In the Odyssey it is mentioned that Odysseus passed near the place where the Sirens lived, who charmed the sailors with their song and they, enchanted, forgot their destination, their wives and children, following them to their island, where they found, ultimately, death. In the description of the meadow where the Sirens dwelt, there were heaps of bones all around, of carcases whose skin had shriveled and whose flesh had rotted…

Odysseus, informed by Circe of the danger he was in by passing there, plugged the ears of his companions with wax and ordered them to tie him to a mast, so that he could enjoy their song, without the risk of following them. He was the second to escape the Sirens, since as is well known, during the Argonauts' journey, Orpheus managed, with the music of his lyre, not to distract his companions and follow these sea monsters.

According to Myth, the Sirens lived on the island of Anthemoessa, in the Straits of Messina.Their names vary, depending on the sources that mention them, but the following are indicative:Aglaope -brilliant in appearance, Thelxiopeia -charming in speech, Thelxiope -charming in appearance or Peisenoi -as persuasion of the mind. In these names are recognized the "favors" of the modern entertainment of the magical world of cinema and television...But these evidences are not enough to convince that Homer could be "warning" people about this particular charming "madness"...

The picture shows "Odysseus and the Sirens" on a vase in the British Museum. It is important to consider this ancient depiction of the Sirens, as in film, television and cartoons, the forms of the Sirens have been altered, sometimes making them look like Mermaids or other fictional depictions of the creator's imagination.

Sirens are female entities, with the head and body half of a woman and half of an avian predator. However, they often appear with human characteristics and the ability to transform into stone. Their island, according to current data, is located along the coast of S. Italy, off the Sorrento Peninsula.

The danger and suffering they caused to sailors and travelers was great, and no one managed to escape from them. The Argonauts were the only ones who until then managed to cross the island and be saved, thanks to the music of Orpheus. Rescuing them also meant the transformation of the Sirens into rocks and thus their death. According to Apollodorus and Hyginus, the fate of the Sirens reserved death when a ship would pass by this island.