. Yet, the Sirens survived, and continue to be used in fiction and new forms of literature, such as television and film. In pop culture, the Siren is sometimes used in video and role-playing games, mentioned occasionally in comic books and music.

Loreley

Sirens are sometimes considered to be the forerunners of the German Loreley (also written as Lorelei). These creatures were named after a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, which soars some 120 meters above the water line, marking the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there.

Loreley is the name of one of the beautiful Rhine Maidens, or Nixes, who apparently lured navigators of this river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much as the Sirens did.^[7] The legend was first created by the German author Clemens Brentano in his novel Godwi oder Das steinerne Bild der Mutter (1801); Brentano was inspired by Ovid, especially by the Echo-Narziss-myth. It also appears in the poem "The Lorelei" by Heinrich Heine. Translated by Aaron Kramer, the final stanza reads:

—At last the waves devoured
The boat, and the boatman's cry;
And this did with her singing,
The golden Lorelei.

Footnotes

↑ Micha F. Lindemans, "Sirens" Pantheon.org. (1997). Retrieved May 29, 2007.
↑ The Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford Press, 1971). ISBN 019861117X
↑ Robert Dyer, "Suda On-line" (2002). Retrieved May 29, 2007
↑ Edith Hamilton, Mythology (1942).
↑ Carlos Parada, "The Sirens" (1997). Retrieved May 29, 2007.
↑ North Star Gallery, "Mermaids and Sirens" (2002). Retrieved June 15, 2007.
↑ Dr. Manfred Halfer, Loreley—in Beitrag zur Namendeutung. Retrieved June 16, 2006.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Hamilton, Edith. [1942] 1998. Mythology. Boston, MA: Back Bay Books. ISBN 0316341517
Harrison, Jane Ellen. 2005. The Myth of the Sirens. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1425472583
Lao, Meri. 1999. Sirens: Symbols of Seduction. Inner Traditions International. ISBN 0892818468

External links

All links retrieved January 29, 2023.

The Suda (Byzantine Encyclopedia) on the Sirens
Theoi Project, Seirenes the Sirens in classical literature and art

Credits

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History of "Siren"

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[1] Micha F. Lindemans, "Sirens" Pantheon.org. (1997). Retrieved May 29, 2007.

[2] The Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford Press, 1971). ISBN 019861117X

[3] Robert Dyer, "Suda On-line" (2002). Retrieved May 29, 2007

[4] Edith Hamilton, Mythology (1942).

[5] Carlos Parada, "The Sirens" (1997). Retrieved May 29, 2007.

[6] North Star Gallery, "Mermaids and Sirens" (2002). Retrieved June 15, 2007.

[7] Dr. Manfred Halfer, Loreley—in Beitrag zur Namendeutung. Retrieved June 16, 2006.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Claimed}}{{Started}}
+{{Submitted}}{{Images OK}}{{Approved}}{{Paid}}{{copyedited}}
 [[Category:Politics and social sciences]]
 [[Category:Anthropology]]
+[[Category:Mythical creatures]]
+[[Image:The Siren.jpg|thumb|200px|right|''The Siren'', by [[John William Waterhouse]](circa 1900]]
+In [[Greek mythology]] the '''Sirens''' or '''Seirenes''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] Σειρήνες or Acheloides) were creatures who lived on a remote island surrounded by rocky cliffs, later identified as [[Sirenum scopuli]]. The Sirens lured passing sailors by their [[song|singing]], which would enchant any sailor listening to the point that he would lose all will-power, and crash his ship upon the Sirens' rocky shore and cliffs, killing all the men aboard. While the Sirens were used frequently by the most famous of the classical authors ([[Homer]]'s ''[[The Odyssey]]'' and ''Jason and the Argonauts''), they appear rarely in contemporary fiction. There is the possibility that they influenced [[Northern Europe]]n tales of [[mermaid]]s,  [[legendary creature|legendary]] aquatic creatures with the head and torso of human female and a [[fish]]-like tail. The legend of Loreley of the [[Rhine]], who sang to lure sailors to their death on the rocks below, shows clear parallels to the tales of Sirens. There is, however, no evidence of the existence of Sirens in reality.
+{{toc}}
+==Origin==
+[[Image:Odysseus Sirens BM E440 n2.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Odysseus and the Sirens, eponymous vase of the [[Siren Painter]], ca. [[480 B.C.E.|480]]-470 B.C.E., [[British Museum]]]]
+Sailing was a very important part of [[ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] life, but the waters of the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] were very dangerous and the [[epic poetry|epic literature]] of the times reflected this awe and fear of the sea. It is most probable that out of these mixed feelings for the waters came the seed for the Sirens, reflecting the communion that sailors feel with the ocean, one that is both beautiful and deadly. Originally, not much was known about the Sirens, because anyone drawn to their calls never came back alive. However, later [[Roman Empire|Roman]] authors expanded on the idea of the Sirens, laying out the general depiction known today.
-[[Image:The Siren.jpg|thumb|250px|right|''The Siren'', by [[John William Waterhouse]](circa 1900]]
+Their number is variously reported by such authors as between two and five, and their individual names as Thelxiepia/Thelxiope/Thelxinoe, Molpe, Aglaophonos/Aglaope, Pisinoe/Peisinoë, Parthenope, Ligeia, Leucosia, Raidne, and Teles. As far as parentage, they have been linked to [[Phorcys]], [[Achelous]], [[Melpone]], [[Sterope]], and [[Terpsichore]]. It was [[Ovid]] who came up with the tale of their origin—the Sirens were playmates of young [[Persephone]] and were changed into the monsters of lore by [[Demeter]] for failing to intervene when Persephone was [[abduction|abducted]].<ref> Micha F. Lindemans,  [http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/sirens.html "Sirens"] ''Pantheon.org''. (1997). Retrieved May 29, 2007. </ref>
-In [[Greek mythology]] the '''Sirens''' or '''Seirenes''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] Σειρήνες or Acheloides) were [[Naiads]] (sea [[nymph]]s) who lived on an island called [[Sirenum scopuli]].  In some different traditions they are placed on Cape Pelorum, others in the island of Anthemusa, and still others in the Sirenusian islands near [[Paestum]], or in [[Capri|Capreae]] (Strab. i. p. 22 ; Eustath. ad Horn. p. 1709 ; Serv. I.e.}.  All locations were described to be surrounded by cliffs and rocks. Approaching [[sailor]]s were [[Motif of harmful sensation|drawn to them]] by their enchanting [[singing]], causing them to sail into the cliffs and drown. They were considered the daughters of [[Achelous]] (by [[Terpsichore]], [[Melpomene]] or [[Sterope]]) or [[Phorcys]] ([[Virgil]]. V. 846; [[Ovid]] XIV, 88). Homer says nothing of their number, but later writers mention both their names and number ; some state that they were two, Aglaopheme and Thelxiepeia (Eustath. ad Horn. p. 1709) ; and others, that there were three, Peisinoe, Aglaope, and Thelxiepeia (Tzetz. ad LycopL7l2) or Parthenope, Ligeia, and Leucosia (Eustath. /. c.; Strab. v. pp. 246, 252 ; Serv. ad Virg. Georg. iv. 562). Their number is variously reported as between two and five, and their individual names as Thelxiepia/Thelxiope/Thelxinoe, Molpe, Aglaophonos/Aglaope, Pisinoe/Peisinoë, Parthenope, Ligeia, Leucosia, Raidne, and Teles. According to some versions, they were playmates of young [[Persephone]] and were changed into the monsters of lore by [[Demeter]] for failing to intervene when Persephone was abducted (Ovid V, 551). The term "siren song" refers to an appeal that is hard to resist but that, if heeded, will lead to a bad result.
+It has been suggested that the Siren is actually the precursor for the [[Northern Europe]]an [[mermaid]]s, half-women and half-[[fish]] creatures that lured individual sailors into the water, where they were drowned and eaten. In fact, the words for mermaid in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], ''Siren,'' [[French language|French]], ''Sirène,'' [[Italian language|Italian]], ''Sirena,'' [[Polish language|Polish]], ''Syrena,'' and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], ''Sereia,'' show the connection between the Siren and mermaids. However, it should be noted that while the Sirens were an influence, in the [[English language]], Siren and mermaid are not used interchangeably.<ref>The Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford Press, 1971). ISBN 019861117X </ref> Also, [[merpeople]] were often present in [[Greek mythology]] distinct from the Sirens. For example, the sea god [[Triton]], son of the King and Queen of the Sea, [[Poseidon]] and [[Amphitrite]], is usually depicted with the upper torso of a man and the tail of a fish.
 ==Appearance==
-[[Image:Syrenka warszawska0205.jpg|thumb| 150 px|left| Syrenka in [[Warszawa]]]]
+[[Image:Louvre assiette sirene barbue.JPG|thumb|left|200 px|Bearded siren. Plate, Middle Corinthian, ca. 580–570 B.C.E. Louvre]]
+In early Greek [[art]] the Sirens were represented as [[bird]]s with large heads and scaly feet, and sometimes manes of [[lion]]s. Later, they were represented as female figures with the legs of birds, with or without wings, playing a variety of [[music]]al instruments, especially [[harp]]s.
-In early Greek art the Sirens were represented as birds with large heads and scaly feet, and sometimes manes, of lions. Later, they were represented as female figures with the legs of birds, with or without wings playing a variety of musical instruments, especially harps. The 10th century encyclopedia ''[[Suda]]'' [http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin//search.pl?search_method=QUERY&login=&enlogin=&searchstr=sigma,280&field=adlerhw_gr&db=REAL] says that from their chests up Sirens had the form of sparrows, below they were women, or, alternatively, that they were little birds with women's faces. Birds were chosen because of their characteristic, beautiful voices. However, later in history Sirens were sometimes also depicted as beautiful women (whose bodies, not only their voices, are seductive), or even as [[mermaid]]s (half woman, half fish). The fact that in some languages (such as Spanish, French, Italian, Polish or Portuguese) the word for mermaid is ''Siren'', ''Sirène'', ''Sirena'', ''Syrena'' or ''Sereia'' adds to this confusion. In English however, "Siren" does not commonly denote "mermaid."
-In his Notebooks [[Leonardo da Vinci]] wrote the following on the siren:
-''The siren sings so sweetly that she lulls the mariners to sleep; then she climbs upon the ships and kills the sleeping mariners.''
-In 1917, [[Franz Kafka]] wrote in ''The Silence of the Sirens'':
+The tenth century encyclopedia ''Suda'' says that from their chests up Sirens had the form of sparrows, below they were women, or, alternatively, that they were little birds with women's faces.<ref>Robert Dyer, [http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin//search.pl?search_method=QUERY&login=&enlogin=&searchstr=sigma,280&field=adlerhw_gr&db=REAL "Suda On-line"] (2002). Retrieved May 29, 2007 </ref> Birds were chosen because of their characteristic, beautiful voices. However, later in history, Sirens were sometimes also depicted as beautiful women (whose bodies, not only their voices, were seductive).
-''Now the Sirens have a still more fatal weapon than their song, namely their silence. And though admittedly such a thing never happened, it is still conceivable that someone might possibly have escaped from their singing; but from their silence certainly never.''
 ==Encounters with the Sirens==
-[[Image:Odysseus Sirens BM E440 n2.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Odysseus and the Sirens, eponymous vase of the [[Siren Painter]], ca. [[480 B.C.E.|480]]-470 B.C.E., [[British Museum]]]]
-[[Odysseus]] was curious as to what the Sirens sounded like, so he had all his sailors plug their [[ear]]s with [[beeswax]] and tie him to the [[mast (sailing)|mast]]. He ordered his men to leave him tied to the mast, no matter how much he would beg. When he heard their beautiful [[song]], he ordered the sailors to untie him but they stuck to their orders <nowiki>(or they couldn't hear him).</nowiki> When they had passed out of earshot, Odysseus stopped thrashing about and calmed down, and was released (''[[Odyssey]]'' XII, 39).
-[[Image:John William Waterhouse - Ulysses and the Sirens (1891).jpg|thumb|250px|right|''Odysseus and the Sirens''. An 1891 painting by [[John William Waterhouse]].]]
-[[Jason]] had been warned by [[Chiron]] that [[Orpheus]] would be necessary in his journey. When Orpheus heard their [[Human voice|voice]]s, he drew his [[lyre]] and played his music more beautifully than they, drowning out their voices. One of the crew, however, the sharp-eared hero Butes, heard the song and leapt into the sea, but he was caught up and carried safely away by the goddess Aphrodite.
-It is said that after a ship successfully sailed by the Sirens, <nowiki>they threw themselves into the water to show protest. Varying traditions associate this event with their encounters with Jason</nowiki> or Odysseus, though the incident appears in neither [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' nor [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]]'s ''[[Argonautica]]''. It is also said that Hera, queen of the gods, persuaded the Sirens to enter a singing contest with the [[Muse]]s. The Muses won the competition and then <nowiki>plucked out all of the Sirens' feathers and made crowns out of them.</nowiki>
-==In popular culture==
-The following are a selection of prominent [[popular culture]] references to the mythological '''[[Siren]]s'''.
-== In [[book|print]] ==
-*In [[Terry Brooks]]' ''[[Shannara]]'' series there is a [[species]] of [[carnivorous plant]] called 'Sirens' that grows on the Battlemounds in the Eastlands. The plants have [[poison]] [[spine (botany)|thorns]] which they are capable of launching at [[predation|prey]]. They lure their prey within reach with an [[illusion]] of a [[beauty|beautiful]] woman [[singing]].
-*There is a [[Marvel Comics]] [[superhero]] named [[Siryn]], whose [[Mutant (Marvel comics)|mutant]] [[List of powers in superhero fiction|power]] is an ability to use a 'sonic scream,' much like [[Banshee (comics)|Banshee]], her father. Both characters' names come from [[Mythology|mythological]] characters best known for their vocal abilities.
-*The [[DC Comics]]-character and [[Titans (comics)|Titans]]-foe [[Siren (DC Comics)|Siren]] is a mermaid and uses her singing as her main weapon.
-*''Sirena'' is a young-adult novel by [[Donna Jo Napoli]] told from the perspective of one young Siren, her lover, and the affairs of the Gods of ancient Greece.
-*The "veela" (wila (pronounced VEE-lah) are [[Slavic fairies]], equivalent to [[nymphs]] in [[Greek mythology]]) in [[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]] are beautiful, [[humanoid]] creatures that entrance men with their singing in a manner similar to that of the sirens. In one incident [[Ron Weasley]] almost jumps off the edge of a balcony when he sees them and hears their song.
-== In [[television]] ==
-*In the final season of ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', one of the [[Sailor Animamates]] ([[Sailor Galaxia]]'s cronies) mentioned is [[Sailor Aluminum Siren]]. In the [[anime]], she doesn't sing, but just as her name suggests, she lures victims to their [[Death|doom]], by [[deception|disguising]] herself in human form and when she has the opportunity tries to extract their [[Sailor Crystal#Star Seed|star seed]]s but fails, turning them into [[Shadow Galactica#Phage|phage]]s.
-*An episode of the [[BBC]] comedy ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' titled [[Psirens|''Psirens'']] featured repulsive creatures who could create the illusion they were beautiful women. They did this hoping to lure unwary travellers to them so they could suck out their [[brain]]s with a [[Drinking straw|straw]].
-*In the 2003 [[Pax Network]] made-for-[[cable television|cable]] [[movie]] ''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0340842/ Mermaids]'', the [[mermaid]] character Venus played by actress Nikita Ager had a siren ability that allowed her to [[Enchantment|enchant]] and [[hypnotize]] male characters.
-*[[Melinda Clarke]] plays a siren on an episode of ''[[Charmed]]'' titled "Siren Song."
-*From April 21, 2006 on, the NBC [[soap opera]] ''[[Passions]]'' featured the character of Siren, a mermaid in love with [[Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald]].
-*In the [[Batman]] TV series, a villain named Lorelei Circe (a.k.a. The Siren), played by [[Joan Collins]], appears in episode 97, titled "The Wail of The Siren."  The episode aired on September 28, 1967.
-*In the [[Disney Channel]]'s own show ''[[So Weird]]'' the character Carey Bell was entranced by a siren he met in a performing bar who wanted to run away with him.
-* The character [[Angel (Lilo & Stitch)|Angel (Experiment 624)]] is a siren-like [[List of experiments from Lilo & Stitch|genetic experiment]] whose song can turn good people evil.
-== In film ==
-*[[Elle MacPherson]], [[Portia de Rossi]] and [[Kate Fischer]] starred as sirens alongside [[Hugh Grant]], [[Tara Fitzgerald]] and [[Sam Neill]] in [[John Duigan]]'s ''[[Sirens (film)|Sirens]]'' [[1994 in film|(1994)]] a mildly [[erotic]] [[comedy]]. The basic ([[fiction]]al) plotline being that a young [[England|English]] [[clergyman]] and his wife are drawn into an enticing world of [[lascivious]] [[art]] while attempting to persuade the genuine [[Australian]] artist [[Norman Lindsay]] (played in the film by Sam Neill) to withdraw a [[controversy|controversial]] work of art from an upcoming [[Art exhibition|exhibition]]. Once on the artist's [[Estate (land)|estate]], however, the couple find themselves increasingly drawn into a more sexually liberated world by Lindsay's family and his three beautiful [[model (person)|models]].
-*Three "Sirens" were featured in the 2000 [[film]] ''[[O Brother, Where Art Thou?]]''
-== In music ==
-*[[Jerome Kern]] wrote "The Siren's Song" to words by [[P.G. Wodehouse]] (1917).
-*[[Enrique Iglesias]] recorded a song called "Sirena" in which he explains his obsession over a mermaid.
-*[[It Dies Today]] recorded an album in 2006 called ''Sirens'' with imagery relating to the seductive powers of Sirens.
-*[[Tim Buckley]] wrote and performed a song called "Song to the Siren" which has been covered by many [[artists]] including, perhaps most famously, [[This Mortal Coil]].
-*[[The Chemical Brothers]] released a separate song also called "Song to the Siren" on their 1995 debut album ''[[Exit Planet Dust]]''.
-*The [[England|British]] [[synthpop]] [[band (music)|band]] [[Erasure]] has a song titled ''[[Siren Song (Erasure song)|Siren Song]]'' on their 1991 album ''[[Chorus (Erasure album)|Chorus]]''
-*The song "Siren" by [[Tori Amos]] is featured on the ''[[Great Expectations (1998 film)|Great Expectations]]'' [[film soundtrack|soundtrack]].
-* The [[Finland|Finnish]] [[heavy metal]] [[band (music)|band]] [[Nightwish]] also has a song called "The Siren," which describes a man tying himself to the [[ship's wheel|wheel]] of his ship to resist the beautiful siren of the sea.
+There are two main legends that directly deal with the Sirens. The first is the story of [[Jason and Argonauts]]. While at sea, Jason and his crew become mesmerized by the distant song of the Sirens. The crew immediately changes direction towards the song, heading on a crash course with the rocky cliffs. The only crew member not to be enchanted was [[Orpheus]], who realizing what was happening, drew his [[lyre]] and played his own [[music]], which was powerful enough to drown out the Sirens call and break the enchantment. One of the crew, however, the sharp-eared hero Butes, continued to hear their song and leaped into the sea, but he was caught up and carried safely away by the goddess [[Aphrodite]].<ref>Edith Hamilton, ''Mythology'' (1942). </ref>
-* Heavy Metal band [[Savatage]] has a song called "Sirens" on their debut album of the same name, ''[[Sirens (Savatage album)|Sirens]]'', released in 1983.
+[[Image:John William Waterhouse - Ulysses and the Sirens (1891).jpg|thumb|350px|right|''Odysseus and the Sirens''. An 1891 painting by [[John William Waterhouse]].]]
-* The Progressive Rock band [[Radiohead]] wrote song entitled "There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.)" including the lyrics "There's always a siren, singing you to shipwreck," directly referencing [[The Odyssey]].
+The other infamous encounter with the Sirens takes place in [[Homer]]'s ''[[The Odyssey]].'' Upon leaving the island of [[Circe]], [[Odysseus]] is warned that in order to travel the route back home to [[Ithaca]], he will have to pass by the island of the Sirens. Ever the schemer, Odysseus comes up with the idea to plug all the ears of his crew with wax, so that the sounds of the Sirens would be blocked out. However, curious as to what the Sirens actually sounded like, Odysseus orders himself tied to the mast of his ship, while they pass; the songs of the Sirens seduce Odysseus, promising him knowledge and power if he follows the sound, except his ropes keep him in place and the entire crew makes it safely out of the Sirens' range. Because of the [[prophecy]] that the Sirens would die if anyone escaped their call, after Odysseus and his crew sailed safely by the island, the Sirens reportedly fell into the ocean and died.<ref>Carlos Parada, [http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/SIRENS.html "The Sirens"] (1997). Retrieved May 29, 2007.</ref>
-== In [[theatre]] ==
+Later legends stated that the Sirens were actively engaged with the process of [[death]], watching over those who are about to die and even sometimes accompanying the [[soul]] to the [[afterlife|netherworld]]. In contrast to their earlier malicious nature, people claimed that the Sirens were sensitive beings, who even would mourn for the dead at funerals.<ref>North Star Gallery, [http://northstargallery.com/mermaids/MermaidHistory2.htm "Mermaids and Sirens"] (2002). Retrieved June 15, 2007. </ref>
-* [[The Siren (Musical)|''The Siren'']] was a [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] [[musical theater|musical]] in the style of an [[operetta]], which played at the [[Knickerbocker Theatre (Broadway)|Knickerbocker Theatre]] on Broadway in 1911.
+==Literature and Pop Culture==
-* In [[George Bernard Shaw]]'s [[Augustus Does His Bit]] the character of the lady is compared to a siren.
+Because of the resurgence of interest in [[Classical literature]] during the European [[Renaissance]], the Sirens were often used in fictitious narrative and [[poetry]]. Like many other aspects of ancient [[Greek mythology]], the Sirens were often employed as narrative devices, such as allusions, and outside of the Roman authors, few actually delved deeply into the personal story of the Sirens. Yet, the Sirens survived, and continue to be used in fiction and new forms of literature, such as [[television]] and [[film]]. In pop culture, the Siren is sometimes used in video and [[role-playing game]]s, mentioned occasionally in comic books and music.
-== In [[computer and video games]] ==
+===Loreley===
-*A Siren can be summoned by characters in many games of the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series; she can usually inflict [[silence]] upon the player's opponents. She is often the fourth summon made available to the player, following the fire-, [[ice|cold]]-, and [[lightning]]-based summons.
+Sirens are sometimes considered to be the forerunners of the [[German]] '''Loreley''' (also written as '''Lorelei'''). These creatures were named after a rock on the eastern bank of the [[Rhine]] near [[Sankt Goarshausen|St. Goarshausen]], which soars some 120 meters above the water line, marking the narrowest part of the river between [[Switzerland]] and the [[North Sea]]. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there.
-*In the video game series ''[[Star Control]]'', one [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] species is a [[Race (fantasy)|race]] of beautiful blue women named "[[Syreen]]s." Also, their ships can use [[mind control|mind-control]] to beckon [[crew]] from enemy ships to work on theirs.
-*The characters Elle, Flameshe and Monique in the [[console role-playing game]] ''[[Legend of Mana]]'' are sirens. Flameshe is a mermaid, while Elle and Monique are [[bird]]-like from the [[waist]] down and have [[wing]]s (though Monique's are decidedly more [[plant]]-like than bird-like). Elle (the only playable siren) suffered [[grief]] when she realised that her singing had caused the ship to [[collision|crash]] and vowed to never sing again, until her friends convinced her that she should not be ashamed of the fact she is a siren. Monique is known for singing to unseen [[fairy|fairies]] to have them [[Magic (paranormal)|magically]] [[ignition|light]] the [[light fixture|lamps]] she [[craft]]s.
-*In ''[[God of War]]'', the protagonist Kratos has to find and defeat three sirens and their [[minotaur]] minions in the [[desert]]. Sirens continue to plague him in the sequel.
-*In the Playstation 2 game ''[[Rygar: The Legendary Adventure|Rygar]]'', the final Diskarmor the player obtains can be used to summon Siren to aid in battle. She attacks using water and ice-based attacks.
-*Sirens also feature (although only rarely) in the video game ''[[Castlevania]]''. On the occasions that they do appear, their physical appearance is never the same. As a character, the Siren is merely a stronger version of a [[harpy]], a "[[Witch#Spell Casting|spellcastress]]," and takes its original mythological form.
-*"Siren" is a [[character class|class]] in the video game ''[[Tactics Ogre|Tactics Ogre: Knights of Lodis]]''. Instead of being an enchantress (a position taken by the "[[witch]]"), the Siren is a magical powerhouse, capable of using the strongest of offensive spells with devastating results.
-*In the video game Sudki there a [[boss (video games)|boss monster]] that is a siren.
-*The [[Warcraft races#Naga|Naga]] Siren is a controllable unit in [[Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne]]
-*In the PC game [[Black and White 2]], Siren is an epic miracle where a beautiful woman appears over the landscape causing enemy units to be drawn to her and, if weak enough, convert to your side.
-*There is a stealth-based [[survival horror]] game called [[Siren (video game)|Siren]].  The siren in question is the call of a being known as Datatsushi, telling the people of Hanuda, a rural mountain Japanese [[village]], to immerse themselves in red [[water]] to become creatures known as shibito, and prepare a nest for when he arrives.
-*In the online [[multi-user dungeon]], [[Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands|Achaea]], ''Siren'' is a playable [[race (fantasy)|race]].  All members are female and, upon reaching a certain level, gain the ability to seduce members of the opposite sex
-*In the [[Van Helsing video game]], sirens are common enemies. They appear as beutiful women, but with an unnatural pale-blue color. In their first cutscene, they reveal a gaping hole through their torso.
+'''Loreley''' is the name of one of the beautiful [[Rhine Maiden]]s, or [[Nix]]es, who apparently lured navigators of this river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much as the Sirens did.<ref>Dr. Manfred Halfer, [http://www.loreleytal.com/hansenorden/hansen-blatt/1997nr50/loreley.htm Loreley—in Beitrag zur Namendeutung]. Retrieved June 16, 2006.</ref> The legend was first created by the German author [[Clemens Brentano]] in his novel ''Godwi oder Das steinerne Bild der Mutter'' (1801); Brentano was inspired by Ovid, especially by the Echo-Narziss-myth. It also appears in the poem "The Lorelei" by [[Heinrich Heine]]. Translated by Aaron Kramer, the final stanza reads:
+—At last the waves devoured<br/>
+The boat, and the boatman's cry;<br/>
+And this did with her singing,<br/>
+The golden Lorelei.
+==Footnotes==
+<References/>
 ==References==
-Anonymous (1989) Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
+* Hamilton, Edith. [1942] 1998. ''Mythology''. Boston, MA: Back Bay Books. ISBN 0316341517
+* Harrison, Jane Ellen. 2005. ''The Myth of the Sirens''. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1425472583
+* Lao, Meri. 1999. ''Sirens: Symbols of Seduction''. Inner Traditions International. ISBN 0892818468
 ==External links==
+All links retrieved January 29, 2023.
-* [http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html Theoi Project, Seirenes] the Sirens in classical literature and art
+*[http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin/search.pl?db=REAL&search_method=QUERY&login=guest&enlogin=guest&user_list=LIST&page_num=1&searchstr=sigma%2C280+&field=adlerhw_gr&num_per_page=100 The Suda (Byzantine Encyclopedia) on the Sirens]
-* [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/3173.html A definition of ''Siren''] from the ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities'' edited by William Smith (1870)
+* [http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html Theoi Project, Seirenes] the Sirens in classical literature and art
-*[http://www.stoa.org/sol-bin/search.pl?db=REAL&search_method=QUERY&login=guest&enlogin=guest&user_list=LIST&page_num=1&searchstr=sigma%2C280+&field=adlerhw_gr&num_per_page=100 The Suda (Byzantine Encyclopedia) on the Sirens]
-{{Credits|Siren|116277380|Sirens_in_popular_culture|131755358|}}
+{{Credits|Siren|116277380|Sirens_in_popular_culture|131755358|Loreley|136230038|}}