A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

e40 SIRENES. SIRICIUS.
if they would draw it with their own bands into request, in order to be able to search after Persetheir own city, Asia would gain the supremacy phone (Ov. Alet. v. 552), or as a punishment fronm
over Greece (Virg. Aen. ii. 57, &c.; Tzetz. Post- Demeter for not havingassisted Persephone (Hygin.
horm. 680, &c.). The Trojans took his advice, 1. c.), or from Aphrodite, because they wished to
and when the horse was drawn into the city, he remain virgins (Eustath. 1. c.; Aelian, H. A. xvii.
gave the preconcerted signal, opened the door of 23; Apollon. Rhod. iv. 896). Once, however,
the horse, and the Greeks rushing out took pos- they allowed themselves to be prevailed upon by
session of Troy (Virg. Aen. ii. 259; Dict. Cret. Hera to enter into a contest with the Muses, and
v. 12; Hygin. Fab. 108). Quintus Smyrnaeus being defeated, they were deprived of their wings
and Tryphiodorus have somewhat modified this (Paus. ix. 34. ~ 2; Eustath. ad Hoem. p. 85).
tradition, respecting which see Heyne, 1. c. In There was a temple of the Sirens near Surrentum,
the Lesche at Delphi he was represented as a and the tomb of Parthenope was believed to be
companion of Odysseus. (Paus. x. 27.) [L. S.] near Neapolis. (Strab. i. p. 23, v. p. 246.) [L. S.]
SINO'PE (:VcoI7rv1), a daughter of Asopus SIRI'CIUS. Upon the death of Damasus in
by Metope, or of Ares by Aegina or Parnassa. A. D. 384, Siricius, a Roman presbyter, was nomiApollo carried her off from Boeotia, and conveyed nated his successor by the united suffrages of all
her to Paphlagonia on the Euxine, where she gave classes of thecommunity, and his conduct throughout
birth to Syrus, and where the town of Sinope was the fourteen years during which he occupied the
nanled after her. (Diod. iv. 72; Schol. ad Apollon. papal chair proved the wisdom of the choice. Of
Rhod. ii. 946.) [L. S.] simple habits and gentle disposition, he laboured
SI'PYLUS (P:Vrvkos), one of the sons of Am- incessantly to preserve the purity and unity of the
phion and Niobe. (Apollod. iii. 5. ~ 6; Ov. Met. Church over which he presided, his efforts being
vi. 231; comp. NIOBE.) [L. S.] chiefly directed against the growing heresy of the
SIPYRRHICAS. [PYRRHIAS.]' Priscillianists, who had made great progress in
SIRF/NES or SEIRE'NES (eslpZ7ves), mythical Gaul, against Jovinian and his followers, and
beings who were believed to have the power of en- against the usurpation of the see of Antioch by the
chanting and charming, by their song, any one who perjured Flavianus, with whom, however, he was
heard them. When Odysseus, in his wanderings eventually reconciled, through the mediation of
through the Mediterranean, came near the island on Chrysostom. His death happened towards the
the lovely beach of which the Sirens were sitting, close of the year A. D. 398.
and endeavouring to allure him and his companions, Six epistles by this prelate have been preserved,
he, on the advice of Circe, stuffed the ears of his being, as Du Pin observes, the first decretals which
companions with wvax, and tied himself to the mast truly belong to the pope whose name they bear.
of his vessel, until lie was so far off that he could I. Ad Hi2merislso Tcarracozne7sens Lpiscopum,
no longer hear their song (Hom. Od. xii. 39, &c., written A. D. 385, in reply to several questions
166, &c.). According to Homer, the island of the which had been proposed to Damasus, in reference
Sirens was situated between Aeaea and the rock to the re-admission of Arians; to the period at
of Scylla, near the south-western coast of Italy. which baptism ought to be administered; to the
Homer says nothing of their number, but later forgiveness of contrite apostates; to the lawfulness
writers mention both their names and number; of marrying a woman already promised to another;
some state that they were two, Aglaopheme and to the treatment of penitents who had relapsed
Thelxiepeia (Eustath. ad Hoem. p. 1709); and into sin; to the necessity of celibacy in the clergy;
others, that there were three, Peisinoe, Aglaope, and to the conduct to be observed by those ecclesiastics
Thelxiepeia (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 712), or Parthenope, who were married before they entered the priestLigeia, and Leucosia (Eustath. I. c.; Strab. v. pp. hood; to the ordination of monks; and to penance
246, 252; Serv. ad Virg. Georg. iv. 562). They among the clergy. There is one instructive pasare called daughters of Phorcus (Plut. Sympos. ix. sage, in which the education and progress of those
14), of Achelous and Sterope (Apollod. i. 7. ~ 10), trained for the ministry is distinctly defined;
of Terpsichore (Apollon. Rhod. iv. 893), of Mel- although the rules here laid down were probably
pomene (Apollod. i. 3. ~ 4), of Calliope (Serv. ad never strictly observed. A youth, we are told,
Aen. v. 364), or of Gaea (Eurip. Hel. 168). Their intended for Holy Orders, ought to be baptized
place of abode is likewise different in the different when very young, and placed among the readers;
traditions, for some place them on cape Pelorum at the age of thirty, if he has conducted himself
others in the island of Anthemusa, and others again with propriety, he may become an acolyte and
in the Sirenusian islands near Paestum, or in sub-deacon, provided always he does not marry
Capreae (Strab. i. p. 22; Eustath. ad Honm. p. more than once, and does not marry a widow;
1709; Serv. i. c.). The Sirens are also connected five years afterwards he may be. ordained deacon,
with the legends about the Argonauts and the rape when lie must bind himself to celibacy; after
of Persephone. WThen the Argonauts, it is said, another period of five years has elapsed he may be
passed by the Sirens, the latter began to sing, but admitted to the priesthood, that is, he may become
in vain, for Orpheus rivalled and surpassed them; a presbyter; and in ten years more may be made
and as it had been decreed that they should live a bishop.
only till some one hearing their song should pass II. Ad Anysium T1lessalonicensseme Episcoplmu,
by unmoved, they threw themselves into the sea, of uncertain date, but belonging probably to A. D.
and were metamorphosed into rocks. Some writers 385, requesting information with regard to the
connected the self-destruction of the Sirens with state of the Churches in Illvria.
the story of Orpheus and the Argonauts, and others III. Ad Episcopos Afrzicae, written on the 6th
with that of Odysseus (Strab. v. p. 252; Orph. of January, A. D. 386. It has always been reArg. 1284; Apollod. i. 9. ~ 25; Hygin. Fab. 141). garded with suspicion and almost proved to be a
Late poets represent them as provided with wings, forgery by the researches of Quesnel (Append. ad
which they are said to have received at their own Leonis Magni Opera Diss. xv.), although its an