Middle English Dictionary Entry
sīrēn n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sīrēn n. Also serein, -ain, sarine; pl. sirenes, etc. & cirenes. |
| Etymology | L Sīrēn(a & OF sereine, s(i)eraine, serine. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A mermaid whose song lures sailors to shipwreck; also envisaged as a harpy; (b) a mythical flying serpent of Arabia.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.369 : Þe þre Sirenes [Higd.(2): meremaydes]..were half maydens, half foules, and hadde wynges and clawes as haukes; and oon of hem songe, þat oþer pipede, and þe þridde harpede, and drowȝ to hemward schipmen..in to þe shippe to breke.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.484 : Sirenes..Ben Monstres..in the grete Se..Lik unto wommen..Up fro the Navele..And doun benethe..Thei bere of fisshes the figure..With so swete a stevene..thei singe..With notes..of such musike, Wherof the Schipes thei beswike..For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere Unto the vois..reson may noght with him duelle..Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere..And seilen..into the peril..Where as the Schipes be todrawe And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2054 : I was lyk to haue be deuourid Of Caribdis..Where Sirenes, Meremaydnes, dwelle, Þat fro þe brest, with skalis siluer shene, Ben of her shap fysches freshe & clene, And vpper-more, Kynde doth compasse Hem to apere femynyn of face.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)684 : Sich swete song..was wondir lyk to be Song of meremaydens of the see..Though we mermaydens clepe hem here In English..Men clepe hem sereyns in Fraunce.
- a1456(?1428) Lydg.Compl.Lady Glo.(Trin-C R.3.20)64 : Þis cirenes nuwe crafft oute sought By þayre fals incantacyouns.
- c1475 ?Lydg.Marriage (Hrl 2251)98 : Wyves been bestes very vnstable In ther desires..Like perilous Caribdis of the trouble see; A wawe calme, full of aduersite, Whoes blandisshyng medled with myschaunce, Callid Syrenes, ay full of variaunce.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4129 : Stoppe thin eres fro the song Of Sirenes passing soote.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13271 : I..sailet þurgh a sea þere Syrens were in: ffro the navell netherward noght but a fisshe, And made as a maidon fro þe myddes vp.
b
- [ (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)267b/b : In arabia beþ serpentes wiþ wynges and beþ y-cleped syrene among many men and renneþ swyftere þan hors, and þerfore it is y-sayde þat þay fleeþ, and here venyme is so stronge þat deþ comeþ tofore bytynge. ]
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)61/16 : Hi resembleþ an eddre þet hatte serayn [Vices & V.(2): saryne] þet yernþ more zuyþere þanne hors, and oþerhuyl vleþ, and habbeþ þet uenym zuo strang þet no triacle ne is þer to naȝt worþ.