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Come closer, famous Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans. Stop your ship so you may listen to our song. No one has ever passed this way without stopping to hear us.
SirensThe Odyssey · Book 12
Wanderings: The Hero’s Trials
Book 12 of 24
Following Circe’s instructions, Odysseus has his men plug their ears with wax while he is lashed to the mast. The Sirens call him by name, promising to reveal everything that happened at Troy and everything that will happen on earth.
Why This Matters
The Sirens promise total knowledge — not pleasure, but omniscience. Odysseus is the only mortal to hear their song and survive, bound to the mast of his own ship.
temptationknowledgesea
Ulysses and the Sirens
John William Waterhouse, 1891 · Public Domain