SIRENS

ambulance in distress with sirens on

I have lived all my life in the capital city of Nepal apart from 14 years abroad. When I was a child, I could hardly hear the sirens. Even in the distance if there was a call of the siren the dogs used to howl and I reckon not everyone likes the sound of Siren. Lately, whenever I am on the road, there isn’t a single day that does not pass without the sound of a siren either in front or behind. Still, due to traffic conjunction, they find difficulty navigating along the road. Most of the siren sounds are from ambulances, some are of the ministers passing through.

Something comes out of something or is it nothing:

SIRENS

When I start searching for the origin of the word siren, most of all led me to one thing and it’s quite an unimaginable thing.

The first known use of the word siren as a noun was in the 14th century and was often capitalized. Siren as a noun had the definitions below: 

⦁    Any of a group of female and partly human creatures in Greek mythology that lured mariners to destruction by their singing.

⦁    A woman who sings with enchanting sweetness, A temptress, Temptation.

⦁    A device is often electrically operated for producing a penetrating warning sound.

We all know Greek mythology has many GODS and MYTHICAL CREATURES. Among them one of them is SIRENS. I won’t go deep into the fact and the origin of SIRENS, but just the basic facts that led to the present term. Ancient Greek culture saw the sea as a very dangerous place, filled with water spirits who preyed upon the men. Because of that, their version of mermaids personified the allure of the unknown, danger of the sea and the sexual attraction of beautiful women into one mythical creature – winged sirens.

imaginary art of sirens by an artist

Greeks told the stories called myths to explain things in nature, such as the weather, the formation of the world and death. The stories were full of adventures, heroes and terrifying creatures. Some of the ancient stories were about these called the SIRENS.

What were the Sirens?

In the earliest Greek myths, sirens represented the beautiful women who rested on the shore of the ocean, singing a song of love and sometimes playing string musical instruments. Men who heard their song became instantly enhanced, mesmerized, and walked to them where they received only gruesome death, at times by drowning or sometimes being eaten. Sometimes they were portrayed as sea mermaids, but most often they have winged women whose song forced ships into rocky shores or led mesmerized men to fall from high cliffs and mountains. Over the centuries, they became the personification of dangerous, beautiful women (femme Fatales), and sometimes even ordinary women were called Sirens if their seductive lifestyle led to some misfortune or death. Some say the Sirens survived because their divine nature means they don’t need to eat anything.http://www.realmermaids.net/mermaid-history/siren-history/

sirens calling the sailors

What did Sirens look like?

The Sirens were described in different ways. Sometimes part bird/part women. Some ancient pottery shows the Sirens as having wings and being able to fly. Some stories describe them as incredibly beautiful women.

Two Myths describing SIRENS:

Greek Mythology:

Siren, in Greek mythology, is a creature half bird and half woman who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of her song. According to Homer, there were two Sirens on an island in the western sea between Aeaea and the rocks of Scylla. Later the number was usually increased to three, and they were located on the west coast of Italy, near Naples.

Roman Mythology:

Siren was depicted with beautiful women showing artwork as mermaids. They also had the same method, luring sailors and keeping them there until they die.

Both serve the same purpose, luring men until they die.

Some Heros who happened to defeat Sirens:

The Sirens and Odysseus

In Odysseus‘ long and wandering journey home from the Trojan War, he had to go past the island of the Sirens. The enchantress Circe explained to the hero how the singing of the Sirens worked and how they used it to kill the sailors who passed by. Odysseus instructed his man to block their ears with wax so that they would not listen to the singing. However, Odysseus was curious to hear what the singing sounded like. So, he decided to tie himself to the mast of the ship so that he could listen to the singing of the sirens without danger. That way, Odysseus and his men could sail by their island and continue their journey.

The Sirens and Odysseus

The Sirens vs. Orpheus

The sirens also play a minor role in the myths of the great Greek hero Jason and the Argonauts. The sailing crew had to pass near the island of the Sirens, and they needed a way to do it without being harmed by them. Unlike Odysseus, they did not use wax, but they had the great hero Orpheus sing and play the lyre while sailing by the island. The musical skills of Orpheus were legendary, and they were enough to make the other sailors focus on his singing rather than on the singing of the Sirens. Thus, the Sirens were no match for the singing of Orpheus, the famed musician.

Engraving From 1882 Featuring The Ancient Greek Argonauts And Sirens From Mythology.

The Death of the Sirens

There was a prophecy that said that if a mortal were ever to resist their enticing techniques, the Sirens would die. Since both Orpheus and Odysseus managed to survive their encounter, it is unclear which of them caused the death of the Sirens. Either way, after they failed to attract the mortals, the Sirens threw themselves into the ocean and committed suicide. 

Sirens in our modern society

A siren’s main drive is their need to be loved and will seek in any way. Be it sexual, platonic or familial. Sirens are also naturally solitary creatures, keeping to themselves while moving from victim to victim seeking love. Sirens can appear as they wish, but their true visage is that of a pale humanoid with hollow eyes and a mouth that appears fused shut.

Sirens can manipulate feelings of love. It first charms its way through the victim’s defences by reading their mind and pretending to be the “perfect person” for the victim and causes its victims to kill (hurt or betray) someone they love under the promise they will be together forever. Once the victim kills(gets betrayed) for the siren, the creature moves on to another person, repeating the cycle.

So, I personally do believe that creature SIRENS do exist still in this society, but according to the time, they have changed their appearance. It is inside us.

Yeah, actually. But the siren’s not actually a myth, it’s more of a beautiful creature that preys on men, enticing them with their siren song.

– Sam Winchester4.14 Sex and Violence

on and off the shore

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