Siren, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Sirens were often depicted as allegories for temptation, particularly sexual temptation and the lure of sensual pleasures. Their beautiful and enchanting songs symbolised the alluring but ultimately destructive nature of sin.

They represented the deceitful nature of worldly attractions that appear pleasant but hide deadly consequences. This aligns with the medieval Christian view that material pleasures and earthly delights could distract believers from their spiritual duties and lead to moral decay.

The vulnerability of sailors to the sirens' songs illustrated the susceptibility of humans to succumb to their base desires and lose their moral and spiritual direction.

While the Sirens are not directly mentioned in the Bible, the themes they represent can be related to biblical teachings on temptation and sin. The Bible contains numerous warnings against succumbing to temptation and the deceitfulness of sin:

Proverbs 7 warns against the seductive lure of an adulterous woman, which can be seen as an allegory similar to the sirens' temptation.

James 1:14-15[1] speak of how each person is tempted when they are lured and enticed by their own desire and how desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

Medieval Christians interpreted the sirens' seductive songs as symbolic of the devil's allurements. The sirens’ ability to distract and ultimately destroy those who listened to them was seen as a metaphor for how Satan could lead souls astray through temptation. This allegorical interpretation reinforced the need for vigilance and moral fortitude to resist such temptations.

Sirene sicut dicit phisiologus mortifera anima-
lia sunt. que a capite usque ad umbilicum fi-
guras habent hominum. Extremas vero partes usque ad
pedes; volatilis habent. et figura musica quoddam
dulcissimum melodie carmen emittunt. Ita ut per
suavitatem vocis auditus hominum a longe navigan-
tium demulceant et ad se trahant. ac nimia suavi-
tatis modulatione perlectant aures. et eos et sensus
eorum in sompnum vertunt. Tunc demum cum vide-

Sirens, as the Physiologus describes, are deadly creatures. They have the shape of humans from the head to the navel but their lower parts, down to their feet, are like birds. They have a gift for singing and are able to emit a sweet melodic song. With the sweetness of their song, they charm and attract the ears of men sailing from afar. With their excessively enchanting melody, they entice the ears and turn them and their senses into sleep. Then, finally, when

rint eos in gravi sompno; subito invadunt.
et dilaniant carnes eorum. et sic per suasionem vo-
cis; ignaros et incantos homines decipiunt; et
mortificant. space ic igitur decipiuntur qui in delitiis
et pompis et volutatibus huius seculi delectantur.
et comediis et tragediis et diversis musicis melo-
diis dissoluti; velut in sompno gravi mentis vigo-
rem amittunt. et subito efficiuntur adversariorum
avidissime prede.

they see them in a deep sleep, they suddenly attack. They tear their flesh, and thus, through the persuasion of their voice, they deceive and kill unsuspecting and enchanted men. In the same way, therefore, those who long for the pleasures, pomp and entertainment of this world are deceived. Those who binge on comedies, tragedies and various musical melodies, as if they were in a deep sleep, lose the vigour of their mind and suddenly fall prey to their adversaries.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Siren, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast246.htm

Mynott, J, Birds in the Ancient World (New York: Oxford University Press 2018)

Josh Goldenberg (BA 2012) and Matt Shanahan (BA 2014), Logeion, November 2022, https://logeion.uchicago.edu/

Castiglioni, L. and Mariotti, S. (1996). Vocabolario della Lingua Latina: Latino-Italiano Italiano-Latino. Terza Edizione. Loescher Torino

Curley, M. J., Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore (University of Chicago edition 2009)

Rackham, H., M.A., Pliny Natural History Volume III, Libri VIII-XI (London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1949)

Collins, A. H., M.A., Symbolism of Animals and Birds (New York: McBride, Nast & Company, 1913)

Henderson, C., The Book of Barely Imagined Beings (London: University of Chicago Press, 2013)

White, T. H., The Bestiary: A Book of Beasts (New York: G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1960)

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of fantastic beings from myth and magic (London: HarperElement, 2005)

Barney, S. A., Lewis, W. J., Beach A., Berghof O., The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Endnotes

[1] James NKJV 1:14-15: But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.