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The Sirens of Greek myth sang so beautifully that sailors crashed their ships.

According to Greek legend, the Sirens were creatures whose songs were so enchanting that listening to them would make sailors steer right into rocks.

1 min read
The Sirens of Greek myth sang so beautifully that sailors crashed their ships.
THE FULL STORY

The Sirens are one of the most chilling parts of Greek mythology. According to the legends, they were strange creatures who lived on a rocky island in the middle of the sea. Originally they were described as having the bodies of birds and the heads of women. Their voices were so beautiful that any sailor who heard them would be unable to look away.

The Sirens’ song would lure ships closer and closer to their island. Then the boats would smash on the hidden rocks and sink. The Sirens were said to live surrounded by the bones of countless lost sailors who had been pulled in by their voices.

The most famous Siren story is from the Odyssey. The hero Odysseus wanted to actually hear the song without dying, so he came up with a clever plan. He plugged his crew’s ears with beeswax so they could not hear anything, then ordered them to tie him to the ship’s mast. He listened safely while the ship sailed past - and they all survived.

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