Circe and Odysseus
The enchantress Circe transforms Odysseus' companions into animals, but Odysseus resists her magic and eventually gains her help.
The Story
Odysseus' crew reached the island of the enchantress Circe.
A group of men entered her home.
Circe welcomed them with food and drink.
But the meal contained magic.
The men were transformed into pigs.
One companion escaped and warned Odysseus.
Odysseus set out to rescue them.
On the way he encountered Hermes.
The god gave him a protective herb and instructed him how to resist Circe's spell.
Odysseus entered her house and accepted the enchanted drink.
Nothing happened.
When Circe attempted to transform him, Odysseus drew his sword.
The balance of power changed.
Circe agreed to restore his companions.
The relationship then changed again.
Instead of an enemy, Circe became host and adviser.
Odysseus and his crew remained on her island for a long period.
Eventually Circe told Odysseus that he could not simply sail directly home.
He first needed knowledge from the dead.
She instructed him to seek the prophet Tiresias at the edge of the Underworld.
Circe therefore occupies an unusual place in the Odyssey.
She begins as one of the journey's supernatural dangers.
She becomes one of Odysseus' most important guides.
Key Figures
Why It Matters
Circe's story shows how encounters in the Odyssey often resist simple categories of enemy and ally. Odysseus succeeds not by destroying Circe but by changing the relationship and learning from her.
Traditions & Variations
Later literature greatly expanded Circe's character beyond the Odyssey. Different traditions connect her with other heroes, magical genealogies and descendants of Odysseus.