Plot: Book 12 opens with Odysseus returning to this island of Circe and preforming the funeral as instructed by Elpenor. Before odysseus departs, Circe tells him essentially everything that Tiresias tells him, suggesting the voyage to the underworld was unnecessary. The first challenge Odysseus and his crew meet is sailing through the sirens. The sirens are a group of female voices that are so desirable they force anyone listening to come foreword to their doom. Odysseus wishes to hear the sirens so he instructs his men to tie him down as he passes, and to have them put wax in their ears while continuing to row. Odysseus attempts to escape and even begs his men to untie them, but upon his earlier instruction, they continue rowing. Next, they must pass the six headed monster, Scylla. Scylla eats six of Odysseus's men, but the remaining crew sails through untouched. Meanwhile, they are avoiding the great whirlpool Charybdis by staying close to Scylla's lair which is what lead to the death of six of the men. As Odysseus continues on the voyage, a storm begins to approach, and his crew pleads with him to let them land on Thrinacia, land of the sun gods cattle. Odysseus is hesitant, but agrees giving his men strict instructions not to touch any of the cattle. As the days go by, their food supplies from Circe grow scarce, and Odysseus's men grow angry. While Odysseus is out to pray, that decide to kill one of the cattle and eat it. As this is happening Helios tells Zeus to punish the crew for their actions or the sun will not shine. Zeus agrees, and when the crew sets off, they are struck by lightening. The entire crew is killed except for odysseus who washes up on Calypso's island. Odysseus then tells the Phaeacians that his story is finished.