Home At Last

Much good commentary here. Some thoughts: In Homer's words: To the Sirens first shalt thou come, who beguile all men whosoever comes to them. Whoso in ignorance draws near to them and hears the Sirens' voice, he nevermore returns, that his wife and little children may stand at his side rejoicing, but the Sirens beguile him with their clear-toned song, as they sit in a meadow, and about them is a great heap of bones of mouldering men, and round the bones the skin is shrivelling. But do thou row past them, and anoint the ears of thy comrades with sweet wax, which thou hast kneaded, lest any of the rest may hear. But if thou thyself hast a will to listen, let them bind thee in the swift ship hand and foot upright in the step of the mast, and let the ropes be made fast at the ends to the mast itself, that with delight thou mayest listen to the voice of the two Sirens. And if thou shalt implore and bid thy comrades to loose thee, then let them bind thee with yet more bonds."(Source: Homer, The Odyssey with an English Translation, trans. A.T. Murray, 2 vols. (Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press, 1919).)

The "rocks" which all have correctly identified as Chez Siren have names. Most notably the reputed siren sound stage: Scylla, and across the straits of Messina, Charybdis. The idiom "between Scylla and Charybdis" has come to mean being forced to choose between two similarly dangerous situations. In New York City, in Astoria and on Randall's Island there are locally famous pair of Scylla and Charybdis directly opposing each other, separated by the infamous Hell's Gate waterway. I hear much talk that assumes being tied to the mast describes a West coast ennui.

"Homer located the island of the Sirens near the rock of Scylla. They were sea-nymphs, who had the power of luring to ruin by their charming voices. At one time only two were recognized—Aglaopheme and Thelxiepia; then there were three—Aglaope, Pisinoe, and Thelxiepia. Later writers describe them as having wings. [...] The Sirens endeavored to attract Ulysses and his companions to their ruin, but he stuffed the ears of his men with wax and lashed himself to the mast of the vessel, and thus escaped. The Sirens attempted to draw the Argonauts from their course, but their singing was drowned by the sweeter music of Orpheus."(S. A. Scull, Greek Mythology Systematized (Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1880).

Finally it was Butes who just couldn't resist. What happened to this poor soul? Became Aphrodite's boyfriend. So there's a lesson there somewhere.