entered her dwelling and she brought me
to a chair and put a footstool under my feet. Then she brought me in a
golden cup the wine into which she had cast a harmful drug.'

'As she handed me the cup I drew my sword and sprang at her as one eager
to slay her. She shrank back from me and cried out, "Who art thou who
art able to guess at my enchantments? Verily, thou art Odysseus, of whom
Hermes told me. Nay, put up thy sword and let us two be friendly to each
other. In all things I will treat thee kindly."'

'But I said to her, "Nay, Circe, you must swear to me first that thou
wilt not treat me guilefully."'

[Illustration]

'She swore by the gods that she would not treat me guilefully, and I put
up my sword. Then the handmaidens of Circe prepared a bath, and I bathed
and rubbed myself with olive oil, and Circe gave me a new mantle and
doublet. The handmaidens brought out silver tables, and on them set
golden baskets with bread and meat in them, and others brought cups of
honey-tasting wine. I sat before a silver table but I had no pleasure in
the food before me.'

'When Circe saw me sitting silent and troubled she said, "Why, Odysseus,
dost thou sit like a speechless man? Dost thou think there is a drug in
this food? But I have sworn that I will not treat thee guilefully, and
that oath I shall keep."'

'And I said to her, "O Circe, Enchantress, what man of good heart could
take meat and drink while his companions are as swine in swine-pens? If
thou wouldst have me eat and drink, first let me see my companions in
their own forms."'

'Circe, when she heard me say this, went to the swine-pen and anointed
each of the swine that was there with a charm. As she did, the bristles
dropped away and the limbs of the man were seen. My companions became
men again, and were even taller and handsomer than they had been
before.'

'After that we lived on Circe's island in friendship with the
enchantress. She did not treat us guilefully again and we feasted in her
house for a year.'

'But in all of us there was a longing to return to our own land. And my
men came to me and craved that I should ask Circe to let us go on our
homeward way. She gave us leave to go and she told us of the many
dangers we should meet on our voyage.'

VI

When the sun sank and darkness came on, my men went to lie by the
hawsers of the ship. Then Circe the Enchantress took my hand, and,
making me sit down by her, told me of the voyage that