up up around them, fawning, swishing their long tails - eager as hounds that fawn around their master, coming home from a feast, who always brings back scraps to calm them down. So they came nuzzling round my men - lions, wolves with big powerful claws - and the men cringed in fear at sight of those strange, ferocious beasts …But still they paused at her doors, the nymph with lovely braids, Circe - and deep inside they heard her singing, lifting her spellbinding voice as she glided back and forth at her great immortal loom, her enchanting web a shimmering glory only goddesses can weave. Polites, captain of armies, took command, the closest, most devoted man I had: 'Friends, there's someone inside, plying a great loom, using and how she sings - enthralling ! The whole house is echoing to her song. Goddess or woman -let's call out to her now!' So he urged and the men called out and hailed her. She opened her gleaming doors at once and stepped forth, inviting them all in, and in they went, all innocence. Only Eurylochus stayed behind -he sensed a trap … She ushered them in to sit on high-backed chairs, then she mixed them a potion - cheese, barley and pale honey mulled in Pramnian wine - but into the brew she stirred her wicked drugs to wipe from their memories any thought of home. Once they'd drained the bowls she filled, suddenly she struck with her wand, drove them into her pigsties, all of them bristling into swine - with grunts, pigs snouts - even their bodies, yes, and only the men's minds stayed steadfast as before. So off they went to their pens, sobbing, squealing as Circe flung them acorns, cornel nuts and mast, poor food common fodder for hogs that root and roll in mud. Back Eurylochus ran to our swift black ship to tell the disaster our poor friends had faced. But try as he might, he couldn't get a word out. Numbing sorrow had stunned the man to silence - tears welled in his eyes, his heart possessed by grief.

We assailed him with questions -all at our wits' end- till at last he could recount the fate our friends had met: 'Off we went through the brush, captain, as you commanded. Deep in the wooded glens we came on Circe's palace built of dressed stone on a cleared rise of land. Someone inside was plying a great loom, and how she sang - in a high clear voice! Goddess or woman - we called out and hailed her … said hello to her She opened her gleaming doors at once and stepped forth, inviting us all in, and in we went, all innocence. But I stayed behind - I sensed a trap. Suddenly all vanished - blotted out - not one face showed again, though I sat there keeping watch a good long time.' heavy At that report I slung the hefty bronze blade of my silver-studded sword around my shoulder, slung my bow on too and told our comrade, 'Lead me back by the same way that you came.' But he flung both arms around my knees and pleaded, begging me with his tears and winging words: 'Don't force me back there, captain, king- leave me here on the spot. You will never return yourself, I swear, you'll never bring back a single man alive. Quick, cut and run with the rest of us here - we can still escape the fatal day!' But I shot back, 'Eurylochus, stay right here, eating, drinking, safe by the black ship. I must be off. Necessity drives me on.' Leaving the ship and shore, I headed inland, clambering up through hushed, entrancing glades until, as I was nearing the halls of Circe skilled in spells, approaching her palace - Hermes god of the golden wand crossed my path, and he looked for all the world like a young man sporting his first beard, just in the prime and warm pride of youth, and grasped me by the hand and asked me kindly, 'Where are you going now, my unlucky friend- trekking over the hills alone in unfamiliar country? And your men are all in there, in Circe's palace, caged cooped like swine, hock by jowl in the sties.