Sirens are seductive female creatures in Greek mythology probably best known for their part in

the Odyssey where their song lured sailors to their death. Odysseus ordered his crew to plug their ears
with wax (on the advice of Circe) so as not to be lured by the Sirens' song. In another story from Greek
myth, the story of the Argonauts, Orpheus sang sweetly enough to keep the men from succumbing to the
Sirens. harp
There were either two or three Sirens, who were the daughters of the sea god Phorcys or the river god
Achelous.
In art, the Sirens are depicted as part human and part bird, like an attractive version of the harpies.
Odysseus, a Greek hero, is the leading figure in the epic poem the Odyssey, attributed to Homer.
Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, normally said to be the son of Laertes and Anticlea, husband of Penelope,
and father of Telemachus. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus' return home at the end of the Trojan
War.

Odysseus fought for ten years in the Trojan War before coming up with the idea of

Odysseus incurred the wrath of Poseidon for blinding Poseidon's Cyclops son Polyphemus the wooden
horse -- just one example of why "wily" or "crafty" is attached to his name.. In retaliation, it took
Odysseus another decade before he could arrive home barely in time to drive out Penelope's suitors. The
Odyssey covers a decade's worth of the adventures of Odysseus and his crew on their return to Ithaca
from the Trojan War.

Leaving Hades, Odysseus and his men sailed for many days without sight of land. Not before
long, though, strange disquieting sounds reached the ears of the men aboard the ship. The sounds
tugged at their hearts and made them want to weep with joy. Odysseus at once realized that they were
approaching the Sirens that Circe had warned him about. The sorceress had told him to block every
man’s ears with wax for if any were to hear the song of the Sirens, he would surely jump off the ship, go
close to the Sirens and the winged monsters would kill them. Odysseus did exactly that with his men, but
he himself wanted to hear their strange song. He thus ordered his sailors to tie him up to the mast so he
could not jump into the sea in an attempt to meet the Sirens.

With their ears blocked with wax, the men heard nothing and the ship passed near the Sirens. Suddenly,
Odysseus wanted to get free of his bonds and swim towards the Sirens for their song had just become
clear and it was very beautiful and captivating. But the ropes were very tight and fortunately he could
not untie himself.  His fellows could hear neither the Sirens neither the screams of their leader, who was
praying them to untie him. As the ship was sailing away from the shore, the song of the Sirens was fading
out.
I. Multiple Choice

1. Odysseus was able to sail past the sirens by…

a. blocking the ears of his men with wax and having himself tied to the mast

b. having one of his men outsing them

c. blindfolding himself so he couldn't see them

d. thinking about how beautiful his wife was so he wouldn't be tempted

2. The sirens are described as…

a. are seductive female creatures in Greek mythology

b. Greek heroes

c. strange disquieting sounds

d. the wooden horses

3. What did the sorceress had told Ulysses?

a. to block every man’s ears with wax

b. to watch the beautiful sirens

c. to flirt with the sirens

d. to make the sirens their dinner

II. Essay

1. What would happen if any were to hear the song of the Sirens? (minimum of 3 sentences)

2. If you were Ulysses, what would you do? (minimum of 5 sentences)

 Prepared by: Doreen Grace de Leon

Answers:

I.

1. A

2. A

3. A

II.

1. Thought: For if any were to hear the song of the Sirens, he would surely jump off the ship, go
close to the Sirens and the winged monsters would kill them.

2. (Answers vary)