In Greek mythology, sirens were beautiful, dangerous creatures with the head of a woman and the body of a bird. They lured sailors to their deaths with their enchanting songs, causing them to crash their ships on rocky shores. The most famous encounter with sirens is in Homer's Odyssey, where Odysseus and his crew survive by plugging their ears with wax and binding Odysseus to the mast so he could hear their song without steering them to danger. ← Back to the Archive