Circe the Enchantress-Homer

Picture of Homer from Wikipedia/British Museum

CIRCE THE ENCHANTRESS

 They found the fair abode where Circe dwelt,

A palace of hewn stone within the vale, 

Yet nobly seated. There were mountain wolves

And lions round it, which herself had tamed

With powerful drugs; yet these assaulted not

The visitors, but, wagging their long tails,

Stoof on their hinder feet, and fawned on them,

LIke mastiffs on their master when he comes

From banqueting and brings them food. So fawned

The strong-clawed wolves and lions on my men.

With fear my men beheld those beasts of prey,

Yet went, and, standing in the portico

Of the bright-haired divinity, they heard

Her sweet voice singing, as within she threw

The shuttle through the wide immortal web,

Such as is woven but the goddesses,-

Delicate, bright of hue, and beautiful.

Polites then, a chief the most beloved

And most discreet of all my comrades spake:-

'Some one is here, my friends, who sweetly sings,

Weaving an ample web, and all the floor

Rings to her voice. Whoever she may be,

Woman or goddess, let us call to her.'

He spake aloud they called, and forth she came

And threw at once the shining doors apart,

And bade my comrades enter. Without thought

They followed her. Eurylochus alone

Remained without, for he suspected guile.

She led them in and seated them on thrones.

Then mingling for them Pramnian wine with cheese,

Meal, and fresh honey, and infusing drugs

Into the mixture,-drugs which made them lose

The memory of their home-she handed them

The beverage and they drank. Then instantly

She touched them with a wand, and shut them up

In sties, transformed to swine in head and voice,

Bristles and shape, though still the human mind

Remained to them. Thus sorrowing they were driven

Into their cells, where Circe flung to them

Acorns of oak and ilex, and the fruit 

Of corner, such as nourish wallowing swine.

Homer

Translated by William Cullen Bryant