Tanananova Ekaterina

Sirena

Summary of myth

Figure of siren. Bronze. 8.1 cm. Etruscan, V c. BC.

Sirens are the mythical female creatures, female birds or mermaids. They were the source of one of the marine gods - whether Forkis, or Aheeloy, and one of the music, most likely, Terraticra. Sirens lived on one of the lifeless islets by anfhemese near Sicily.

According to legend, the sirens were originally nymphs surrounded by the young goddess Persephone. One day, when Persephone was walked in a meadow near Anna at Lake Perga, God underground kingdom, Aid, kidnap her to make his wife. Poor nymphs could not forgive themselves that they did not rule out their beautiful goddess. No one could tell them where the percepton disappeared, so they decided to independently go on her searches. Having found a young goddess on land, they went for help to mother Persephone, Demeter. The desperate mother turned the nymph in halftitz and the semi-puzzle, so that they could seek Persefon in the air and the aquity kingdom. But it did not help. When the sirens appealed for help to ordinary people, mortals refused to help them. Sirens in despair moved to a deserted island and began to take revenge on the human genus: the maid-fish singing the sailors in the bunch of sea. The winged maids suck the blood of those who stopped listening to them.

The sirens were predicted that they would perish when any of the travelers would pass by their island, without leaving temptation. When Odyssey sailed on his ship by the island of anfhemese on his ship, he listened to the Circus warning and ordered everyone on the ship to flick her ears with wax, and he himself tied to the mast. Only thanks to this trick, the Odyssey ship remained intake, and the sirens rushed to the sea and turned to the cliffs.

Images and symbols of myth

Waterhouse John William
Siren, 1900.

The image of the sirens in ancient Greek mythology is a dull, but destructive beauty. Siren accompanies the numerous symbolism, which makes the image complete. I would like to highlight the main characters in the myth of sirens.

Bird and fish bodies symbolize that part of the siren nature, which is animal and embittered.

Beauty Siren shows us how deceptive appearance. Often, bad thoughts and intentions are hidden behind a beautiful pleasant face.

Odyssey and sirens. Drawing with an antique vase

Singing Siren attracts men and makes them go to the right death. Singing Siren symbolizes danger and threat. Not in vain in the modern world, the lilac is called a signal used to warn something.

Almost always sirens are found in the sea. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in water spaces travelers become defenseless and easier to charm sirens.

Communicative means of creating images and symbols

Herbert Draper. Odyssey and sirens. 1909.

The first preserved references on sirens are available in Homer Odysse. According to him, they live between the earth of the Tsires and the Szillo on the rocks of the island, destroyed bones and dried skin of their victims. They destroyed many people whose bones whiten in the meadow. Sirens with charming songs lure floating past travelers, who, forgetting about everything in the world, swim to the magic island and die along with the ships.

In the deep antiquity of the sirens were perceived just like the music of a different world. They were often carved on stone tombstones in the form of angels of death, singing funeral songs under the sounds of the lira.

Sculpture of sirens
Gold. 3x4 cm
End of the IV century BC

In the Middle Ages, Sirens also enjoyed great popularity as symbols, they were widespread in the coat of arms of noble childbirth. They were depicted not only with bird features and with a fish tail, but even with the body of the four-way animal.

Fountain "Siren" F. F. Shchedrin
1805 year. Petrodvorets

Pictures and sculptures of the report and classical era also depict a siren with birds of birds, and they are pretty difficult to distinguish from Garpius. The sirens were often depicted on ancient classic tombstones and could symbolize the souls of dead or spirits, which accompany the soul to the God of the underground kingdom of Gades (Aida).

The American researcher John Pollard points out that the work of art that came to us testify to the connection of Sirena with a number of associations and symbols, preserved in the literature, not counting the images of Siren on the tombstones and those who met Odyssey and its satellites. Sirens are depicted next to the Teshem, Artemius, Hero, Athena, Dionysis; Although most female sirens, some, especially early epochs, have beards. They not only foreshadow death or lead to death, but also deliver an unearthly pleasure with their singing and symbolize animal strength.

Social meaning of myth

Edward Butibonne. Sirens. 1883.

In Greek mythology, sirens - demons in women's appearance. Sirens personify a deceptive, but charming sea surface, under which sharp cliffs or melels are hidden. Siren is a symbol of cunning, indispensable, the disastrous temptation of the material world, tempting the spirit on his way to the goal.

Frederick Leighton
Fisherman and Sirena
1858

In general, the image of Siren actualizes the motive of the disastrous female beauty, peculiar to Greek culture at a certain stage (when moving from the matriarchate to Patriarchate). Sirens are associated with destruction and death.

Also, remembering the sirens, the ancient Greeks often talked about their borders and saw in this much danger, because you never know how they will behave: as a beautiful girl or as an animal.

However, not only negative associations are associated with sirens. The image of Sires can endure positive connotations (in the context of interpretation of music and singing as the symbols of myrososios). At Plato, for example, sirens are located on the eight spheres of space springs of the goddess aancu, creating the harmony of the world with their sweet squeezing.

By the number of "water women" in the first place you can safely put Ancient Greece. Plato once joked that the Greeks are very similar to frogs sitting around the pond, as the vast majority of their cities are located on mediterranean coast. It is not surprising that the mythology of this people is closely related to water.

Sirens were considered the most malicious and unusual from the "Water Virgo". Sirens are the mythical creatures of the female, female birds or mermaids, which their singing and charming music are labeled sailors and lick them. Live sirens on one of the uncomfortable lifeless islets by anfhemese near Sicily. They were the source of one of the sea gods - whether Forkis, or Aheeloy (which is more likely) - and one of the music, which probably hid his motherhood due to the nature of the daughters.

Initially, they were all beautiful women. According to one of the legends, the sirens were turned into birds of Aphrodite, angry with their pride and arrogance. According to another myth, the bird torso was awarded to the music for the fact that the muses of muses on the competition in singing were convicted of their beautiful voices. According to another version, the sirens were originally nimphs surrounded by the young goddess Persephone. When Mrs. kidnapped himself in his wife lord morbon world Aid, her angry mother, the goddess of the fertility of Demeter, gave to the beautiful devies a bird look. Finally, in another option, they themselves wanted to turn into birds to find Persephone, and when people did not help them, they moved to a deserted island in despair and began to take revenge on the whole genus. Sweet sirens set sailors on coastal rocks and they killed them on the shore. Their voice was so beautiful that no man could resist; All the rocks of the islands were covered with the bones of their victims.

In the deep antiquity of the sirens were perceived just like the music of a different world. They were often carved on stone tombstones in the form of angels of death, singing funeral songs under the sounds of the lira. In the Middle Ages, the sirens were very popular as symbols, they were widespread in the coat of arms of noble childbirth. They were depicted not only with bird features, but also with a fish tail and even with the body of a four-way animal.

The sirens came to us from ancient Greek mythology, mainly from the legends of Casal and Odyssee (Ulyvse, in Latin). Jason and Argonauts in the "Argonautics" written by Apollonia Rhodes (III century BC), meet Sirena, daughters of the Aqueloi River and the Muse of Terraticor, by the appearance of half birds, half of the mermaids. Their singing attracted Argonauts, and they would have died if Orpheus himself did not enter the Sirena with his game on Lira. Homerovsky Odysseus tied his companions to the mast and shut down their ears so that they could not hear singing sirens. Homer does not attribute to them any superhuman properties; Judging by his poem, there were two sirens.

Although Apollonium was created later by Homer, the myth of Cason ancient history About Odyssey. Sires traditionally depict more often as birds with female heads than women sorcerer, as they tried to do some authors, referring to Homer, who lowered their description in Odyssey. Classic writers concerned to this topic have always portrayed a siren in the form of birds.

In the "library" of Apollodore (I - II century n. E.) The sirens are presented in the form of birds from the belt and below, their names are Pisinoe, Aglaop and Tellufia, they are the daughter of Aqueloy and Music Melpomen, one plays on the harp, the other - on the flute Third sings.

English Historian James George Fraser (1854-1941) summarized the mention of sirens in the works of classical writers. According to him, bird-like sirens are found at Eliana ("De Natura Animalium"), Ovid ("Metamorphosis"), Higinus ("Fabuli"), Eustafia ("Regarding" Odyssey "Homer") and PAsania ("Eldla description") . In various versions of Siren or two or three or four. Their Father Aquoy or Forschez, the God of the Sea, Mother - Melpomen, Terraticor or Sterlop. Names Siren: Teles, Rajna, Mollet and TelxiPoe, Levkosia and Lyagia or Texia, Mollet and Aglaofonus or Aglaofem and Telvoshapia. Apollodor and Higinus. They believe that the sirens died after a meeting with the Odyssem, and thus, the ancient prediction of the oracle was fulfilled, which they would die when the vessel passes by them unshamed. Other authors argue that they drowned themselves from annoyance.

Another version of the myth is known from the short mention of the sirens in the "Description of Eldlas" of Pavania (II century. Er): In the crowns there was a statue of hera with sirens in her hand, "since the story says that Gera convinced the aquel's daughters to compete with muses in singing. Muse won, pulled the feathers from Siren ... and made themselves the crowns of them. " The English poet of the XVI century E. Spencer interpreted the meaning of this myth in the way that the mermaids symbolize the temptation: "Girls-sorcerer" in the punishment for their "arrogance" in a match with muses was given fish tails.

Pictures and sculptures of the report and classical era also depict a siren with birds of birds, and they are pretty difficult to distinguish from Garpius. The sirens were often depicted on ancient classic tombstones and could symbolize the souls of dead or spirits, which accompany the soul to the God of the underground kingdom of Gades (Aida). Dennis Page in the book "Tradition about the Homerovskoy" Odyssey "expresses the assumption that Homer could come up with a description of his human-like Siren, summarizing the legends about the accompaniment of the souls in possession of Aida with the legends on the demonic creatures of the female, which, using its beauty, are seduced, and then kill Men.

The American researcher John Pollard points out that the works of art that came to us testify that a number of associations and symbols were associated with sirens, not counting the images of Sirena on the tombstones and those who met Odyssey and its satellites. Sirens are depicted next to the Teshem, Artemius, Hero, Athena, Dionysis; Although most female sirens, some, especially early epochs, have beards. They not only foreshadow death or lead to death, but also deliver an unearthly pleasure with their singing and symbolize animal strength.

It is not known exactly when and in connection with which the sirens began to be associated with mermaids, losing their wings and leaving nests on the rocky islands to plunge into sea waves. Perhaps this happened in the Middle Ages due to the spread of Bestiaries. In the romance and some other languages, the word "siren" and his relative forms began to be called mermaids, although the use of this word testifies to the influence of the classical siren image.

In the Italian legend "Wife of Sirens" Sirens, who save a thin wife and care about it, love to sing by sailors (this feature is inherent in and some mermaids, and not just classic sirens); Modern Italian writer Italo Calvino, retelling this story, strengthened the effect, writing the words of their songs, which as if calling sailors jump overboard in the sea; Siren with a fish tail in "Ligae" Giuseppe Tomazi di Lampedusa (in English translation "Professor and Mermaid") has a classic name; With the "Little Siren" Eleanora from Jean de Brunhoff "Vacation of Marshmallow" also a fishtail, she is good-natured and not a seductive and does not have a tendency to mizicating.

In the sixth century in Northern Wales caught Sirena and dubbed it, and in some old calendars it is as holy under the name of Murden. Another siren ranked in the dam in the dam in 1403 and lived in Harlem until his death. Her speeches could not understand, but she learned to weave and, as if instinctively worshiped the cross. Some chronist of the sixteenth century claims that she was not fish, because he knew how to weave, and was not a woman, for it could live in the water.

IN english language Classical siren differs and a mermaid with a fish tail. The creation of the image of the mermaid may have influenced Tritons, the younger deities in Poseidon's retail.

In the tenth Book of the Republic of Plato, eight Sirens manage the movement of eight concentric celestial areas.

Are there sirens actually? It is unlikely that someone can give an exhaustive answer to this question. In the myths of the peoples of the world of sirens have a different appearance. Sometimes Sirena was called "Snake Soft Water", the Fae Melusina or Lake Siren.

Siren in the Renaissance era was called coquetty niadas - nymphs of rivers, streams and lakes. The image of these sirens began to meet in ballet performances, and the artists preferred to "undress."

Apparently, they really were beautiful. Or maybe there is?

SIREN

SIREN

1. Preim. MN. In the ancient Greeks, the mythical maritime creature depicted in the form of a woman (sometimes with bird legs) or birds with a female head, singing the seafarers in dangerous, disastrous places for them.

3. Tailed amphibian without rear legs, with eyes under the skin and outer gills (Zool.).

4. The device for obtaining sounds of different heights and measurement of sound oscillations (physical).

5. Alarm beep, giving strong and sharp, far heard sounds. Shipping siren. Factory siren. Car with siren.

Explanatory Dictionary Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935-1940.

Watch what is "siren" in other dictionaries:

siren - s, g. Sirène f. Lat. Siren gr. Seiren. 1. In Greek mythology, the creature dwelling in the sea in the form of a woman with bird legs or birds with a female head, singing the seafarers in dangerous disastrous places. Bass 1. August 15 1749 ... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicalism Russian Language

1) a device for measuring the number of air oscillations producing a tone of a known height; the more often the oscillations, the above; 2) p. Or a root device installed on ships or dangerous places and warning sailors with a sharp sound in ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (inloom.) Seductive beauty. Cf. "Voice, Pokny Sirena." Cf. "Stone" I'll love your fingers there alone! "Pie" is not that the most faithful sirens call? ... Saltykov. Year round. September 1. Cf. If you are only ... Large intelligent-phraseological dictionary of Michelson (original spelling)

Explanatory dictionary of Daly

Wives. Judging seducer, from the Greek Movie. | Siren and Siren husband., Amer. Swamp, double lizard. II. Siren or Siren, see Serena. Explanatory dictionary of Daly. IN AND. Dal. 1863 1866 ... Explanatory dictionary of Daly

Acoustic. Emitter, action to ryo is based on periodic. Interruption of gas flow (or liquid). According to the principle of operation of C. are divided into dynamic (rotating) and pulsating. In pulsating C. The overlap of the flow is made by the flap making ... ... Physical encyclopedia

Demon, beep, roong, hahaans, mammal, lamanine, tempted, dugen, nymph, seducer, seducer, circce, emitter dictionary of Russian synonyms. Siren 1. See beep 2. cm ... Synonym dictionary

Steam, air, electric (Siren, Hooter) Signal sound device that can give sounds of very large strength and any tone using a pair or compressed air. Modern ships S. are heard at a distance of 3 5 km with any atmospheric ... ... Marine Dictionary

- (Franz. Sirene from Greek. seiren), radiator of a high intensity sound waves, in which the air jet or pair is interrupted with a hole with holes or in another way. Used on lighthouses, courts and others ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

In ancient Greek mythology: a creature with a female head and a bird torso living on the Rocky Marine Islands. Tatar, Turkic, Muslim women names. Dictionary of Terms ... Dictionary of personal names

Books

• Siren, M. Volkonsky. Siren. Intriguing novel ...

Sirens are one of the most famous monsters from Greek mythology. Siren in the modern world also knows thanks to numerous films, books, comics, games contacting ancient Greek history in the mythological key. Let's look at them through a magnifying glass.

In the article:

Sirens - Origin and Characteristics

These creatures personify the beautiful, volatile and insidious surface of the sea - the navigators often encountered the fact that the depth was reliable, at first glance, the depth turned out to be melted or, worse, taled in himself sharp cliffs. Sirens include K. mixantropic Beings - their bodies are half female, half a bird. In some legends, they have fish tails than remind.

In "Odyssey" Homer wrote that Siren was two, but he did not call them name. Later they became three, as well as. The older was the name of Persian, the middle - Agliaof, and the younger - Telskipia. The first perfectly owned the game on kifare, the other possessed a beautiful voice, and the third fascinated with the play on the flute. In addition, they possessed a fascinating look. According to other myths, Siren was called Parthenop, Laiei and Levkosia.

Who gave rise to the creation of charming singing, it is unknown - it could be Forte, or chonic goddess keto, or deity Aheheo. Sometimes their mother's legends call one of the music - Meldom, Terraticoror Calliopu. In addition, myths indicate that the mother of Sires could be Sterlop, as well as Gay.

Another possible father, Ahel, was the powerful deity of rivers, the descendant of the theth and ocean, or the son of the ocean and gay, or gay and helios. From the Union of Aheloy with Mellenoi or Terratichery appeared sirens. In his wanders, Hercules fought with Aheley. God accepted the appearance of a bull to fight the hero, but Hercules broke him one of the horns and saved Tsarevna to act from an unwanted Uhager.

Frame from the film "Pirates of the Caribbean"

Different appearance took and forctive - thus, the possible fathers of sweet creatures were twisted, hence the duality in the description of their animal parts. Filometer legends on sirens describe them as maids with wings of birds, or women, similar to mermaids, or maids with human heads, but bird bodies and legs. From the Father, they inherited a fierce, spontaneous, unbridled temper, and Musa's Music presented his charming voice.

In some legends it is indicated that the sirens found a semi-free appearance as a result of curses. If you believe the legends, they constituted Persephone Sweets, and after her abduction, Aid was aimlessly walked over the ground. In the end, they joined Apollon. The angry loss of the daughter of Demeter cursed Siren, why did they have rose bird wings.

There is a different version of this legend - the gods turned the sirens in birds for the desperate search for the missing goddess, because Zeus himself allowed his brother to kidnap her. Or cursed focused, as they rejected marriage. According to the third version, the new appearance was the desire of the Siren themselves, which was fulfilled by the gods.

Sirens in legends

"Orphea and Siren", Herbert Draper, 1909

One of the legends describes the competition Siren and Muses in the art of singing in the city of Apter. Gera advised the sea virgin to call Muses to fight - the purpose of her is unknown, but perhaps someone from Siren liked Zeus, and the goddess of marriage accepted. One way or another, the victory remained for muses. They threw out rivals by making victory wreaths from feathers. The humiliated Siren Zeus presented an anfhemessu island.

Filometer legends described them as owner of incredibly beautiful voices. They were singing the sailors, and when their ship crashed about sharp coastal rocks, they were looking for people thrown ashore to break into pieces and eat. Argonauts managed to escape - along with them the Orpheus sailed, capable of drowning the Siren song with her music. All the time, while the ship sailed past the disastrous island, Orpheus played on the forming (Lira) and sang. One of the crew members, but still happened to hear Siren's voices - he rushed from the ship to the sea waves, seeking to swim to the island, but he saved Aphrodite. The rest of his days Boot spent in Lilibee.

The most ancient source with mentions about these creatures is Homerovskaya "Odyssey". Homer described the location of the island of Siren - it was between the possessions of the circces and the inhabitation of the Szill. The island is littered with withered skin and the whims of the victims of the victims. The team of Odyssey managed to escape thanks to the warning of the circces and tricks - they got ears with bees wax, therefore they did not hear songs. Odyssey himself, wanting to understand the destructive secret of magical songs, ordered him to tie him to the mast. No matter how taking it, wanting to go to the source of sound, the sailors did not untie him, and the ship was safely passed by the deadly island.

Long before these events, sirens were predicted that death would come to them with the ship passed by their island without sacrifices. When the odyssey ship was unharmed passed by, they were distraught. Most of them rushed into the sea and turned into a cliff, and the remaining snatched their feathers and drowned. But often as a deadly ship called the ship Jason and Argonautov.

Sophokl argued that he met the surviving Siren, which was discovered by the law of Aida. A fan of classical antiquity, Sophokl represented them with good umudded virgin devices who live each in his heavenly sphere on the world spoken by the Goddess Issue Anan. With their singing, they give rise to majestic space harmony. Rest of classic Siren - Aid. Late legends associate them with a Delphian oracle and world harmony.

Over time, these creatures have become close to and. Siren images can be found on the episches of the late mere period. Nikikomon and Feopomp created the comedies of the same name about these creatures. Southital city Surrente once possessed a magnificent temple in honor of Siren, and next to Naples there is a tomb of the senior siren.

Sirens in the Middle Ages

With the beginning of the Middle Ages in the Antique Vision of the Universe and his monsters intervened the Christian vision. Homer's myths began to be perceived from the point of view of Catholics who have seen in all biblical canons and interpretations. Changed perception and canonical myth about Odyssey.

IN "Physiologist"The very first work from which after writing later bastiary was written, an episode with sirens was borrowed from Gomeov's text. The author rewrote it in his own way:

The philanthropist says that sirens carry death. The abdicate of them is the sea, and they fascinate them. Separal sailors are deprived of consciousness, fall into sea waves and die there. They have female navels, and from the navel - birds.

Thus, the author concluded that the dual-sized people are covered in everything. And those that came to the church, but did not remove from their sins, like sirens. Affectionate words, sinners are deceiving the lungs and lead them to death.

Odyssey The medieval authors compared with Christ, and the mast to which he was tied with a cross. The ship was the allegory of the church, sirens - carnal desires. Their sweet songs expressed worldly benefits, destroying for the soul. Only ropes, symbolizing faith, were able to keep Odyssey from imposing in sin and eternal torment in Posmerty. Three sisters-sirens became an expression of greed, pride and breakdown. Ignoring the descriptions of Plinia and Ovid, the medieval monks were deprived of Siren wings and bird paws, awarding fish tails. The "heavenly" past of the virgins turned out to be forgotten.

Sirens in modern culture

In the modern world, sirens are common in many works of art. Often the authors are treated directly to antique primary sources to recreate the exact image of the creature. Marine maiden girls are not forgotten today.

Siren They called in the ancient Greek mythology of mysterious and mysterious maritime creatures of the female floor, they were attributed to the deceptive and cruel temper. His songs and seductive external speciesThe sirens lured sailors for death. The mention of these fish girls or girl girls is often found, legends and attdations associated with them are also very much, unites them that everyone who met with sirens, we are, of course, are about men, first of all, they certainly died.

Deadly charm of ancient legend

Different sources describe different versions of the origin of these creatures. According to one of the legends, these creations are the production of the Marine God of Forky or Aheloy, and the mother considered one of the music (Calliopu, Terraticor or Mellenu), and the mother was sometimes considered Sterno. This explains their demonic essence and a melodious voice. The number of these creatures ranged from two or three and reached a whole set. According to legend, they lived on the rocks of the island, destroyed bones and dried skin of the unfortunate wanders who fell into the trap of their insidious nature.

With their origin, another legend is associated with their origin that the sirens were previously very beautiful and arrogant girls who were angry with their chalkish temper Aphrodite, and she punished them, turning into birds. Other, not less beautiful legend It says that the sirens were nymphs that were addressed to the birds with muses. For having unusual voices, they have been ingenected with this so much that they died to call Muses on the competition, and lost. In the punishment they were addressed to Siren.

According to another version, the sirens turned to the Demeter, the mother kidnapped by Aid Pershofi. And one more version claims that they themselves wanted to become birds, as they were going to find a young goddess stolen Aid, but since people did not want to help them, they settled on a distant island and began to take revenge on the death of the wanderers and sailors.

Over the years, poets and writers tried to recreate an ancient image, and with each time the legend revived in a new way. Then these are insidious lovely maids, then this is the harbinger of death from the other world. Often, their image was carved on the tombstones, because they were associated with the angels of death, who sang funeral songs under the sounds of the Lyra.

The Middle Ages also left many references and facts that proved an amazing devotion to this image. Very often you can see the image of birds with female heads or a body of fish on herbs and frescoes.

There is a small-spread version of the origin of female birds. She argues that they were the result of the experiments of an alien reason, which in the end and created a person with the help of genetic engineering. But this result was not immediately received. First, intermediate variants of living beings appeared, which combined appearance and animals and people, therefore, sirens can be called one of the side branches of the experiment, such as:, pegasus or satires. Of course, the same theory argues that after receiving a pure result, all these creatures were destroyed. But if so, it remains unknown exactly how much the individuals were created and how much was destroyed, there is a chance that someone managed to survive, and become the object of numerous legends and legends.

Maybe the mysterious nature of Siren was collective and personified the changeable and sometimes, even unpredictable female nature? Maybe they really were part of our world, but subsequently unknown changes disappeared? Or maybe somewhere on the distant island you can hear a wonderful voice, called the Wanderer to rest after a long journey, and the sailor to quit an anchor and enjoy wonderful singing and music.