For those of you who don’t know Salon Kitty’s – it is an institution in Australia – the best well-known dungeon in Sydney, with beautiful and well-equipped rooms. The Mistress there are interned with substantial training. It has run for 28 years.

Mistress Amanda Dwyer has announced on her blog that the premises at 310-312 Cleveland Street (Surrey Hills) in Sydney had been sold. She is offering up the business name, equipment and website as an ongoing concern.

Since then, I have received calls and emails from clients, proposing I take over Salon Kitty’s in Sydney, in new premises, and run it. While I greatly appreciate everyone’s confidence in my talents, and their offers of financial backing, I have no plans to take up this particular opportunity. I visit Australia with frequency, but regard London and Europe as my base.

I am focused on developing my existing patrons in London, in a holistic fashion, and travelling Internationally for trips (including to Australia). And I do catch up with some of my Australian clients while over visiting, in Sydney and Melbourne, as I am in June/July 2013.

On a practical level, by way of further explanation, if you can just envisage more than a dozen dominant women, and further submissives, sharing a “ladies room” and needing to work alongside each other, with a complex structure of power relationships of which management in its role needing to make a profit, you can imagine the skills required to run such an institution. Add hygiene and cleaning supervision and maintenance of the highest level, council regulations, occupational health and safety, and the particular profile that such an establishment has with the media, alongside tax and accounting requirements, the social impact of such a profile position. Playing the role of Madame, the manager of such an institution would be responsible for interviewing new staff and seeing to the training of new Mistresses, over long internships, dealing with conflicts and personal issues of the ladies who work there. You can perhaps then understand better that I am not myself enthusiastic about taking on such a role myself. It’s a big ship to steer.

It would suit well an ambitious Mistress who wishes to branch out further into management, and is enthused of the idea of setting up new premises with attendant equipment, launching with media releases and celebrities attending the opening, and luring the existing clients to new premises which will be compared against Mistress Amanda’s beautiful villas in Surrey Hills.

I think that with the right management, location and energy and love poured in, it may well be possible to retain the name and a connection to the legacy and tradition which has made Salon Kitty’s great. (Perhaps a highly ambitious Mistress and a mini team of slaves supporting her financially and in practical terms.)

I wish Mistress Amanda all the best in her retirement from Salon Kitty’s, and in her new endeavours. I hold her in high esteem, and enjoyed very much my brief time there during my last visit to Australia. And I will be sad not to be able to visit during my upcoming trip to Sydney and Melbourne in June/July 2013.

She has left a substantial legacy behind, and I look forward to hearing of her new plans and book tracking the 28 years(!) of running Australia’s most famous dungeon.

To Mistress Amanda Dwyer, to her partner, and to all the ladies of Salon Kitty’s, I wish you all the best regards, from London.

x Lady Louella

This week marked my new life as something akin to a ‘cortigiano onesta’ – or honest courtesan.

In case you’re thinking, what is a cortigiana onesta? This was the term for a woman who was an intellectual, sophisticated, proficient in the arts, and as such a wonderful companion who offered stimulating company, and was a kind of a muse to men.

In the 16th Century Italy, this included the Venetian courtesan poets, Tullia d’Aragona and Veronica Franco. In France, the learned Anne de Pisseleu d’Heilly, Marion Delorme and Nina de Lanclos.

It is a shame that in the contemporary era, the term “courtesan” has been denigrated to become a word bandied about by prostitutes charging an extra 100 for their services by the hour. For the traditional arts of the courtesan were her knowledge of the arts, philosophy, poetry, proffering charming companionship, organizing great ’salons’ attended by artists, patrons, philosophers and royalty. Their appeal to great men was their natural beauty, charm, wit, open-mindedness, knowledge and arts.

It is at the prompting of my patrons that I have come to realize that this is a more natural term for my craft, of which the ‘dark arts’ of Domination forms a strong strand, alongside my interests in the arts, history, literature, performing arts, and so forth.

Indeed Maitresse Nuit and I have hosted salons for our friends, and continue to make plans for forthcoming projects. Far from offering simple 1 hour BDSM sessions, the last few years have seen me fly around the world, plan and carry out simulated kidnappings, goddess rituals, attend opera with a slave in electrics set to volume intensity, and shamanic-like experiments with ecstatic and submissive states which make use of bio-chemical and hormonal changes in the body as my slave “flies” on the carpet. My role has carried me far beyond what is thought of as a humiliation-by-the-hour Mistress.

As the same time, I need to emphasize that the arts of the Dominatrix remain a strong interest. To this end, I have been researching the history of the Dominatrix stretching back through the 16th to 19th Centuries in London. I immersed myself in the rare books of the British Library. Seeking special permission from the curators to view Henry Spencer Ashbee’s own copy of Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which ceded to the British Museum private case upon his death, and rarely seen by members of the public, requiring academic justification to view.

My independent research has identified an earlier generation of Dominatrices than Ashbee’s notes, not written about, and including 18th Century British courtesans such Kitty Fisher. Reading the connecting threads of courtesanerie (arts of the courtesan) with female domination and submission play, was part of what made me realize how entwined these arts were.

Amongst the fascinating skills and knowledge I have acquired through my journey to bring to the role of cortigiana onesta – is knowledge of the psycho-sexual realm, of Domination/submission play, bondage and entrapment, the use of traditional implements of discipline and punishment, transformation rituals, gender-play, and states of ecstasy.

x LL

It’s New Year’s Day, and I have been inspired to stop my procrastination and get on with ordering some new equipment and gadgets for the domestic Lair, and to sell off some of the big suspension equipment that only fit in my old dungeon (sadly) and have been costing me large amounts in storage to hold on to them.

The new equipment shall be kept a surprise for slaves to discover as they are made and delivered. Some will have seen my new angled spanking bench in oak and burgandy leather which is better suited in height to admire Mistress’s bust and its angle avoids nasal congestion compared to the flat back varieties. While I have been at the drawing board to design some of my own pieces, taking inspiration from James Bond films, which the inventor “Q” would demonstrate in the laboratory headquarters, and used by the devastatingly beautiful but villainous women such as Elektra King and her garotte chair…! Meanwhile small purchases have been ordered and are on their way from various parts of the world to my doorstep.

If any slave has particular requests,  or amazing things they have seen, please do let me know!

xx Louella

Artwork in which Lady Louella was model – Phil Miller “Blue Nude Through Frame (Lady L)” (2012) Photomontage created by projection of photos, 35 mm and found medium, 77 x 98 cm, Limited edition 2/25, Price: £850

I am the subject of some artworks in a current exhibition in London’s SE1 at the moment. The artist Phil Miller creates photomontage works by using projection of photographic imagery, 35 mm and found medium. (There is no photoshop or airbrushing, nor any special lighting, so the works are very “au naturale”.) I felt somewhat over-exposed being completely nude but for a pair of leather gloves and stilettos, and a few shots of whisky were required at midday Sunday of the shoot(!), but I am pleased with the results and I’m sure my slaves will enjoy this Christmas gift.

They were shot in my domestic Lair, and the artist has layered imagery of Cannes in the Cote d’Azur, Benicassim in Spain, and in another Manhattan New York, alongside colour palette to evoke emotional associations, and the echo of memory and nostalgia. There is a cinematic influence in Miller’s work, and he is also well-regarded as a film maker, currently working on a Feature film and having most recently his short film was in the London Short Film Festival, titled Why did you buy me plastic flowers? Other models of the new works include Isadora in the grasses of Hampstead Heath.

Phil Miller “Nude, Benicassim Spain (Lady L)” (2012) Photomontage print created by projection of photos, 35 mm and found medium , 71 x 101 cm, Limited edition 4/25, £850 framed

Meanwhile I am enjoying being in London over the Christmas period. What better way to warm up Winter than with lots of floggings and heat coming off derrieres?

Currently based near Kings Cross St Pancras in my own domestic Lair, I have a brand new spanking bench in oak and burgandy leather, which is raised higher than my previous one. The elevation ensures a better view in the mirror to watch, and is better for sinuses (I kid you not!), and slave’s eyeline happily distracted by my bust when I come around the front to check in. (Repeat after me, “it’s a hard life being a slave!”).

I have arranged for some Dominatrix friends to come around for social engagements, for double sessions, and to act as supervisor Mistress for sessions in which I am submissive.

Writing this entry late at night, it appears as if the Lair has been snowing inside, as indeed my Persian rug is covered in what looks at first glance to be snowflakes, but is in actual fact pieces of wax from having dripped delicately over a slave tonight as part of our play. The view of the Lair post-session fills me with subversive, delicious pride. Covered as it is in various pairs of nipple clamps, bondage gear, snaking piles of shibari rope, floggers and empty bottle of champagne. Sigh, I do love being a Domina.

For those desperate for a session, you will be glad to hear that I will be available for festive floggings, by appointment only, around my social engagements. I feel very privileged to have such lovely submissives to play with, and can’t think of any better way to be spending my time.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Years.

x Lady Louella

Phil Miller “Smoke in New York (Lady L)” (2012) Photomontage (created by projection of original photographs, 35 mm film, found medium) approx 37 x 25 cm, Limited Edition 3/25, £250 framed (in minimalist acrylic sandwich frame)

Lady Louella in her Pop-up Lair (Image: Phil Miller)

Just when all my UK slaves were despairing that I would be making only quarterly visits to London this year, the Goddess smiled down from the skies and created opportunities and circumstances to change my course. (All hail Inanna!).

Initially planning a 4 week visit out to London, to catch up with my much-missed underlings and sort out all my storage, I had the opportunity presented to move into a flat just around the corner from where I was previously, and undertake some research relating to my academic work. Conveniently close to Kings Cross St Pancras station, and for Mistress only a short walk from the British Museum, Bloomsbury and the university library.

So I find myself, rather surreally, moving all my pieces from storage back across the square and into a new “pop-up” Lair. Due to limitations on space, it is not large as my prior location, nor will I be able to set it up with full dungeon facilities. But, it will make a lovely little domestic space. For which I am going to additionally add my availability at a local dungeon in W1 near Baker St, one full day a week, to accommodate full dungeon fantasy sessions.

Just last night I was catching up with Maitresse Nuit at the Grand Renaissance St Pancras bar, for an expresso martini. Maitresse, dressed in fishnet stockings, freshly coiffured hair and stilettos, and I in a little black dress and boots… it was as if I never left.

However my time away in Australia did me good. Catching up with my Domina friends Mistress Alex (Melbourne), Mistress Electra (Adelaide), meeting Mistress Gabrielle (Adelaide), and a visit to Salon Kittys in Sydney, and taking in some Spring weather down under. I have returned feeling refreshed, energetic, and grateful for all my wonderful friends, submissives and acquaintances in my life.

This week I have been recovering from jetlag out at a Heathrow hotel, before coming into London and moving into my “pop-up Lair”, which I should just about be finished doing by the end of the week. I have ordered a new CP bench which is rather similar to that which I had, in oak and burgandy leather, but a bit more portable to enable me to take it on away weekends to a country bed and breakfast. (Complete with Mistress in her black Hunter snakeskin wellies.) I am also setting my mind to task of a whipping post with suspension. It’s going to take a little thought (and money), a dose of creativity, but I shall get there.

I am looking forward very much to beginning sessions again this next week. For some of my slaves have gone awry in their training and their 2 months of backsliding needs to be dealt with strictly and firmly. And yes I have already unpacked the box with whips, and that which held my tawses, paddles and canes!

x LL

Lady Louella in China Town (Image: Anthony Leong)

As many of you have now heard, I have travelled back to Australia in August – October this year.  And although I initially undertook my training in Melbourne some 4 years ago, I have returned to find a very altered situation, as far as dungeons go. The Dominas Realm sadly has shut down, victim to ever-increasing rent prices in Fitzroy, and its head Mistress Cleo pursuing other interests and life balance. (To whom I wish all the best and have fond memories of my time there.)

The Correction Centre has moved out of Fitzroy – further up North, to the suburb of Coburg where it is now based. While the Fetish House is still in its original location and set-up, in Oakleigh, just South of Melbourne city. While a nearby bordello, Collingwood Confidential, has opened up a dungeon room for exclusive use by a few select Mistresses (my friends and respected colleagues Lady Ambrosia Noir, and Mistress Alex Vicia – both of whom I happily conduct double sessions with).

Three years of working independently as a Mistress in London has seen me develop my own distinctive style, and tailoring sessions to different types of slaves, submissives, fetishists and fellow hedonists. And as a result, the only path which currently makes sense to me is to operate as a “mobile Mistress”, in the setting which best suits the session, in terms of backdrop, geographical location and equipment.

I am travelling with some frequency up to Sydney, and have been last month to Salon Kittys, run by Mistress Amanda Dwyer, being Australia’s best well-known and regarded BDSM establishments. I enjoyed sessions there in almost all of the rooms – the main dungeon, Master’s room, Red room and Pink room. (I must however return to use the Brass Room).

I also had a great catch-up with Mistress Tokyo while in Sydney also, whose bondage and rubber expertise, professionalism and integrity I hold in great respect, and who has her own wonderful dungeon a short distance from the CBD.

In Adelaide I visited Mistress Electra Amore, who has taken over the Fetish Palace (formerly the “Purple Palace”). Mistress Electra was one of the women who trained me four years ago at the Dominas Realm, and I remain eternally grateful for the generosity in which she has shared and passed on her knowledge, which I try to pass on myself to young apprentices.

As a result of all my travel and visits, I have decided that for the next year I will be a mobile Mistress, on-the-move as life takes me, conducting sessions in London and Australia.

To this end I am working on an ingenious piece of portable equipment in a briefcase – the “Lady Attache”, which is still under top-secret production. On the outside it is an ordinary black leather Attache briefcase, of the kind carried around by any number of businessmen and diplomatic envoys. On the inside however, it is a pimped-out case of bondage and torture equipment, complete with cuffs, clamps, corporal punishment implements, insertions, and other secret pieces.

Admittedly the concept is based more on my fantasy than any of my slaves. But the idea of walking into a building in business attire, with seamed suspender stockings, exquisite shoes and my black leather Attache briefcase… unbeknown to anyone that rather than holding business documents… Hot! (Let’s just hope I don’t get pulled over by customs officers!)

Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, London… here I come!

x LL

Attache briefcase… ready for the Lady’s additions

]]> http://www.ladylouella.com/the-mobile-mistress/feed/ 0 http://www.ladylouella.com/nostalgia-for-the-ladys-lair/ http://www.ladylouella.com/nostalgia-for-the-ladys-lair/#comments Tue, 09 Oct 2012 04:52:30 +0000 ladylouella http://www.ladylouella.com/?p=3486

The “Lady’s Lair”, London (Image: Phil Miller)

Unlike most men (slaves included), ladies know how to multi-task. And in the case of Lady Louella, I managed two years of living in London, undertaking a Masters degree, and setting up the Lady’s Lair – my own boudoir dungeon in Kings Cross St Pancras, as well as operating it.

The Lady’s Lair taught me quite a few things about myself, and about my slaves. It was no ordinary dungeon, kitted out as they tend to be with garish colours and tacky vinyl fittings. Instead it was an opulent boudoir opium den style space. With plush Persian rugs, antiques from China and the Middle East, and custom-made dungeon equipment to my own specifications. In as far as Mistresses like to control their slaves and their lives, this was the ultimate form of control – “spatial domination”.

At the centre of my front domestic room was a Chinese ceremonial antique bed from the East of China. (After all, everyone needs an opium bed in their lounge). While a steel fixing point off the ceiling beam allowed me to suspend slaves and flog them, enjoying their helplessness and reflected image from the gold gilt mirrors. My gold lacquer drawers were full of various assortment of nipple clamps and assorted torture accoutrements. While floggers and whips hung from a frame, beside an Oriental vase full of canes from around the world, and a burgandy leather and oak spanking bench positioned on my central rug.

The front space was an excellent introduction to novices, a plush space for punishment, where I sat and enjoyed many fine teas from around the world, and nips of whisky, post-session with my slaves. Bringing them out of their submissive space with care, before sending them on their way – a better man (I’d like to think, anyway!).

While the back room was altogether more ominous, set for aerial suspension, and additionally with a St Andrews Cross, bondage chair, and medical bench with various equipment for electrics, needles, Violet wand and vintage equipment. The evenings I spent in creative and dominant bliss, torturing and teasing my slaves, in an intimate and magical environment which seemed a world away from the ordinary and everyday grind. There I gradually pushed the boundaries of slaves, into new realms, into accepting things they never thought they would or could submit to.

The day sadly came however when the landlord decided to sell up the entire building on all four floors, and I had to vacate along with everyone else in September 2012. While the old Lady’s Lair may no longer be in existence, memories linger on in the mind of my slaves and myself. And a number have asked to put a page up so they could reminisce until I am next set up in London. Hence this diary entry.

Returning to Australia for my visa found that I would need to wait out another year before I returned, due to delays. It has come thankfully as the Southern hemisphere pushes into its Summer, so as if to compensate for the Summer I lost when originally travelling over to Europe in September from Winter in Melbourne, I this time around receive two Summers in a row, for now.

I miss dearly my slaves, and look forward to seeing them back on the “Upside” of the Northern Hemisphere when I visit the UK in the next wee while. But in the meantime, I hope this page serves as a “memoria” of the times spent in the Lady’s Lair in London.

Just before I left, my friends Mistress Hannah and fetish photographer Peter Felix Kurtz used my Lady’s Lair for filming their rubber fetish films, see for example Fetish Foto’s “Bird in a Cage” shoot.

One way or another, the Lady’s Lair thus lives on – preserved for posterity in cinematic form, in still photos, and in the minds of my slaves and of Mistress herself.

With nostalgia and fondness,

Lady Louella.

Back dungeon room of the “Lady’s Lair” (Image: Peter Felix Kurtz)

The “Ideal” massager, a rather appropriate “fetish buzz”

Today I decided to head to the London Fetish Fair at Shillibeers, North Road in Islington. This is one of two monthly fetish fairs, the other being the London Alternative Market. Now simply going to a fetish fair is not something I would normally write up for a diary entry, given that I am a lifestyle switch-Mistress and regularly attend fetish events in London. But I decided to make a point of creating a little entry, as I am enthused about the flourishing lifestyle fetish scene here in London, and its wide and open embrace to so many different forms of BDSM play, and to so many kinds of self-identification.

Firstly and briefly, for those who wish to venture out into the lifestyle BDSM/fetish events in London, one of the best websites which is created and updated by my friend Bobette, is London Fetish Scene. Bobette also keeps a very useful calendar of events for each month, making life very easy to click on and see what’s going on and where.

Secondly, onto the lifestyle events and nights I would recommend. I don’t attend every single event. The Lady has a life, and other interests beyond fetish. However I do enjoy getting along to some of the events when I’m in the mood for it. And the following are the ones I personally recommend and attend myself:

Club Pedestal – Female Domination night, which is thus mostly attended by female Dommes, and male subs, held at Club Colosseum near Vauxhall. Male slaves open the doors and attend the needs of us Dominas, including feet massages, running for champagne and being bottoms of our whip, as we desire. The space is large with multiple rooms, and it is generally a great night out for all involved. Thus I would recommend it to most.

Club Subversion – Run by my friend Mistress Absolute (you go girl!), and Bobette, and held at Union, 66 Albert Embankment. The last time I went to this event I had a great time. I enjoyed the venue. The equipment was great (that would have been Dave at Playpenz who also made my fabulous birdscage). Room for dancing. Great bar service with fair prices. And most importantly good dungeon play as well. The people there were people truly interested in exploring, playing and socializing. Typically one sees rope bondage and suspensions undertaken, someone taking a good beating over a spanking bench, or being whipped on a cross, perhaps also some medical play going on in a specialized area. They have resident Dommes there, and I am happy to offer my support to this night.

Torture Garden – Arguably the most well-known fetish event. A person’s experience of the event and quality of the night varies wildly with changes in venue, attendees, performances, theme and music, and the vibe on the night. There are those who lament the “good old days” when Torture Garden (or TG as it is fondly abbreviated to) used to be very underground and subversive. These days, a larger and wider group attend the night, and newcomers regularly come along for a look. On the negative, this sometimes translates as coming along for a perve. Or those there who are all about the outfits, voyeurism and exhibitionism, without participating in play or much conversation. On the positive side, the event at its best can be amazing, with excellent International performances, a buzzing energetic crowd, fabulous outfits and the feeling you are on another planet. An exciting planet at that. Tickets typically sell out some time in advance, particularly for special events for their annual birthday party, New Years and so forth, so forward-planning is required.

Other events to mention are:

Decadence – a great night, on less often, good feel to it, quite elegant.

The Gate – run by Master Keith, which I have been meaning to get to and certainly will. More dungeon players and serious BDSM is what I have heard about it. And I shall add to this review once I have myself been. It’s held in Bethnall Green, E2.

Returning again to the subject of the London Fetish Fair, and indeed the London “scene” in general, what is particularly great about the scene is its diversity, open-mindedness and indeed openness. Newbies for the most part are able to ask questions, strike up a conversation, share and exchange. Not everybody is into everything, and it’s a large spectrum of interests which are accommodated more broadly within the “scene”. The fashions of dress, for example, incorporate everything from corsets, rubber/latex, PVC fetish, leather, military uniform, chainmail and armour, medical fetish, X-dressing, vintage and burlesque, cyber-punk, and so forth. There is no “one” look or style, and people can express their individuality, which is welcomed. Then in respect of the play equipment, again there is a large range of areas which are uniquely developed in London – including strongly experimentation with electrics and vintage Violet wand play, medical and needle-play, vibrators / Toshiba wands, bondage and restraint gear, anal plugs and aparatus, corporal punishment paddles and floggers, bondage rope and so forth.

Vamp velvet corset

(Mine is in an amazing teal-blue which brings out my eye colour)

On my day out, I found, tried on, loved and purchased two beautiful corsets, one a Dominatrix leather underbust corset with buckles, and another being a beautiful teal-blue velvet overbust corset, and voluminous black taffeta Vollers skirt at Oh You Pretty Thing. I found an ergonomic “Ideal” massager which is a stylish, mini-version of the Hitachi wand, from One Happy Bean and pictured at the beginning of this post. Oh and a great little ball gag with soft red ball of managable size for a submissive to take in his mouth for a decent period of time, and a nasty little braided flogger (pictured below), from Affordable Leather.

I had the privilege of being able to get an extension class in needles – and in particular on creating ribbon corsets and multiple nipple piercings, use of one-handed work and safety double-gloving, by Edge Play lifestylers Daz and his needle bunny submissive Gracie. I bought some great sensory play devices – one of which was in the shape of a green fan, producing amazing effects, completely thought up and hand-made by Daz (goodness knows how he thought up such a thing, but it’s brilliant and should be immediately patented). It is a kind of steel tube section, as base/hand-piece to the fan of green nylon lengths, run across the body either horizontally (for pleasure) or vertically (for pain). Actually very hard to describe, better to experience! Gold magnetic balls for nipple clamping and other work. These were all just little bits and pieces that took my fancy to add to my already substantial collection of accoutrements. But the lovely thing about these events, is that they are a great place to exchange and share knowledge, to be inspired by new technologies, new inventions and adapted use of current technologies and equipment. There is a communal knowledge in the practical use and experimentation, which helps refine techniques and play, develops ideas, and is so beneficial for a Mistress to stay vitalized and creative.

Now, picture Mistress in post-shopping, post-play, post-socialization and post-champagne bliss. Inspired, delighted, and now resting up at home surrounded by my new toys and wares. All I need is a slave to be kneeling on a cushion rubbing my feet in peppermint oil. Where the hell were you? Damnit! Oh but I do have that new personal massager…. Mmmmm……lol

xx LL

John William Waterhouse “The Siren” (c1900) Oil on canvas

Amongst my passions (beside the “dark arts”) are singing and archaeology. Which have combined this weekend, as I have been asked to perform “Song of the Siren” – a song by Tim Buckley, which most will know from the version performed by “This Mortal Coil” (The Cocteau Twins) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mUmdR69nbM

In mythology, sirens were beautiful winged maidens who lived in a meadow starred with flowers, on a perilous rocky island. Their beautiful, haunting song lured sailors to their deaths.

The geography is named by Virgil as Sirenum Scopuli, and associated with three rocky islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Some have related the description to the archipelago of islands known as the Sireneusas / Li Galli (The Roosters) of which the three main islands are Gallo Lungo, La Castelluccia and La Rotunda. Or the description of the Isle of Anthemoessa (the island of flowers) is associated with the volcanic island of Ischia or the rocky Isle of Capri, in the Bay of Naples.

In Ovid’s version the sirens were the companions of Persephone (daughter of Zeus and Demeter), who was abducted by Hades and taken into the underworld. They were given wings potentially so that they could search the underworld.

The sirens also held powers of prophetic and sibylline knowledge, of “all that comes to pass on the fertile earth” (Homer’s Odyssey).

Their sailors were lured towards the source of the music, and closer to the rocks, entranced by the beauty of the siren and her song and feeling “understood” in her presence, they would be unable to leave, and would inevitably perish. (In some versions the siren’s song lulled them into a deep sleep.)

In the Greek Odyssey by Homer, the hero Odysseus heeds the advice of Circe in relation to the Siren’s song, by having his men plug their ears with beeswax. He has them tie him to the ship’s mast (yes rope bondage, love this story), telling them not to let him down no matter how much he might struggle or order them to do so…so that he may hear the Siren’s song and live to tell the tale.

John William Waterhouse “Odysseus and the  Sirens” (1891)

The mythologies romantically provide account for sailors steering their ships into rocks just off their destination, and hard-living sailors starved of female company and having spent too much time at sea – fantasizing of mermaids or sirens. But the stories also linked to the coastal diversions of “harlots” (a term incorporating promiscuous women, prostitutes and priestesses in one foul swoop) and women at foreign ports along the coastline, with the word “siren” believed to be derived from the Phoenician word for songstress. Naturally their exotic song and beauty exercising a lure on seamen, and the power to lead them off course. Thus men who failed to return to their ship when they were due back on board, were accordingly reported to have been “taken by a siren”.

Winged siren. From Myrina (Mysia), Terracotta (1st Century BC), Louvre Museum.

(Photo credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen)

In the iconography of a naked woman with wings, there appears also to be a link to the goddess Ishtar/Inanna who is represented in this mode in plaques and other artifacts from Southern Iraq and Turkey, in which the Goddess is depicted in association with her Descent into the Underworld, where she was stripped of garments at each gate.

Ishtar’s journey to the underworld is in turn connected with the star of Venus, as the star makes a similar descent, heading for Kur (the mountains) in the Western horizon, and rising in the East, and so the Goddess was symbolised with the eight-pointed star rosette. The association to the evening star of Venus flowed through to the Roman Goddess Venus, and Greek goddess Aphrodite – who in mythology was born in the waves on the coast of Cyprus near Pathos, or in an alternative version on the island of Cythira/Kythira. Both locations were associated with the sea trade plied by Phoenicians between Greece and the Middle East, where cult sites to the Goddess were established often on hills just above the ports and trading posts.

So for those heading off on exotic holidays to the Greek islands, to Southern Italy, to Turkey and around the Mediterranean, remember you remain in the domain of the Goddess (and her priestesses, sirens, and various incarnations).

In any case, getting back to the Song of the Sirens, I will be performing this song at a burlesque evening coming up, so accordingly have had to get the lyrics sorted out, of which there are several versions for example substituting “were you hare when I was fox”, however I have opted for the flotsam, as naturally I love the idea of leaving  a man flotsam. lol. In the true spirit of the Domina.

Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
‘Till your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving – (in)to your isle.

And you sang, Sail to me.
Sail to me, let me enfold you.

Here I am, Here I am,
Waiting to hold – you.

Did I dream, you dreamed about me?
Were you here when I was – flotsam?
Now my foolish boat is leaning,
Broken lovelorn On your rocks.

For you sing, Touch me not.
Touch me not, Come back tomorrow.

Oh my heart. Oh my heart.
Shies from the sorrow.

I’m as puzzled as the newborn child
I’m as troubled as the tide.
Should I stand, amid the breakers?
Or should I lie with death – my bride?

Hear me sing, swim to me,
Swim to me – let me enfold you.

Here I am. Here I am. Waiting to hold you.