Approaching the Siren Island

They were sailing again with the zephyr billowing their sails, full of longing to reach the sweet homeland. The next day, they heard a soft and sweet song coming from far away, and in a moment they spotted an island. Odysseus knew it was the island of the Sirens.

Odysseus takes precautions

He immediately took a candle and plugged his companions' ears well, and he commanded them to tie him securely to the boat. He told them still, however much he begged them, not to untie him in any way.

The Sirens

But why did he do all this? Because Tiresias had warned him about this island. There lived some five-faced girls who sat on the shore and sang so beautifully that the sailors fell into the sea, went out on the shore and stayed there forever.

Odysseus and Sirens

Odysseus knew all this, and that's why he took his measures. So they reached the island of the Sirens, but they did not stop. They were all on the shore and sang so sweetly that Odysseus suffered and wept and cried out to be untied

But his companions did not hear anything and instead of untying him, they tied him tighter so that he would not be beaten. And the boat was tearing through the water, without stopping at all. The Sirens sang as sweetly as they could, but who could hear them?

So they were spared this temptation as well. And when they were far enough away, then they loosed Odysseus, who thanked them, and blew out their ears, for there was no more danger.