Sirens

1
Sirens
(43) To the Sirens first will you come, who 40
beguile all men whosoever comes to them. Whoever
in ignorance draws near to them and hears the
Sirens' voice, he nevermore returns.
2
(76) One seafaring ship alone has passed thereby,
70 that Argo famed of all, on her voyage from
Aeetes, and even her the wave would speedily have
dashed there against the great crags, had not
Hera sent her through, because Jason was dear to
her.(95) 85 Therein dwells Scylla, yelping
terribly. Her voice is indeed but as the voice of
a new-born whelp, but she herself is an evil
monster, nor would anyone be glad at sight of
her, no, not though it were a god that met her.
Verily she has twelve feet, all misshapen, 90
and six necks, exceeding long, and on each one an
awful head, and therein three rows of teeth,
thick and close, and full of black death. Up to
her middle she is hidden in the hollow cave, but
she holds her head out beyond the dread chasm,
95 and fishes there, eagerly searching around
the rock for dolphins and sea-dogs and whatever
greater beast she may catch, such creatures as
deep-moaning Amphitrite rears in multitudes past
counting. By her no sailors yet may boast that
they have fled unscathed in their ship, for with
each head she carries off 100 a man, snatching
him from the dark-prowed ship.
3
The Cattle of the Sungod(148) If you leave
these unharmed and heed your homeward way, truly
you may yet reach Ithaca, though in evil plight.
But if you harm them, then I foretell ruin 140
for your ship and for your comrades, and even if
you yourself escape, late will you come home and
in evil case, after losing all your comrades.
4
(471) There I clung steadfastly until she should
vomit forth mast and keel again, and to my joy
they came at length. At the hour when a man rises
from the assembly for his supper, 440 one that
decides the many quarrels of young men that seek
judgment, even at that hour those spars appeared
from out of Charybdis.