Free Mythology of the Iliad and the Odyssey by Karen Bornemann Spies

regarded Odysseus as an evil product of over-cleverness: cruel, corrupt, sophistical and deceitful, a hardboiled confidence man. “May I never,” said the old-fashioned, aristocratic Pindar, “have a character like that, but walk in straightforward ways.” To Sophocles, Odysseus is a magnanimous hero in the
Ajax
, but a cold blooded schemer in the
Philoctetes
. So he is in several plays of Euripides, written in the age of the Peloponnesian War, when many people thought that cleverness was ruining Athens. 8

Circe, the Bewitching Queen
    Zeus had given Aeolus, the King of the Winds, the power to rouse the winds or to calm them. When Aeolus heard of the struggles of Odysseus and his sailors to reach home, he decided to help them. In keeping with the custom of hospitality, Aeolus gave Odysseus a special gift, a leather bag that held all the strongest, most dangerous winds. Aeolus cautioned Odysseus not to open the bag if he wanted to reach home safely.
    Unfortunately, some of the crew thought King Aeolus had given Odysseus a sack full of gold, which he was unwilling to share with them. One day, when the ship was nearly home, Odysseus took a nap. This was the opportunity for which his men had been waiting. They opened the bag, but there was no gold inside. Only fierce winds rushed out.
    The winds pushed the ships to the land of the Laestrygonians, a race of gigantic cannibals. These creatures used rocks to smash all of Odysseus’ fleet, except for his ship, which was anchored in a different place. They also ate up all Odysseus’ men except for those manning his vessel.
    Odysseus’ tired and discouraged crew put back out to sea and eventually came to the island of Aeaea, the land of Circe, the sorceress. She had been expecting Odysseus or someone like him, because a prophecy foretold that a heroic man would someday defy her magic.
    Odysseus sent out a search party led by his trusted and brave warrior, Eurylochus. Deep in the woods, they came to a palace. Built of magnificent stone, it rose high above the forest. Mountain lions and wolves roamed the grounds. These beasts approached Odysseus’ men, who backed away, fearful that the animals would attack. But the creatures only pawed at the ground and swished their long tails.
    Just then, the men heard unearthly singing coming from inside the palace. One of the warriors peered inside. “I can see a lovely woman with long braids working at her loom.”
    After the men called out to her, the woman opened the gleaming palace doors. “Welcome! I am Circe. Please, come inside.”
    All the men rushed in except for Eurylochus, who sensed a trap. Circe invited them to sit on high-backed chairs. In drinking bowls, she mixed a fragrant brew of cheese, barley, honey, and wine. But the men did not see her stir in drugs. These drugs would erase their memories of home.
    Once the sailors had drained their bowls of potion, Circe drew out her witch’s wand, touched the men, and transformed all of them, except Eurylochus, into pigs. She herded them, squealing and crying, into pigpens. But they kept their human brains, so they were aware of the terrible fate which had befallen them.
    Eurylochus ran back to the ship in panic to tell Odysseus what had happened to the rest of the crew. He could hardly speak, because he was so horrified by the disaster.
    Odysseus grabbed his bronze sword and slung his bow and arrows over his shoulder. “Lead me back the same way you came, Eurylochus.”
    “No, captain, let us escape while we can. You will never bring any of those men back alive,” Eurylochus answered.
    Odysseus told Eurylochus to stay behind at the ship, and set out alone to rescue his men. On the way, he met Hermes, who gave him an herb that would protect him from Circe’s charms.
    “Take this herb, Odysseus. Without it, you will be trapped here, just like the rest of your men,” warned Hermes. “My herb will protect you from Circe’s drugged wine. Then, when she brings out her wand, draw