"ὣς ἔφαν, αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γ᾽ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.475

ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα

ἥμεθα, δαινύμενοι κρέα τ᾽ ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ·

ἦμος δ᾽ ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθεν,

οἱ μὲν κοιμήσαντο κατὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ Κίρκης ἐπιβὰς περικαλλέος εὐνῆς480

γούνων ἐλλιτάνευσα, θεὰ δέ μευ ἔκλυεν αὐδῆς·

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·

‘ὢ Κίρκη, τέλεσόν μοι ὑπόσχεσιν ἥν περ ὑπέστης,

οἴκαδε πεμψέμεναι: θυμὸς δέ μοι ἔσσυται ἤδη,

ἠδ᾽ ἄλλων ἑτάρων, οἵ μευ φθινύθουσι φίλον κῆρ485

ἀμφ᾽ ἔμ᾽ ὀδυρόμενοι, ὅτε που σύ γε νόσφι γένηαι.’

ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ᾽ αὐτίκ᾽ ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων·

‘διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχαν᾽ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

μηκέτι νῦν ἀέκοντες ἐμῷ ἐνὶ μίμνετε οἴκῳ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἄλλην χρὴ πρῶτον ὁδὸν τελέσαι καὶ ἱκέσθαι490

εἰς Ἀίδαο δόμους καὶ ἐπαινῆς Περσεφονείης,

ψυχῇ χρησομένους Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο,

μάντηος ἀλαοῦ, τοῦ τε φρένες ἔμπεδοί εἰσι·

τῷ καὶ τεθνηῶτι νόον πόρε Περσεφόνεια,

οἴῳ πεπνῦσθαι, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀίσσουσιν.’495

ὣς ἔφατ᾽, αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γε κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ·

κλαῖον δ᾽ ἐν λεχέεσσι καθήμενος, οὐδέ νύ μοι κῆρ

ἤθελ᾽ ἔτι ζώειν καὶ ὁρᾶν φάος ἠελίοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίων τε κυλινδόμενος τ᾽ ἐκορέσθην,

καὶ τότε δή μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·500

‘ὢ Κίρκη, τίς γὰρ ταύτην ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσει;

εἰς Ἄϊδος δ᾽ οὔ πώ τις ἀφίκετο νηὶ μελαίνῃ.’

    Odysseus begs Circe to fulfill her promise to send him home. Circe tells Odysseus of his visit to Hades.

    The crew’s embassy to their captain becomes the pivot around which the rest of the episode turns. From now on, the paradigm of the dangerously seductive woman, with all of its dark implications for the psychic integrity of the hero, will give way to preparation for the next big adventure, a journey to the land of the dead.

    read full essay

    When Odysseus goes to Circe, he kneels in supplication, begging for her to allow them to continue toward Ithaka. This gesture recalls Circe’s response to the failure of her drugs to subdue Odysseus (10.321–24) and forms a frame around this part of the episode, an example of “ring form,” a structural device frequently found in Homeric epic and elsewhere in archaic Greek literature. Now the power dynamic between Odysseus and Circe that Hermes’s intervention created is reversed. The witch is back in control, holding special knowledge that will help the hero reach home.

    The next adventure finally comes into view as Circe breaks the news to Odysseus that his journey home will have a detour to Hades, to consult the sage Teiresias about how to reach Ithaka. The news shatters Odysseus’s heart and he falls on the bed, weeping and again contemplating suicide, as he did when discovering that his men had opened the bag of winds and blown them away from Ithaka. The gesture is certainly understandable in both cases: being within sight of home after twenty years, only to be denied at the last minute, would be shattering for anyone, while visiting the land of the dead is the most perilous adventure a hero can pursue. On another level, the hero’s physical and emotional response to both situations is proleptic, symbolically enacting the terrible events to come, moving downward toward death. We see something similar when Antilochus brings the news of Patroclus’s death to Achilles in Book 18 of the Iliad:

    ὣς φάτο, τὸν δ᾽ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα:
    ἀμφοτέρῃσι δὲ χερσὶν ἑλὼν κόνιν αἰθαλόεσσαν
    χεύατο κὰκ κεφαλῆς, χαρίεν δ᾽ ᾔσχυνε πρόσωπον:
    νεκταρέῳ δὲ χιτῶνι μέλαιν᾽ ἀμφίζανε τέφρη.
    αὐτὸς δ᾽ ἐν κονίῃσι μέγας μεγαλωστὶ τανυσθεὶς
    κεῖτο, φίλῃσι δὲ χερσὶ κόμην ᾔσχυνε δαΐζων.

    So [Antilochus] spoke, and a black cloud of pain covered [Achilles].
    Gathering the grimy dust in both hands,
    he poured it over his head, fouling his handsome face,
    and the dark ash blackened his immortal tunic.
    He himself lay stretched out in his might in the dust,
    tearing his hair with his hands to defile it.

    Iliad 18.22–27

    Hearing the terrible news mortifies Achilles, pulling him toward death. He tries to bury himself, covering his face with dirt, stretched out like a corpse. When his mother comes to comfort him, she holds his head, creating a tableau that mimics a loved one grieving over a dead man. When Patroclus dies, something of Achilles dies too; when the specter of failing to reach home surfaces for Odysseus, it feels like death to him.

    In this crucial moment in the larger structure of the story, we might pause to reflect on how Homer controls his narrative and our response to it. Looking at the Books 9–12 as a whole, we can see that the material is shaped around a few major episodes, each of which reflects major ongoing themes in the poem, the conflicting forces at work in and on the hero, the imperatives in the story’s rhetoric that shape our response to the characters and events. In between are smaller episodes, each preserving and advancing the major themes of the story but with its own particular cast of characters. Homer must consistently engage his audience—who are hearing the poem recited rather than reading a fixed text—with the details of each episode, while continuously laying the foundation for the poem’s larger structure.

    Looking at Book 10 from this perspective, we note that once Hermes intervenes and arranges for Odysseus to be invulnerable to Circe’s magic, the witch ceases to be a threat to the hero’s mission and the poet has a problem: when the motif of the dangerously seductive woman fades away, it takes with it the energy generated by our investment in the hero escaping her wiles. Eurylochus’ anxiety and distrust do keep the motif of the dangerous seductress alive for a little longer—another explanation for this curious interlude—but when Odysseus leads his men from the ship to the witch’s house, Homer turns toward the next big adventure. Circe now functions entirely as the benign boundary figure, whose advice points the Greeks toward the future. When Odysseus collapses on the witch’s bed, a new source of energy appears, crippling fear of the unknown. The serenity and joy of the Greeks’ yearlong party, which also gave us some respite from the continuous dramatic tension of the adventures, are now swept away by new fears:

    ὢ Κίρκη, τίς γὰρ ταύτην ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσει;
    εἰς Ἄϊδος δ᾽ οὔ πώ τις ἀφίκετο νηὶ μελαίνῃ.

    Oh Circe, who will lead us on this journey?
    For no one has ever arrived in Hades in a black ship.

    Odyssey 501–2

     

    Further Reading

    Edwards, M.W. 1987. Homer: Poet of the Iliad. 1987, 61–69. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press.

     

    475  same line as 406, with ἐμοί for ἡμῖν.

    476-478  repetition of lines 183–85, 9.556–58, and 12.28–30. These lines are missing in many MS(S). and may be an interpolation.

    478  ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε: “darkness came around again,” tmesis > ἐπέρχομαι.

    479  κοιμήσαντο: “fell asleep,” aor. mid. > κοιμάω.

    481  γούνων ἐλλιτάνευσα: "implored by clasping her knees," 1st sing. aor. > λιτανεύω. The verb is regularly accompanied by a partitive genitive, in this case γούνων (Smyth 1347). Clasping someone by the knees is a traditional gesture of supplication in Homer.

    481  αὐδῆς: genitive of source with verb of hearing (Smyth 1361).

    484  πεμψέμεναι: “namely, to send,” aor. infin., in apposition to ὑπόσχεσιν (Smyth 1987).

    484  ἔσσυται: “is eager,” 3rd sing. pf. mid. > σεύω, with the force of a present tense (Monro 28; Smyth 1946).

    486  ὅτε … νόσφι γένεαι: "whenever you are away," "whenever you're not around," general temporal clause, ἄν omitted (Monro 283; Smyth 2402). 

    486  γένεαι: 2nd sing. aor. mid. subj.

    490  χρὴ: “it is necessary for you to,” “you must.” Understand ὑμᾶς with χρὴ, which takes an accusative and infinitive.

    490  ὁδὸν: “journey,” fem. acc. sing.

    492  χρησομένους: “to consult with …,” followed by a dative; future participle expressing purpose. For χράομαι, “to consult with an oracle or seer,” see LSJ χράω (B) III.

    493  μάντηος: gen. sing. > μάντις, which declines like πόλις.

    493  ἔμπεδοί: "unchanged." As explained in the following lines, even though he's in the Underworld, he still has the prophetic powers he possessed in life.

    494  τῷ καὶ τεθνηῶτι: “to him even in death,” dative indirect object of πόρε (unaugmented impf.).

    495  οἴῳ: agreeing with τῷ in 494.

    495  πεπνῦσθαι: "to have understanding," infinitive of purpose (Smyth 2008).

    495  τοὶ … ἀΐσσουσιν: “but the others flit like shadows” (Edwards).

    497  κλαῖον: unaugmented 1st sing. impf.

    497  λεχέεσσι: dat. pl. > λέχος, used as singular (Monro 171; Smyth 1000). λέχος declines like ἔπος.

    497–98  οὐδέ ... / ... ἔτι: “no longer.”

    497  νύ: νῦν

    499  κλαίων τε κυλινδόμενός τ᾽: supplementary participles with ἐκορέσθην (“I had my fill of …”).

    501  τίς γὰρ: in questions, γάρ expresses “surprise or indignation” (Monro 348.4; Smyth 2805a). Like many Greek particles, it affects the tone of the sentence, but is difficult to translate with complete accuracy.

    502  εἰς Ἄϊδος: “to the house of Hades.” The accusative that properly takes the preposition is regularly omitted in Homer (Smyth 1302).

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet 475

    ἐπιπείθομαι ἐπιπείσομαι ἐπεπιθόμην – ἐπιπέπεισμαι ἐπεπείσθην: to be persuaded (to)

    ἀγήνωρ –ορος: manly, courageous, heroic

    πρόπας –ασα –αν: all

    ἦμαρ –ατος τό: day

    καταδύω καταδύσω καταδέδυκα/κατέδυν καταδέδυμαι καταδεδύθην: to sink; (of the sun) to set

    ἧμαι (or κάθημαι) ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: sit

    δαίνυμι δαίσω ἔδαισα: (act.) to give a banquet, distribute (food); (mid.) to share a meal; to feast (on), eat (+ acc.)

    κρέα κρεῶν τά: meat, piece of meat

    ἄσπετος –ον: immense, abundant, infinite

    μέθυ –υος τό: wine, mead

    ἦμος: when, while

    καταδύω καταδύσω καταδέδυκα/κατέδυν καταδέδυμαι καταδεδύθην: to sink; (of the sun) to set

    κνέφας –ους τό: darkness, evening dusk, twilight

    κοιμάω κοιμήσω ἐκοίμησα κεκοίμηκα κεκοίμημαι ἐκοιμήθην: (act.) to put to bed, lull; (mid. and pass.) to go to bed, lay down

    μέγαρον –ου τό: a large room, hall, feast-hall

    σκιόεις –εσσα –εν: shady, shadowy

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet 480

    Κίρκη –ης ἡ: Circe, the enchantress, daughter of Helius, sister of Aeētes, dwelling in the isle of Aeaea

    ἐπιβαίνω ἐπιβήσομαι ἐπέβην ἐπιβέβηκα ––– –––: to go on, enter, step up, mount, board (a ship) + gen.

    περικαλλής –ές: very beautiful

    εὐνή εὐνῆς ἡ: pallet, bed, den; (pl.) stones (to anchor a ship), anchors

    γόνυ γόνατος (or γουνός) τό: knee

    λιτανεύω λιτανεύσω ἐλλιτάνευσα: to pray, entreat

    θεά –ᾶς ἡ: goddess

    κλύω ––– κέκλυκα ––– ––– –––: to hear, listen to; to have a reputation, be judged or considered

    αὐδή –ῆς ἡ: the human voice, speech

    μιν: (accusative singular third person pronoun) him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    φωνέω φωνήσω ἐφώνησα πεφώνηκα πεφώνημαι ἐφωνήθην: to make a sound, speak

    πτερόεις πτερόεσσα πτερόεν: winged

    προσαυδάω προσαυδήσω προσηύδησα προσηύδηκα προσηύδημαι προσηυδήθην: to speak to, address, accost

    τελέω τελῶ or τελέσω ἐτέλεσα τετέλεκα τετέλεσμαι ἐτελέσθην: to finish, complete, carry out

    ὑπόσχεσις –εως ἡ: an undertaking, engagement, promise

    ὑφίστημι (Ion. ὑπίστημι) ὑποστήσω ὑπέστησα: to place under; mid. to submit, to promise

    οἴκαδε: homeward

    σεύω σεύσω ἔσσευα – ἔσσυμαι ἐσσύθην/ἐσύθην: to shake, push, hurl; to drive back, chase, hunt; (mid. pass.) to hurl oneself, leap, rush, be eager

    ἠδέ: and 485

    ἑταῖρος –ου ὁ: comrade, companion

    φθινύθω – – – – –: to perish, waste away; to waste, consume

    κῆρ κῆρος τό: heart, mind

    ὀδύρομαι ὀδυροῦμαι ὠδυράμην ––– ––– κατωδύρθην/ὠδύρθην: grieve

    νόσφι: aloof, apart, afar, away

    ἀμείβω ἀμείψω ἤμειψα ἤμειφα ἤμειμμαι ἠμείφθην: to respond, answer; to exchange; (mid.) to take turns, alternate; to change, place, pass

    δῖος –α –ον: divine, godlike, shining

    θεά –ᾶς ἡ: goddess

    διογενής –ές: sprung from Zeus (epithet of Odysseus)

    Λαερτιάδης –ου ὁ: son of Laertes (Odysseus)

    πολυμήχανος –ον: full of resources, inventive, ever-ready

    Ὀδυσσεύς –έως ὁ: Odysseus, king of Ithaca, hero of the Odyssey

    μηκέτι: no more, no longer

    ἀέκων –ουσα –ον: unwillingly

    μίμνω ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to remain, wait

    τελέω τελῶ or τελέσω ἐτέλεσα τετέλεκα τετέλεσμαι ἐτελέσθην: to finish, complete, carry out 490

    ἱκνέομαι ἵξομαι ἱκόμην ––– ἷγμαι –––: to come, reach

    ᾍδης –ου ὁ: Hades

    δόμος –ου ὁ: house, home

    ἐπαινός -ή -όν: dread, terrifying, awesome (epithet of Persephone)

    Περσεφόνη –ης ἡ: Persephone, Proserpine

    χράω χρήσω ἔκρησα κέχρηκα ––– –––: to fall upon, attack, assail; deliver an oracle, (mid.) consult an oracle

    Θηβαῖος –η/–α –ον: Theban

    Τειρεσίας –ου ὁ: Tiresias, a seer of Thebes

    μάντις –εως ὁ: prophet

    ἀλαός –όν: blind

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    ἔμπεδος –ον: firm-set, steadfast, constant, unchanged; (in neuter as adverb) firmly, steadily

    πόρω ––– ἔπορον ––– ––– –––: to offer, furnish, supply, give; (pf. pass. 3 sing.) it is fated

    οἶος –α –ον: alone

    πνέω πμεύσομαι/πνευσοῦμαι ἔπνευσα πέπνευκα ––– ἐπνεύσθην: breathe, be prudent 495

    σκιά –ᾶς ἡ: a shadow

    ἀίσσω ––– ἤῑξα ἀίξασκον ––– ἠίχθην: to rise up

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

    κατακλάω κατακλάσω κατέκλασα – κατακέκλασμαι κατεκλάσθην: to break, shatter; (pass.) to be broken (figuratively of the heart or spirit)

    ἦτορ τό: the heart

    κλαίω/κλάω κλαύσομαι/κλαήσω ἔκλαυσα ––– κέκλαυμαι/κέκλαυσμαι ἐκλαύσθην: weep, cry

    λέχος –ους τό: a couch, bed

    κάθημαι καθήσομαι ––– ––– ––– ––– imp: ἐκαθήμην: be seated, sit; reside

    κῆρ κῆρος τό: heart, mind

    ζῶ (or ζώω) ζήσω ἔζησα (or ἔζωσα) ἔζηκα: live

    φάος –ους τό: light, daylight

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

    κλαίω/κλάω κλαύσομαι/κλαήσω ἔκλαυσα ––– κέκλαυμαι/κέκλαυσμαι ἐκλαύσθην: weep, cry

    κυλίνδω ἐκύλισα κεκύλισμαι ἐκυλίσθην: to roll, roll along; to wallow

    κορέννυμι (Ion. κορέω) κορέσω ἐκόρεσα κεκόρεσμαι ἐκορέσθην: to sate, satiate, satisfy

    μιν: (accusative singular third person pronoun) him, her, it; himself, herself, itself 500

    ἀμείβω ἀμείψω ἤμειψα ἤμειφα ἤμειμμαι ἠμείφθην: to respond, answer; to exchange; (mid.) to take turns, alternate; to change, place, pass

    προσεῖπον (aor. 2 of προσαγορεύω and προσφωνέω); Εp. προσέειπον: to speak to one, address, accost

    ἡγεμονεύω ἡγεμονεύσω ἡγεμόνευσα: to lead, guide, conduct

    Ἀΐδης –ου ὁ: Hades

    πω: up to this time, yet

    μέλας μέλαινα μέλαν: black, dark, obscure

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    Suggested Citation

    Thomas Van Nortwick and Rob Hardy, Homer: Odyssey 5–12. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2024. ISBN: 978-1-947822-17-7 https://dcc.dickinson.edu/homer-odyssey/x-475-502