79. Ulysses and the Sirens, by John William Waterhouse.
National Gallery of Victoria

Remembering the first time I took a group of Year 11 Classics students to the NGV, and they sat in a semi-circle in front of this painting, taking notes, and once again I explained how Homer created a wonderland of everything to the west of the Greek mainland. Odysseus in a wonderland full of mythological monsters and beasts and gods and goddesses both good and vengeful, and wondering when it came to pass that the word myth became a totally acceptable synonym for a lie. No, when it became that a myth is literally a lie. Myths being nothing if not metaphors, and Ulysses plugging his crew's ears with wax and being tied to the mast, thus hearing the sirens' song and living to tell the tale, is a metaphor for whatever larger principle one needs it to be. I wondered about the siren staring into the eyes of the sailor with the red bindings, down front and centre, what she might be saying, or what song she might be singing .. Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise .. maybe, but probably not.