Odyssey Notes, Laestrygonians & Circe

Land of the Laestrygonians

• Laestrygonians = giant cannibals
• Laestrygonians destroy all ships but O’s

The Island of Aeaea and the Witch Circe

• Eurylochus (a liar) takes 23 men to explore island
• Men find Circe in small stone house
• Wild animals around the house act tame
• She is pretty, singing, and weaving a rug
• All men went inside house but Eurylochus
• Eurylochus thought it was a trick
• Circe turns O’s men into pigs
• Eurylochus goes back to O and tells; no one believes
• O finally decides to investigate
• Hermes stops him on the way; gives him moly
• Moly is special plant which will protect him from Circe’s magic spells
• Moly is poisonous to humans unless a gift from a god
• Hermes tells O:
• act like you will kill her
• She’ll ask you to stay with her; agree to do so
• Tell her to promise: no more tricks
• Tell her: “Release my men”
• O stays with Circe 1 year
• Circe tells O to visit Tereisias