The Sirens' Position
Burton Bridges

"I do not enjoy basking in the sunlight day after day having to watch stagnant water. The landscape did seem picturesque to me, but after a few thousand years, it becomes tiresome. Many view my sisters and me as some kind of Grecian harlots, but they truly have the wrong idea. We are not the terrifying, destructive creatures that Odysseus and his crew described. Let me tell you the truth behind our siren song.

"Nothing is worse than being stationary between two birdbrains surrounded by a graveyard of bones and skulls. Since there is a lack of activity on this quaint isle of rockiness, I must be creative in how I pass the time. Our land remains quiet due to the eternal "windless calm" (Homer 189) and stilled waters. In order to enhance the atmosphere we decided that a well-versed, musical allure would help jazz up our dreary shores.

"My sisters and I began singing to attract visitors and pass the time. We started by each one of us taking solo parts, but my two sisters are tone deaf without the aid of another's voice. One of the two tries to drown out the entire ocean with her screeching notes, expecting the fish to be listening. My younger sister's monotone lyrics drive the seagulls to insanity. Individually we sound like howling wolves, but when we harmonize, an extraordinary resonance is born. We are a successful trio that continues to attract sizeable crowds. Whenever visitors are nearing, we vocalize a majestic song and sailors knock each other out of the way to obtain a front row seat. It amuses me when our jagged island transforms into a concert hall full of diverse beings.

"We entertain weary travelers and receive a great amount of respect, but when Odysseus and his black ship crossed our waters, it was utterly humiliating. We, like any other Greeks, possess a sophisticated style of hospitality, and we welcome every navigationally challenged sailor into our island with utmost charm and poise. If my sisters and I are beckoning a passing explorer, it is only common decency for him to accept the invitation and at least share some wine. I have heard many tales about Odysseus, "this man of many ways," (Homer 27) yet none shed the true light on his pathetic personality.

"I must say that we were enticed when we spotted the sleek, black ship of Odysseus nearing our islet. It truly speeds up the heart of three women when they are about to be acquainted with not only a Greek legend, but also the brains behind the Trojan War. This man must have the shrewdness of the gods to devise such an adorable horse filled with misfortune for Troy. We strained our voices so his crew could hear our "honey-sweet" (Homer 190) harmony, but it was hopeless. As if the sailors' ears were not waxy enough, they had taken it upon themselves to cram their ears with beeswax from a large wheel. Odysseus deprived them of listening to our famous medleys, which we customize to suit the person. If his rude orders were not disgraceful enough, Odysseus deliberately attached himself to the mast of the ship. An honorable hero would never act in such a manner so that he could avoid greeting us on our land and not waste his precious time. The man has taken several years to journey home. He is not in such a hurry that he has no time to pause and converse with three superb vocalists. Whether he was pressed for time or was intimidated by our beauty, Odysseus's audacious behavior is unacceptable in my spectrum of the heroic ideal.

"It is amazing that a brave man like Odysseus does not possess any self-restraint. This is a legend who has combated the tallest of giants with a wooden spear and bottle of wine. The same legend actually ordered himself to be pinned to a ship. His skill and great accomplishments have not instilled any faith in his own strength. Odysseus is one who has survived many hazardous conquests, yet he underestimates his power when it comes to a harmless trio. I admit people tend to hang about longer than expected, but they enjoy every minute of our enchanting songs.

"Our encounter with the less than legendary Odysseus proved to be an appalling experience when we saw the cowardly man float past. I have learned that reputations cannot always be trusted. If Odysseus had wisely decided to come ashore, I am certain we would have contributed a wonderful experience toward his journey home."

Work Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. New York: Harper Collins, 1999.

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