Encounters with Circe

Preempting Odysseus, Medea and Jason visit the House of Circe. They approach her as supplicants in the ritual way and ask her for purification from the murder of Apsyrtus.

686 At the end of the encounter between Odysseus and Circe in the Odyssey, we read . . . ἀνα νῆσον ἀπέστιχε δῖα θεάων (Od. 12.143). ἅμ᾿ ἕπεσθαι: Circe is used to men following her and obeying her commands (Od. 10.230). Both Odysseus, though she does entrap his men (and Jason) are exceptions.

687 χειρὶ καταρρέξασα: she does not stroke the Argonauts (the Homeric meaning of καταρρέζω) but makes enticing gestures. δολοφροσύνῃσιν: “in her craftiness” is almost a gloss on the phrase.

687 ἄνωγεν: “ordered.” There is peremptory note here. Circe is used to being obeyed.

688 πληθύς: the rest of the Argonauts apart from Jason and Medea: “throng, crowd.”

689 ἀπηλεγέως: “without paying attention (ἀλέγω). ἐρύσσατο: lit. “he dragged:” aor. mid. 3^rd. sg. < ἐρύω. Does the use of this word denote a certain amount of reluctance on Medea’s part to confront her aunt?

690 ἑσπέσθην: aor. dual of ἕπομαι, emphasising that it is just the two of them that follow Circe to her lair (palace). ἀφίκοντο: dual forms can be mixed with indicatives.

691–2 ἐν λιπαροῖσι κέλευεν / ἥ γε θρόνοις: Circe follows Homeric protocols (Od. 10.233) and sits them in state (λιπαροῖσι) before any questions are asked. ἀμηχανέουσα κιόντων: “at a loss for their coming.” The genitive is one of cause Smyth 1405.

693–4 ἄνεῳ καὶ ἄναυδοι: “quiet and silent,” part of the obligation on blood-guilty suppliants, if they are to achieve purification. ἐφ᾿ ἑστίῃ: the suppliants must sit on (ἵζανον) or by the hearthstone. Jason and Medea rush (ἀίξαντε) to establish themselves there. The use of the dual participle perhaps stresses how closely their fates are linked. ἥ τε δίκη: A.’s description summons up a picture of Odysseus beside Arete’s hearth (Od. 7.153­–4) or Orestes hands dripping with blood and holding a sword (Aesch. Eum. 40­–3) and this comment by A.’s underlines the fact that his account of the associated rituals connected with “wretched suppliants” (λυγροῖς ἱκέτῃσι) will be a full one.

695 Medea places (θεμένη) her forehead (μέτωπα) in both her hands (ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέραις . . . χείρεσσι) as a gesture of supplication. She can only look at Circe directly (726) when the purification has been carried out.

696­–7 Jason buries (πήξας) the “great hilted sword (κωπῆεν μέγα φάσγανον) with which he killed Apsyrtus (ᾧ πέρ τ᾿ Αἰήταο πάιν κτάνεν) in the ground (ἐν χθονὶ) of the hearth because it, too, must be cleansed of blood.

697–8 “They never raised (ἀνέσχεθον) their eyes (ὄσσε) behind their eyelids (ἐνὶ βλεφάροισιν) directly (ἰθὺς).” A very compressed expression. It is difficult to parallel ὄσσε combined with ἐνὶ βλεφάροισιν. ἀνέσχεθον: < aor. ind. act. 3^rd. pl. ἀνασχέθω.

699 φύξιον οἶτον: “their fate as exiles.” A. is thinking of Ζεύς Φύξιος (118n.) as well as Ἱκεσίος (see below). ἀλιτροσύνας τε φόνοιο: “the sinfulness of murder.” An elaborate phrase in keeping with the tone of the scene: the abstract noun is a coinage by A.

700 ressembles Od. 14.283 Διὸς δ' ὠπίζετο μῆνιν / Ξεινίου (μῆνιν~ θέμιν).

701 On the one hand (μέγα μέν), Zeus shows great anger (κοτέει) towards murderers (ἀνδροφόνοισιν) but also (μέγα δ’) greatly aids them (ἀρήγει) by permitting rites of purification. The noun κότος is frequent in Aeschylus (Aesch. Supp. 347 Ζηνὸς ἱκεσίου κ.) but never occurs in Sophocles. It maintains the Aeschylean tone of the whole scene. The repetition of μέγα perhaps gives us a sense of the words that Circe might have used in the ritual that she now carries out.

702 These lines make clear the purpose of the ritual sacrifice (θυηπολίην) that Circe is carrying out (ῥέζε). The polysyllabic ἀπολυμαίνονται, “they are cleansed,” (taken from Il. 1.313–14) adds weight to the statement.

703 νηλειεῖς: the transmitted text has presented problems of interpretation. νηλειεῖς (or νηληεῖς), used of the Fury at 476, can be defended. “Ruthless, pitiless suppliants” is an unexpected oxymoron but Zeus has just been spoken of as helping murderers (701), νηλής is used in a similar context at 4.587–9 Κίρκη φόνον Ἀψύρτοιο / νηλέα νίψειεν and νηλής itself can mean both “pitiless” and “unpitied.” Jason ad Medea are pitiless in the sense that they have killed Apsyrtus by means of a sordid ambush but also unpitied because Circe, although she performs the purification ritual on their behalf, sends them away with harsh words (745­–6). ὅτ᾿ ἐφέστιοι ἀντιόωσιν: “when they make supplications at the hearth.”

704 ἀτρέπτοιο λυτήριον ἥ γε φόνοιο: “as an expiation of irreparable murder:” another oxymoron, perhaps (“What's done cannot be undone,” Lady Macbeth, Green 1997, 321) on the lines of “ruthless suppliants.” A. is emphasising that, while the ritual can cleanse, it cannot remove the fact that the deed has been done and that it is has consequences (see above.)

705–17 the most detailed extant literary account from the Greek world of the ritual prescribed for purifying a murderer of his bloodguilt; see further Green ibid., 322.

705 τειναμένη καθύπερθε: “stretching above (Jason and Medea).” συὸς τέκος: “the young of a sow.”

706 πλήμυρον: “were flowing (with milk).” λοχίης ἐκ νηδύος: lit. “from a stomach which had given birth.”

707 τέγγεν: blood for blood: “she soaked their hands.” ἐπιτμήγουσα δέρην: “cutting the throat.”

708 μείλισσεν: “she propitiated.” χύτλοισι: “with poured offerings.” Καθάρσιον: “(Zeus) the cleanser (from guilt or defilement.)

709 παλαμναίων τιμήορον ἱκεσιάων: the text is uncertain, but the meaning is clear; “succourer of the supplications of murderers.” A. uses similarly τιμήορος at 4.1358 ἡρῷσσαι, Λιβύης τιμήοροι ἠδὲ θύγατρες, when talking of the heroines of Libya as tutelary guardians.

710 ἀθρόα πάντα δόμων ἐκ λύματ'(α): the polluted scourings (Green’s translation) are taken out of the house as unclean defilement. ἐκ . . . ἔνεικαν: verb in tmesis with ἐκ also governing δόμων.

711 νηιάδες πρόπολοι: “attendant Naiads.” Circe’s maids here have very different tasks from those fully described at Od. 10.352­–9.

712 ἡ δ᾿: while the servants clear away, Circe continues the ritual, in order to make sure that the Erinyes (Furies) are happy. πελανοὺς: mixture offered to the gods and the dead, of meal, honey, and oil, which could be either poured or burnt on a fire, as here. μείλικτρά τε νηφαλίῃσιν . . . ἐπ᾿ εὐχωλῇσι: “offerings with wineless prayers.” The Erinyes received libations of milk and honey but not wine.

713–14 ὄφρα χόλοιο / σμερδαλέας παύσειεν Ἐρινύας: “(offered up prayers) that the terrible Furies would cease from their wrath.”

714 ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὸς: that is to say, Zeus, the Furies’ master.

715 εὐμειδής. . .ἤπιος: “propitious and gentle. πέλοιτο: pres. opt. 3^rd. sg. < πέλω. ἀμφοτέροισιν: “to them both,” i.e. Jason and Medea.

716–17 εἴτ᾿ . . . εἴτε: “whether . . . or.” Circe’s prayer covers all the alternatives. ὀθνείῳ . . . αἵματι: “blood of a stranger.” μεμιασμένοι: perf. part. nom. pl. < μιαίνω.

717 ἐμφύλῳ: also dependent on μεμιασμένοι: “blood of a kinsman.” Obviously, this refers to Jason and Medea, though judging from the way in which the rest of the scene develops, Circe seems to be unaware of this. προσκηδέες: uncertain meaning: “full of cares,” or, to be taken only with 717, “as kinsfolk.” ἀντιόωσιν: pres. ind. act. 3rd pl. < ἀντιάω.

718–20 After the Aeschylean purification ceremony, the Homeric conventionalities are resumed based on Od. 12.34(Odysseus and Circe), 10.365–6, and Alcinous’s treatment of Odysseus at Od. 7.167–71. εἷσεν: aor. ind. act. 3^rd. sg. < ἵζω: Od. 4.51 ἐς θρόνους, 3.389 κατὰ κλισμούς. The chairs or thrones (θρόνοισιν) are “polished.” ἀναστήσασα: “having raised them up,” presumably from the crouching, supplicatory position that they had adopted on the hearth.

721–3 χρειὼ ναυτιλίην τε: “their purpose and their voyage” (hendiadys): typical Homeric questioning (Il. 21.150, Od. 1.170 τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν). Remarkably, Circe seems to have little idea of why they are there, even though their first action was to seek the hearth (αὔτως, “just like that”) in the manner of suppliants (ἱδρύθησαν ἐφέστιοι).

723–4 μνῆστις ἀεικελίη: “the woeful memory (of the dreams).” δῦνεν φρένας ὁρμαίνουσαν: “entered her mind, as she thought.” (Smyth 985). Her conclusions remain, for the moment, unspoken.

725 “she longed to hear the native language of the girl, i.e. her own language.” Realisation is beginning to dawn. ἴδμεναι: perf. inf. act. < οἶδα.

726 αὐτίχ᾿ ὅπως: “as soon as.” ἐνόησεν: “saw,” (and drew the obvious conclusion; see 682–3n.). ὄσσε βαλοῦσαν: “directing her gaze.” (LSJ Aii 4). ἀπ᾿ οὔδεος: from the ground, i.e. Medea finally has the courage to look her aunt, directly in the eye. Recently published (Benaissa 2019, 94) papyri present new readings: ενοησε ⟦κατ⟧ ⸌επ⸍, which represents an original papyrus reading of κατ᾽, with an inserted second thought of ἐπ᾽. Either new reading would give a new meaning to the passage: "Circe notices Medea's shiny eyes not when she takes them off (ἀπ᾽ οὔδεος) the ground, but rather when she casts them down on it . . . M.'s downcast look would reflect her deep grief and sense of shame in coming before Circe, her aunt, to atone for Apsyrtus' murder." (Benaissa ibid.).

727 πᾶσα γὰρ Ἠελίου γενεή: “the whole race of the sun.” This includes Aietes, Medea and Circe.

728–9 This is a complete explanation of the remarkable eyes attributed to the children of the Sun (but see 682–3n.). βλεφάρων . . . αἴγλην: “through the gleaming (μαρμαρυγῇσιν) of their eyes (βλεφάρων) into the distance (ἀποτηλόθι) they sent out (ἵεσαν) a radiance (αἴγλην) in front of them (ἀντώπιον), as if it were gold (οἷόν τε χρυσέην).”

730 τὰ ἕκαστα διειρομένῃ: “asking for each detail.” Circe wants the whole truth but, as becomes clears in the following lines, she only gets part of it (the murder of Apsyrtus is omitted). A.’s comment (737) and her concluding speech, however, make it quite plain that she is fully aware of the situation.

731 Κολχίδα γῆρυν ἱεῖσα: “speaking the Colchian language.” A very important fact comes first. Jason will be excluded and will not know that Medea gives her Aunt a somewhat edited version of events.

731–2 βαρύφρονος Αἰήταο/κούρη: “the daughter of grim-minded Aietes.” μειλιχίως: “gently.” There is a deliberate contrast here between the bluntness of Aietes and the deceptive editing of the facts that Medea is attempting to use. ἠμὲν στόλον ἠδὲ κελεύθους: “the quest and journeyings (of the heroes).”

733 θοοῖς ἐμόγησαν ἀέθλοις: “(how) they strove in the swift contests.” Pindar talks of “swift” μάχαι (P. 8.26). Ares, warriors and fighting can, also, be θοός (LSJ) To use it with ἀέθλοις seems a natural extension.

734 ὥς τε: “and how.” κασιγνήτης πολυκηδέος. . .βουλαῖς: “by the plans of an anguished sister.” ἤλιτε: aor. ind. act. 3rd sg. < ἀλιταίνω. “she sinned.” This refers to the request that Chalciope makes of Medea in Book 3 to help Jason. She is not reluctant to fall in with this request (3.688–980).

735 ἀπονόσφιν ἄλυξεν: aor. ind. act. 3^rd. sg. < ἀλύσκω. “fled far away from:”. ὑπέρβια δείματα πατρός: “the violent terrors of her fathers.” These threats are a feature of the opening lines of Book 4.

736 σὺν παισὶν Φρίξοιο: after she escapes from Aietes’ palace, she does make her first appeal for help to the sons of Phrixus. Medea avoids mentioning her appeal to Jason and the arrangements that she makes with him.

736–7 φόνον δ᾿ . . . / Ἀψύρτου: crucially, she also avoids (ἀλέεινεν) saying anything about the murder of Apsyrtus.

737 τὴν δ᾿ οὔ τι νόῳ λάθεν: “but she did not escape her attention.” Circe was not deceived, as the following blunt speech makes absolutely clear. νόῳ:“in her mind, (i.e. Circe’s). ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπης: “but even so, nonetheless.”

738 μυρομένην ἐλέαιρεν: “moved by her tears (μυρομένην) to pity.” ἐπί: “in addition.” (LSJ E1): “still addressed her thus.” Circe may feel sorry for her niece but in the speech that follows does not mince her words.

Bibliography:

Benaissa, Amin, S. Slattery, and W.B. Henry, (eds.) 2019. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri Vol. LXXXIV. https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-oxyrhynchus-papyri-vol-lxxxiv-9780856….