Though Homer only speaks of two Sirens, they are traditionally represented as being three in number, and they were said to live on an island named Anthemoëssa which was located near the Italian coast. It was the Siren's practice to raise their sweet voices in song as approaching ships passed by, thus causing the sailors to become dazed, losing all recollection of their former lives.

The wayward men were contented to waste away on the beach, listening as the Siren's songs filled their ears until the only thing left of them were their sun bleached bones. Odysseus and his men were able to safely pass by the Siren's realm thanks to the sounds of the lyre of Orpheus. The minstreal was able to drown out the deadly voices for everyone, except for an Argonaut by the name of Butes. Only a few notes of the hypnotic melody caused Butes to dive into the sea and swim to the island. Fortunately for him, his life was spared when the goddess Aphrodite intervened and came to his rescue.

Later, when Odysseus was returning home from the Trojan War he once again managed to avoid the deadly sounds of the Sirens by listening to the advice of his mistress Circe . He filled the ears of his crew with wax to prevent them from hearing and then he instructed the men to tie him tightly to the mast of the ship. This allowed Odysseus to safely fill his ears with the haunting music while permitting the Argo to once again pass by. Because the Sirens were destined to die if and when any sailor made it past their grasp unharmed, it was said that upon Odysseus' safe passage they threw themselves into the sea and died.