When many months had passed, the crew reminded me of home. She even sent me to summon the men from the ship, who never thought they'd see me again alive. Divining the cause, she waved her wand once more and restored my shipmates to human form. But she could see that I was in no mood for levity. Later we feasted splendidly and her servants danced attendance. Hermes warned me that this day would come. She fainted to the ground and clutched my knees. Then just as she showed her wand, I unsheathed my sword and held it to her throat. I made my way to the house in the clearing and Circe bade me enter. Then when she raised her wand I was to draw my sword. I was to accept the potion that she gave me, knowing that I would be protected by a godly charm - a sprig of herb called moly that mortals dare not harvest. Zeus's herald warned me that I too would be transformed by Circe's witchery unless I followed his instructions. I now shouldered the burden of command and set out to investigate.įortunately I met Hermes along the way. And sure enough, after she had given them food and honeyed wine mixed with a pinch of something, she waved her wand and turned them into swine.Įurylochus came running back to the ship and spread the alarm. All but Eurylochus accepted the invitation. Hearing singing from within, the men saw no harm in making their presence known.Ĭirce came out and welcomed them inside. Strange to tell, it was surrounded by lions and wolves of extraordinary meekness. My group stayed behind while the other set out under my kinsman Eurylochus to reconnoiter.īefore long they came to a stone house in the middle of a tangled wood. When we came to Circe's island, no one was eager to go exploring, but I divided the company in two and we drew lots. Our relief was overwhelmed in grief for the comrades left behind. I'd had the presence of mind to cut away the hawser with my sword, and I urged my men to row for their lives. The Laestrygonians smashed ships and men and gorged on lumps of Greek. As the men scrambled to cast off, they were bombarded by boulders pelted from the heights. They came screaming back to the shore, followed by the entire clan of Laestrygonians. He grabbed the first man, tore him in half and chomped him down. She proved to be hideous and huge as a mountain, and her husband was hot for blood. They came upon a husky young girl who directed them to her mother, the queen of those people. A shore patrol was dispatched to scout the countryside. Then we fetched up in the land of the Laestrygonians. He kicked me right out of there.īack at sea, six days and nights we were becalmed. Hangdog, I appeared once more before him and asked if he would send us home again. So they opened it and let loose a hurricane that blew us all the way back to Aeolus's island. 'What have we got to show for our searoving?' ' Why does the captain get all the booty?' they wanted to know. Now my men noticed the bag that Aeolus had given me. I had dozed off, exhausted by manning the sail myself the whole way. Nine days later we were just off Ithaca, so close that people could be seen ashore going about their work. He even gave me an assortment of storm winds to stow on board, tied up in a leather bag. So when I'd entertained Aeolus for a month with tales of Troy, he was kind enough to provide a steady breeze to blow us home. The Odyssey - Book Ten - Detailed Version
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