So why is it that mermaids and sirens are treated so interchangeably, these days?
Well, it seems time and translation confusion may have played a part, writes Vice. Poets in later years began referring to sirens as half-women, half-fish, even though mermaids remained extremely popular, which only further muddied the waters. As time went on, artists used the idea of a siren to symbolize lust, and the supposed dangers of female sexuality. Mermaids, meanwhile, remained creatures that sailors would often report seeing in their travels. Christopher Colombus reportedly saw three mermaids during his voyages, for instance. Spoiler alert: it was probably some manatees.
Today, mermaids remain extremely popular, not just because there will be a new Little Mermaid movie, but as an enduring symbol of female beauty. Meanwhile, popular media — when it depicts sirens as actual sirens — tends to portray them as rather monstrous. But honestly, the two mythical creatures shouldn't be confused: One is a bird and the other is a fish.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB%2BkW1vbm5fqbWmedGemKVllJ6zp7HRnqWcnV2XsrXDxJ6lZquZp7Kvv4yapZ1lnZq%2Frq3Inapo