15 The Sirens

Far out in the sea there was an island，on the rocky edge of which lived three Sirens，the three sisters of magic song．Half human and half bird，the Siren sisters sat in a field of flowers，singing in voices that excited the hearts of men．The attractive songs were so sweet that ships were attracted to the island and struck to pieces on the rocks．No sailor nor ship had ever been known to pass the Island of the Sirens without being attracted to disaster ．

Acting on the advice of Circe，Odysseus took careful preparation against the Sirens．Before their ships came to where they could hear the song，Odysseus had himself tied to the mast ，stopped the ears of his men with wax and ordered them to ignorehis orders and gestures when they were passing the fatal is land ．

Soon they came in sight of the rocky is land，and the attractive song reached the ears of Odysseus．It moved him so much that he struggled in despair to free himself and sho...