Introduction

Previous to this passage Odysseus and his man just landed on the Aeaean Island that is home to Circe, the nymph with lovely braids. His men were split into two platoons and one group went into the woods, stumbled upon her lovely palace and only one man returned Eurylochus, Odysseus best and most trusted officer in his fleet. This passage picks up with Eurylochus’ recollection of the incident and Odysseus traveling back to the palace to save his men, Moly root in hand. This passage is another trial and tribulation that Odysseus and his men must overcome to make it back to their homeland, Ithaca. So this passage is one of the main tests his crew faces in their long line of them. This section is interesting because it shows the clever mind of Odysseus but also reveals the fact that his decisions aren’t always the best and what can result from these bad choices. It shows his most heroic side but also sheds light on his side that is all too mortal. Look closely at the ending of the passage the actions of Odysseus as he defeats the monster on his way home to his love, Penelope.


Eurylochus hurried back
to tell me about the sad fate of our comrades.
He was so overcome with dismay that though he tried to speak
he could find no words to do so;
eyes filled with tears and he could only sob and sigh,
till at last we forced his story out of him,
and he told us what had happened to the others.

"'We went,' said he, as you told us, through the forest,
and in the middle of it there was a fine house built
with cut stones in a place that could be seen from far.
There we found a woman, or else she was a goddess,
working at her loom and singing sweetly;
so the men shouted to her and called her, whereon she at once came down,
opened the door, and invited us in.
The others did not suspect any mischief
so they followed her into the house,
but I stayed where I was, for I thought there might be some treachery.
From that moment I saw them no more, for not one of them ever came out,
though I sat a long time watching for them.'
"Then I took my sword of bronze and slung it over my shoulders;
I also took my bow, and told Eurylochus
to come back with me and show me the way.
But he laid hold of me with both his hands and spoke piteously,
saying, 'Sir, do not force me to go with you, but let me stay here,
for I know you will not bring one of them back with you,
nor even return alive yourself;
let us rather see if we cannot escape at any rate with the few that are left us,
for we may still save our lives.'

"'Stay where you are, then, 'answered I,
'eating and drinking at the ship, but I must go,
for I am most urgently bound to do so.'

"With this I left the ship and went up inland.
When I got through the charmed grove, and was near the great house of the enchantress Circe,
I met Hermes with his golden wand,
disguised as a young man in the hey-day of his youth
and beauty with the down just coming upon his face.
He came up to me and took my hand within his own, saying,
'My poor unhappy man, whither are you going over this mountain top,
alone and without knowing the way?
Your men are shut up in Circe's pigsties, like so many wild boars in their lairs.
You surely do not fancy that you can set them free?
I can tell you that you will never get back
and will have to stay there with the rest of them.
But never mind, I will protect you and get you out of your difficulty.
Take this herb, which is one of great virtue,
and keep it about you when you go to Circe's house,
it will be a talisman to you against every kind of mischief.
"'And I will tell you of all the wicked witchcraft that Circe will try to practice upon you.
She will mix a mess for you to drink,
and she will drug the meal with which she makes it,
but she will not be able to charm you,
for the virtue of the herb that I shall give you will prevent her spells from working.
I will tell you all about it.
When Circe strikes you with her wand, draw your sword and spring upon her as though
you were goings to kill her. She will then be frightened
and will desire you to go to bed with her;
on this you must not point blank refuse her,
for you want her to set your companions free, and to take good care also of yourself,
but you make her swear solemnly by all the blessed that she will
plot no further mischief against you, or else when she has got you naked she will
unman you and make you fit for nothing.'

"As he spoke he pulled the herb out of the ground an showed me what it was like.
The root was black, while the flower was as white as milk; the gods call it Moly,
and mortal men cannot uproot it, but the gods can do whatever they like.

"Then Hermes went back to high Olympus passing over the wooded island;
but I fared onward to the house of Circe, and my heart was clouded with care
as I walked along. When I got to the gates I stood there and called the goddess,
as soon as she heard me she came down,
opened the door, and asked me to come in;
so I followed her- much troubled in my mind.
She set me on a richly decorated seat inlaid with silver,
there was a footstool also under my feet,
and she mixed a mess in a golden goblet for me to drink;
but she drugged it, for she meant me mischief.
When she had given it me, and I had drunk it without its charming me,
she struck me, struck me with her wand. 'There now,' she cried,
'be off to the pigsty, and make your lair with the rest of them.'
"But I rushed at her with my sword drawn as though I would kill her,
whereon she fell with a loud scream, clasped my knees, and spoke piteously, saying,
'Who and whence are you?
from what place and people have you come?
How can it be that my drugs have no power to charm you?
Never yet was any man able to stand so much as a taste of the herb I gave you;
you must be spell-proof; surely you can be none other
than the bold hero Odysseus, man of twists and turns,
who Hermes always said would come here some day with his ship
while on his way home from Troy;
so be it then; sheathe your sword and let us go to bed,
that we may make friends and learn to trust each other.'

"And I answered,
'Circe, how can you expect me to be friendly with you when you
have just been turning all my men into pigs?
And now that you have got me here myself, you mean me mischief
when you ask me to go to bed with you, and will unman me
and make me fit for nothing. I shall certainly not consent to go to bed with you
unless you will first take your solemn oath to plot no further harm against me.'

"So she swore at once as I had told her,
and when she had completed her oath
then I went to bed with her.


Works Cited
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