The myth of the mermaids and their magical song

The myth of mermaids is one of the oldest and also one of the most covered, forming part of different mythologies of the planet. Different stories that appear represented in very ancient objects, even prior to the emergence and consolidation of Greek fables.

Originally, the myth of mermaids represented these creatures as three entities in one. They were fish from the waist down, birds on the torso and had the head of a woman, almost always with long hair. Little by little that appearance was simplified and they ended up being depicted with half a woman’s body and half a fish’s body.

It is believed that in principle they represented the souls of the deceased or the beings who led their souls to the underworld. . The latter role was later assumed by the god Hermes. However, they retained their link with the world of the dead and that is why the myth of mermaids appears associated with death and mystery.

The origin of the mermaid myth

There are several versions about the origin of the mermaid myth. One of them says that they were daughters of Melpómene, who was initially the muse of singing and music. , but ultimately became the muse of tragedy; and Achelous, who was god of the river with the same name.

There is an episode in Greek mythology in which Achelous is attacked by Hercules. . According to another version, the mermaids were born from the blood that flowed from the wound. In this case, such creatures have a father, but no mother, since they were conceived without female participation.

Another story indicates that the mermaids were daughters of Phorcys, a sea god, descendant of Oceanus and Thetis.. His wife was Ceto, a frightening sea monster. . However, in this version she was not the mother of these creatures, but Phorcys fathered them alone or with the participation of the muses Sterope, Melpomene or Terpsichore.

The morphology of mermaids

As the mermaid myth points out, these creatures did not always have a hybrid form. Ovid says they were beautiful women, companions of Persephone . She was kidnapped by Hades, god of the underworld. It is said that when this happened, Her friends asked the gods for wings to go look for her and fish bodies to cross the river to Avernus.

Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture. Another story notes that she came into great distress when her daughter was kidnapped. Blinded by pain from the loss, she punished the friends of the kidnapped woman for not having prevented the kidnapping. and that is why he took away their fully human form.

A reference to the myth, arising in the Middle East, indicates that a very beautiful woman named Derceto offended Venus. To punish her, the goddess made her fall in love with a shepherd, with whom she had a daughter. As soon as she gave birth, Venus made her love disappear. Furious about what had happened, Derceto abandoned her little girl, had the shepherd killed and wanted to commit suicide by throwing herself into a river. The gods prevented this and instead turned her into an amphibian.

The Sirens and Odysseus

The main characteristic of the sirens was their beautiful voice, capable of emitting songs that bewitched men. . Their art was so perfect that when sailors heard them they entered an almost hypnotic state. Enthralled, they followed the sweet sound of their voices and jumped off the boats to hear them better. Thus they perished, drowned in the sea.

The mermaids lived off the Island of Sorrento. His duty was to sing and fascinate the sailors to lead them to death. . If they failed to exert their hypnotic power over the men who listened to them, it was one of them who had to die.

The most notable episode of the myth of the Sirens took place when Odysseus, or Ulysses, wanted to return home after the Trojan War. Warned of the powers of the sirens, and advised by Circe, He ordered the sailors to plug their ears with wax, so that they could not hear anything. And he tied himself to the ship’s mast telling the crew not to untie him, even if he begged for it.

The ship passed through the territory of the Sirens and Odysseus begged to be untied, but the sailors ignored him. Thus, he managed to overcome that obstacle and the mermaids, fulfilling their tradition, gave the life of one of them: Partenope . His body was washed ashore and a city named after him was built there in his honor. Later, this city ended up being called Naples.

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