Temptation Of The Sirens In Homer's Odyssey

Sirens are famous mythological creatures of the Ancient Greek culture. It is said that the sweet melody that they sing lures sailors of the Mediterranean Sea to their death. Although these sailors are often aware of the powers of the sirens, and know that they are beasts rather than beautiful women, the temptation of the siren’s voice always gets the best of the sailors, and they jump off their ship, to their death. The voice of the sirens causes the men to lose sense of their home, life, and their will to live. The temptation caused by the sirens is too controlling and powerful, and prevents the men from thinking of anything else. This is often the case in real life as well, for temptation has the power to distract anyone from any logical

or reasonable state of mind.

The main focus is to get what is desired.

In Homer’s Epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men encounter the sirens on their long and treacherous journey to Ithaca. His men were all forced to stuff their ears with beeswax, to avoid the temptation of the sirens’ song. “Steer wide; keep well to seaward; plug your oarsmen's ears with beeswax kneaded soft, none of the rest should hear that song. But if you wish to listen, let the men tie you in the lugger, hand and foot, back to the mast, lashed to the mast, so you may hear those harpies thrilling voices; shout as you will, begging to be untied, you crew must only twist more line around you, and keep their stroke up till the singers fade” (Homer 1130). As Circe explains the sirens to Odysseus, she knows their power to lure men overboard. Although she has warned the men of the sirens, they still must plug their ears with beeswax, for when they hear the sirens’ tune, logic will flee their mind. If they

do not hear the song they will not be tempted, for they know what is happening, and they know not to let it deceive them. The men who choose to hear it must be tied up, for when the song reaches their ears, they will fight to get closer, despite their knowledge of who the sirens actually are. “...woe to the innocent who hears that sound! He will not see his lady nor his children in joy, crowding about him, home from sea; the sirens will sing his mind away, on their sweet meadow lolling” (Homer 1130). The men of the sea get so caught up in the sirens, that they forget themselves. The only thing that can be focused on is the sweet melody ringing through the air, not the threat of the beasts that produce that music. The temptation is so powerful, that the men will, and do, kill themselves in an effort to get closer.

The sirens’ voice is perhaps one of the most tempting things in Greek mythology.

A siren is a hideous beast, yet their voice is so overpowering that it distracts from their looks and intentions. The men who are attracted to the sirens are not attracted to the looks of the creatures, but rather the voices. Clearly, if it has the power to override any logical decisions in a sailor's head, the content of the song must be very appealing and melodic. “This is the one song everyone would like to learn. The song that is irresistible. The song that forces men to leap overboard in squadrons, even though they see the beached skulls” (Atwood 1-6). All men have heard of this song, and they know the affects it can have. Yet the temptation blinding their mind allows them to indulge in their desire to hear more. Despite the fact that they can see the bones of former sailors, the men allow themselves to be swept away by the sirens’ melody, without thinking of the consequences. “I will tell the secret to you, only to you. Come closer” (Atwood 19-20). The sirens obviously use persuasion in their songs to lure the men. They make the men feel special, and entrance them in their words. If the men believe that the siren is the proverbial damsel in distress, how can they resist jumping overboard to save her? There is no logic involved in their decision, only the thought, of getting closer to the

voice.