Ieranto Bay and the Myth of the Sirens

Massa Lubrense has always been called "The Land of the Sirens", that's why I got interested in this theme nd started doing some research. Here's to yu what I found Enjoy!

Sirens, mystical creatures of an ancient past who are said to have inhabited Sorrento area since Greek times; statements of sirens existence are mainly found in Greek stories among which the most important is Homer’s “Odyssey”.

Sirens physiognomy changed a lot during their first appearances, in early Greek art in fact, they used to be represented as birds with huge women's heads, bird feathers and scaly feet, turning later into female figures with bird’s legs, with or without wings, who rejoiced themselves playing variety of musical instruments, especially harps. It is believed that their bird element was chosen because of their beautiful voices. According to the “Odissey”, Odysseus was so curious to hear the Siren’s chant that in order to do that, on Circe’s advice, he had all of his sailor’s ear plug with beeswax and ordered his men to tie him to the mast and to not unbid him no matter his begging. When they came to pass near the Island of the Sirens, Odysseus heard their fascinating chant and begged his sailors to free him, but they did not give up to his entreaties.

Once out of the earshot, his sailors released Odysseus. According to popular beliefs, Sorrento Peninsula is strictly related to the myth of the Sirens, and is commonly known also as the “Land of the Sirens”. Scholars retains in fact that, according to Homer descriptions, Siren’s liar would match exactly the morphological appearance described by the Greek poet. It is believed that those mythological creatures found in the mouths of Capri their ideal setting, being related, for the Greek imaginary, to a liminal situation between land and water, and for being those who rule over the elements and in particular to the condition and to the essential elements for navigation.

The story goes that Sirens would have had a temple in the Peninsula, possibly in Ieranto’s Bay, and that their mythical lair would have been the famous “Li Galli” islands “Sirenuse” to the ancients. Some post-Homeric authors stated that the Sirens were fated to die if someone hearing their chant would have managed to escape them, according Licofrone in fact, having failed to attract Odysseus, “Li Galli” island’s sirens, threw themselves into the sea letting the sea carry their dead bodies respectively to Terina (Ligeia), Licosa (Leukosia) and the other one in Naples (Parthenope). From the name of the sirens would derives the name of those places.

Please find at the end of the page the direct link to download a calendar of the available events related to the wonderful Bay of Ieranto and to the story of the Myth of the Sirens.

Capri - Via Krupp

Marina Piccola is a beautiful bay surrounded by large cliffs and from urban and natural environment. The most attracting thing of this beach it’s its special charm created by the mix of wonderful scenery, sand, crystalline water as well as the spectacular environment that surrounds it. This wonderful corner of paradise is formed by two very small beaches: Marina di Mulo and Marina di Pennauro once used as little hamlets. Between the two beaches, we find what it could be considered one of the main attraction of Capri: “Scoglio delle Sirene”; in ancient times, Romans used it as a pier but there are several theories around its origin. According to the theories of some scholars of the past,the place was in reality the much-vaunted lair of the mermaids narrated by Omero in the Odyssey, it seems in fact, that the rocks of Marina Piccola in Capri matches perfectly those described by Omero in his Odyssey. In this very famous greek poem in fact, Omero tells of a beach covered with bones on which, the hero Ulysses was attracted by the Mermaid’s enchanting chant; in a small cave in Marina Piccola scholars really found numerous ancient bones. It is not surprising that from the 50s of last century, this beach attracts a high level tourism and still can count many celebrities among its visitors, its unique conformation, environment and history make of it one of the “To-do” things in Capri. But just stop for a second and let’s talk about the way to access this wonderful place: “Via Krupp”, a historic switchback path that connects Marina Piccola to Giardini di Augusto and the charterhouse of San Giacomo.

Commissioned by the German Friedrich Alfred Krupp, the path was idealized as a direct connection from his apartment in Quisisana Hotel to Marina Piccola. The magnate in fact, not managing to reach quickly the little beach where his marine biology research vessel used to lay at anchor, bought the entire area comprised between the Charterhouse of San Giacomo and the Castiglione, to build the renowned “Via Krupp”. Since 1976, the path has been closed several times due to numerous landslides occurred during the years forcing the islanders to use the alternative less panoramic “Via Mulo”. “Via Krupp”starts right after the staircase that lead to “Giardini di Augusto” from where it’s possible to see the road, and which after an initial short straight section, proceed with its characteristic numerous bend for a total of 8 curves.

Right after the winding part of the road, begins a long straight path, from where it’s possible to admire the famous Faraglioni, and from where starts one of the two narrow paths that take respectively to: “Grotta del Castiglione”and “Grotta dell’Arsenale”. The first one is the largest cavity of Capri that opens at 250 meters above the sea level and used to be a refuge during the war’s years; the second one instead, was in roman times a depot for naval stores. Right few minute walk after the beginning of the straight path, we find the gate that take to “Grotta di San Felice”; property of the magnate Krupp, who after cleaning and furnishing it up, used it as his usual hangout point; the grotto has many stories related to itself. For sure, the most famous and scandalous is the one related to the sexual activities it was believed to have taken place there; it is in fact known as Krupp had been accused of pederasty during the war years and how serious this was for the German Reich.

It is said that the "well engineered" scandal, born from the envy and the blackmail of the locals, was "the martyrdom of a man." In the cave (soon called "Orgies Cave") Krupp used to gather with his friends, who, with the disappointment of many people (especially from Capri) had nothing to do with British, Germans, Russians and Americans that instead met at the table d 'hôte of the Zum Kater Hiddigeigei Cafè of the Morgano family. The friends with whom he used to entertain in the cave were: two doctors (Ignazio Cerio and Vincenzo Cuomo), two engineers (Edwin Cerio and the German Wiesener), two painters (White and Lovatti), the young barber Adolfo Schiano (believed to be the favorite of Krupp) and the fishermen Antonino Arcucci, equally young and beautiful. It was said that the group used to meet after going hunting for quail or to held philosophical and convivial meetings but, according to local rumors, the cave was "a fragrant Sodom where Capri children were subjected to the most sophisticated tenderness from their host" to the sound of three violins; the orgasm would have been celebrated by' rocket firing.

When the scandal surfaced, Krupp was expelled from Italy in 1902 but the severity of what was retained a crime at that time in Germany (homosexuality), caused so much pressure on him that few time later Krupp was found dead in his german residence. The official cause of the death was said to be a stroke, though probably it was suicide.