THE SEIRENES (Sirens) were three monstrous sea-nymphs who lured sailors to their death with a bewitching song. They were formerly handmaidens of the goddess Persephone and when she was secretly abducted by Haides, Demeter gave them the bodies of birds to assist in the search. They eventually gave up and settled on the flowery island of Anthemoessa.

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The Seirenes were encountered by the Argonauts who passed by unharmed with the help of the poet Orpheus who drowned out their music with song. Odysseus later sailed by, bound tightly to the mast, while his men blocked their ears with wax. The Seirenes were so distressed to see a man hear their song and still escape that they threw themselves into the sea and drowned.

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The Seirenes were depicted as birds with either the heads or entire upper bodies of women. In mosaic art they were depicted with just bird legs.