“The Witch Circe”

1. “The Witch Circe” • Odysseus and his men arrive on Circe’s island after they opened a sack containing the winds. • The crew thought that the sack contained treasures Odysseus was hiding from them. • Eurylochus and 23 men explore the island of Circe. • Circe feeds them and changes the men into swine. • Eurylochus alarms Odysseus.

2. Odysseus is helped by Hermes • Odysseus is given a plant to weaken the powers of Circe: she is enthralled by the fact that he can resist her potion. • She frees Odysseus’ men since he has overcome her. • She persuades Odysseus to stay with her. • Odysseus and his men ask for her help home because their hearts are wearing away for loss of home. • Circe says Odysseus must travel to the land of the dead and talk with Teiresias.

3. “The Land of the Dead” • Odysseus finds Teiresias in the underworld and hears predictions from him. • He predicts Odysseus’ men will die for slaughtering the cattle of Helios. • Odysseus will be the only survivor of his crew.

4. “The Sirens: Scylla and Charybdis” • Odysseus is warned by Circe to not listen to the sirens’ song. • Odysseus is tied to the mast • His men plug their ears with beeswax • The song causes men to go to the sirens • Scylla and Charbdis • Monsters of a sort • Charbdis: creates a whirlpool • Scylla: Tentacled monster • Scylla claims the lives of six crew men

5. “The Cattle of the Sun God” • Odysseus warns his crew to leave the cattle alone. • Warning of Circe • Warning of Teiresias • The crew becomes famished on the island • Eurylochus convinces the men to eat the cattle instead of dying of starvation. • As a result, the men are killed on the sea by Zeus’ thunderbolt. Only Odysseus survives.