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the gods can do whatever they like。
〃Then Mercury went back to high Olympus passing over the wooded
island； but I fared onward to the house of Circe； and my heart was
clouded with care as I walked along。 When I got to the gates I stood
there and called the goddess； and as soon as she heard me she came
down； opened the door； and asked me to come in； so I followed her…
much troubled in my mind。 She set me on a richly decorated seat inlaid
with silver； there was a footstool also under my feet； and she mixed a
mess in a golden goblet for me to drink； but she drugged it； for she
meant me mischief。 When she had given it me； and I had drunk it
without its charming me； she struck she； struck me with her wand。
'There now；' she cried； 'be off to the pigsty； and make your lair with
the rest of them。'
〃But I rushed at her with my sword drawn as though I would kill her；
whereon she fell with a loud scream； clasped my knees； and spoke
piteously； saying； 'Who and whence are you？ from what place and people
have you come？ How can it be that my drugs have no power to charm you？
Never yet was any man able to stand so much as a taste of the herb I
gave you； you must be spell…proof； surely you can be none other than
the bold hero Ulysses； who Mercury always said would come here some
day with his ship while on his way home form Troy； so be it then；
sheathe your sword and let us go to bed； that we may make friends
and learn to trust each other。'
〃And I answered； 'Circe； how can you expect me to be friendly with
you when you have just been turning all my men into pigs？ And now that
you have got me here myself； you mean me mischief when you ask me to
go to bed with you； and will unman me and make me fit for nothing。 I
shall certainly not consent to go to bed with you unless you will
first take your solemn oath to plot no further harm against me。'
〃So she swore at once as I had told her； and when she had
completed her oath then I went to bed with her。
〃Meanwhile her four servants； who are her housemaids； set about
their work。 They are the children of the groves and fountains； and
of the holy waters that run down into the sea。 One of them spread a
fair purple cloth over a seat； and laid a carpet underneath it。
Another brought tables of silver up to the seats； and set them with
baskets of gold。 A third mixed some sweet wine with water in a
silver bowl and put golden cups upon the tables； while the fourth
she brought in water and set it to boil in a large cauldron over a
good fire which she had lighted。 When the water in the cauldron was
boiling； she poured cold into it till it was just as I liked it； and
then she set me in a bath and began washing me from the cauldron about
the head and shoulders； to take the tire and stiffness out of my
limbs。 As soon as she had done washing me and anointing me with oil；
she arrayed me in a good cloak and shirt and led me to a richly
decorated seat inlaid with silver； there was a footstool also under my
feet。 A maid servant then brought me water in a beautiful golden
ewer and poured it into a silver basin for me to wash my hands； and
she drew a clean table beside me； an upper servant brought me bread
and offered me many things of what there was in the house； and then
Circe bade me eat； but I would not； and sat without heeding what was
before me； still moody and suspicious。
〃When Circe saw me sitting there without eating； and in great grief；
she came to me and said； 'Ulysses； why do you sit like that as
though you were dumb； gnawing at your own heart； and refusing both
meat and drink？ Is it that you are still suspicious？ You ought not
to be； for I have already sworn solemnly that I will not hurt you。'
〃And I said； 'Circe； no man with any sense of what is right can
think of either eating or drinking in your house until you have set
his friends free and let him see them。 If you want me to eat and
drink； you must free my men and bring them to me that I may see them
with my own eyes。'
〃When I had said this she went straight through the court with her
wand in her hand and opened the pigsty doors。 My men came out like
so many prime hogs and stood looking at her； but she went about
among them and anointed each with a second drug； whereon the
bristles that the bad drug had given them fell off； and they became
men again； younger than they were before； and much taller and better
looking。 They knew me at once； seized me each of them by the hand； and
wept for joy till the whole house was filled with the sound of their
hullabalooing； and Circe herself was so sorry for them that she came
up to me and said； 'Ulysses； noble son of Laertes； go back at once
to the sea where you have left your ship； and first draw it on to
the land。 Then； hide all your ship's gear and property in some cave；
and come back here with your men。'
〃I agreed to this； so I went back to the sea shore； and found the
men at the ship weeping and wailing most piteously。 When they saw me
the silly blubbering fellows began frisking round me as calves break
out and gambol round their mothers； when they see them coming home
to be milked after they have been feeding all day； and the homestead
resounds with their lowing。 They seemed as glad to see me as though
they had got back to their own rugged Ithaca； where they had been born
and bred。 'Sir；' said the affectionate creatures； 'we are as glad to
see you back as though we had got safe home to Ithaca； but tell us all
about the fate of our comrades。'
〃I spoke comfortingly to them and said； 'We must draw our ship on to
the land； and hide the ship's gear with all our property in some cave；
then come with me all of you as fast as you can to Circe's house；
where you will find your comrades eating and drinking in the midst
of great abundance。'
〃On this the men would have come with me at once； but Eurylochus
tried to hold them back and said； 'Alas； poor wretches that we are；
what will become of us？ Rush not on your ruin by going to the house of
Circe； who will turn us all into pigs or wolves or lions； and we shall
have to keep guard over her house。 Remember how the Cyclops treated us
when our comrades went inside his cave； and Ulysses with them。 It
was all through his sheer folly that those men lost their lives。'
〃When I heard him I was in two minds whether or no to draw the
keen blade that hung by my sturdy thigh and cut his head off in
spite of his being a near relation of my own； but the men interceded
for him and said； 'Sir； if it may so be； let this fellow stay here and
mind the ship； but take the rest of us with you to Circe's house。'
〃On this we all went inland； and Eurylochus was not left behind
after all； but came on too； for he was frightened by the severe
reprimand that I had given him。
〃Meanwhile Circe had been seeing that the men who had been left
behind were washed and anointed with olive oil； she had also given
them woollen cloaks and shirts； and when we came we found them all
comfortably at dinner in her house。 As soon as the men saw each
other face to face and knew one another； they wept for joy and cried
aloud till the whole palace rang again。 Thereon Circe came up to me
and said； 'Ulysses； noble son of Laertes； tell your men to leave off
crying； I know how much you have all of you suffered at sea； and how
ill you have fared among cruel savages on the mainland； but that is
over now； so stay here； and eat and drink till you are once more as
strong and hearty as you were when you left Ithaca； for at present you
are weakened both in body and mind； you keep all the time thinking
of the hardships… you have suffered during your travels； so that you
have no more cheerfulness left in you。'
〃Thus did she speak and we assented。 We stayed with Circe for a
whole twelvemonth feasting upon an untold quantity both of meat and
wine。 But when the year had passed in the waning of moons and the long
days had come round； my men called me apart and said； 'Sir； it is time
you began to think about going home； if so be you are to be spared
to see your house and native country at all。'
〃Thus did they speak and I assented。 Thereon through the livelong
day to the going down of the sun we feasted our fill on meat and wine；
but when the sun went down and it came on dark the men laid themselves
down to sleep in the covered cloisters。 I； however； after I had got
into bed with Circe； besought her by her knees； and the goddess
listened to what I had got to say。 'Circe；' said I； 'please to keep
the promise you made me about furthering me on my homeward voyage。 I
want to get back and so do my men； they are always pestering me with
their complaints as soon as ever your back is turned。'
〃And the goddess answered； 'Ulysses； noble son of Laertes； you shall
none of you stay here any longer if you do not want to； but there is
another journey which you have got to take before you can sail
homewards。 You must go to the house of Hades and of dread Proserpine
to consult the ghost of the blind Theban prophet Teiresias whose
reason is still unshaken。 To him alone has Proserpine left his
understanding even in death； but the other ghosts flit about
aimlessly。'
〃I was dismayed when I heard this。 I sa