Circe is now famously known as one of the central characters within Homer’s Odyssey. Circe though is a character who also appears in other stories of Greek mythology, and her tale is far more complex than simply one of a lover of Odysseus.

Known as a sorceress and enchantress, Circe was the daughter of Helios, the god of the sun, and Perse, an Oceanid. This parentage also made Circe sister to Pasiphae, Perses, Colchis and Aeetes; and also aunt to another sorceress, Medea.

Circe was said to live in a large house on the island of Aeaea; an otherwise unidentified island in the Mediterranean.

There are many stories written about Circe, but a common theme told of the sorceress all proclaim her ability to transform those who had wronged her into animals through a mixture of potions, spells and a wand.

A jealous lover

Circe was a jealous sorceress and woman, and having fallen in love with Glaucus, she rid herself of competition by turning Scylla into a sea monster with six heads. Scylla becoming a monster that would come to guard one side of a narrow strait of water.

Similarly, Picus was also transformed by Circe because he spurned her advances, and thus he became a woodpecker, although this was a later Roman myth rather than an original Greek one.

Circe and Odysseus

It was on the island of Aeaea though that Circe comes to prominence in the work of Homer.

Odysseus and his crew are on the return journey from the ruins of Troy when they come across Circe weaving in front of her house. The house itself is surrounded by a menagerie of animals, all of which appear to be welcoming to strangers. Unbeknownst to Odysseus’ crew, these animals are all previous victims of Circe’s anger.

The crew though are welcomed forward by the sorceress, Odysseus himself though remained with a small part of his crew on board his vessel. 

Fooled by the hospitable nature of Circe, Odysseus’ crew partook of a feast that was placed before them. Circe though had already marinated the food in front of them with a potion designed to turn them all into pigs. It is a potion that works on all seated at the feast other than Eurylochus who did not eat from the feast before him. As his crew mates were transformed, Eurylochus went to warn his leader.

Odysseus was given some assistance by Hermes, who offered advice as well as a magic herb to protect him from the potions of Circe.

Of course, Circe attempted to transform Odysseus, just as she had done with his crew. Finding the potion not working on her intended victim, Circe instead decides to try and seduce him so that she can attack him in some other way. Hermes though had warned the hero about this, and offered a way of avoiding an attack by invoking the names of the other Olympian gods.

Eventually Circe turned from antagonist to friend, and with his crew restored to human form, they all remained as guests of the sorceress for a year; and Odysseus and Circe were to become lovers.

Odysseus eventually longed for his own home, and Circe gladly offered advice on the route home, including help in avoiding the monster of her own creation, Scylla.

Children of Circe

It is said though that the relationship between Odysseus and Circe brought forth either one or three sons. Telegonus is named in most sources, and it was he that went on to rule the Etruscans or the Tyrsenians. Other sources also put forward the names of Latinus and Agrius as additional sons.

The story of Odysseus is taken up by other authors after Homer’s Odyssey, and other writers tell of how Telegonus kills his father by mistake upon a visit to Ithaca. Telegonus thereafter marries his stepmother, Penelope, whilst Telemachus, the son of Penelope and Odysseus, marries Circe, and all become immortal.

Circe is also said to be mother to Aega, known as a goddess of the sun. Aega was said to have been born out of the ocean’s water, being brought forth as a shield of ice.

Helpful Circe

The benevolent Circe appears in other tales of Greek mythology. It was the sorceress who gave absolution to Jason, Medea and the Argonauts, after Apsyrtus was murdered to aid their own escape. It was seen as an even more benevolent act by the fact that Apsyrtus was the nephew of Circe, being the son of her brother, Aeetes.

Circe was a complex figure in Greek mythology, just as Medea was, and was capable of great evil but also of great kindness.