Mnemosyne — Classical Greek Myth Library

Circe warns Odysseus that the Sirens enchant all who approach; their meadow is heaped with men’s bones. He must plug the crew’s ears with wax and have himself bound upright to the mast, ordering that if he begs release they must only tighten the ropes. Approaching, Odysseus alone hears their promise: knowledge of the Trojan War and of all that happens on the fruitful earth—song as omniscience, not mere beauty. He nods and groans for freedom; the crew bind him harder until the voices fall astern and they loose him. The Sirens crystallize the poem’s theme of dangerous knowledge and nostos discipline: hearing without landing, desire overruled by craft and comrades.