Q 01/05

In which ancient Greek epic do the sirens make their first appearance?

A) The Argonautica

B) The Iliad

C) The Odyssey

D) Theogony

Answer · why

C) The Odyssey

The Odyssey, Book 12, is the sirens' earliest surviving appearance; Homer gives their song and their island meadow but never describes their physical ...

Q 02/05

What did Odysseus' crew plug their ears with to avoid hearing the sirens?

A) Beeswax

B) Wool

C) Olive pulp

D) Clay

Answer · why

A) Beeswax

Odysseus softened a cake of beeswax in the sun and pressed it into each crewman's ears; he alone listened, his own ears left unplugged.

Q 03/05

How did Odysseus manage to hear the sirens' song without being lured to his death?

A) He wore a helmet of bronze

B) He sang louder than they did

C) He listened from a rowing boat

D) He had himself tied to the mast

Answer · why

D) He had himself tied to the mast

Odysseus had himself tied to the mast and ordered the crew to ignore his pleas; when he signalled to be freed, Perimedes and Eurylochus bound him tigh...

Q 04/05

Which sorceress advised Odysseus on how to survive the sirens?

A) Medea

B) Circe

C) Hecate

D) Calypso

Answer · why

B) Circe

Circe, who had earlier turned his men into swine on Aeaea, warned Odysseus about the sirens before he sailed and told him how to pass them safely.

Q 05/05

How were sirens usually depicted in early Greek art?

A) As winged horses

B) As birds with women's heads

C) As women with snake bodies

D) As mermaids with fish tails

Answer · why

B) As birds with women's heads

Archaic and classical Greek vases show sirens as birds with women's heads, a form possibly influenced by the Egyptian ba-bird; the fish-tailed image a...