Circe
Circe, daughter of the Sun, a sorceress
Frieze-Dennison Vergil
- = Κίρκη, the daughter of the Sun and of Perse or Perseis, sister of Aeetes, a sea-nymph, distinguished for her magic arts, whose abode, after her flight from Colchis, was said to be in the region of the promontory of Circeii, in Latium, Cic. N. D. 3, 19, 48; id. Off. 1, 31, 113; Verg. E. 8, 70; id. A. 7, 20 and 282, Ov. M. 4, 205; 13, 968; 14, 10; 14, 247 sq.; 14, 312 sq.; id. R. Am. 263; 287; Hyg. Fab. 125; 156; 199; Plin. 25, 2, 5, § 10; Tib. 2, 4, 55; Hor. C. 1, 17, 20; id. Ep. 1, 2, 23 et saep.—Traces of divine homage paid to her among the Circeii; v. in Inscr. Orell. 1849; cf. Cic. N. D. 3, 19, 48.—Hence,
- II Circaeus, a, um, adj., pertaining to Circe, Circean. poculum, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 17, 57: gramen, i.e. magical, poisoning, Prop. 2, 1, 53: campi, i e. the region of Colchis, the native land of Circe, Val. Fl. 5, 328; 6, 426, where also is the town Circaeum, Plin. 6, 4, 4, § 13: litus, the Circeian promontory, Ov. M. 14, 248; cf. id. ib. 14, 348: terra, Circeii, Verg. A. 7, 10: moenia, i. e. Tusculum, after its builder, Telegonus, the son of Circe, Hor. Epod. 1, 30; cf. dorsum, the Hill of Tusculum, Sil. 7, 692.
(Κίρκη), a mythical sorceress, whom Homer calls a fair-locked goddess, a daughter of Helios by the oceanid Perse, and a sister of Aeetes. (Od. 10.135.) She lived in the island of Aeaea; and when Odysseus on his wanderings came to her island, Circe, after having changed several of his companions into pigs, became so much attached to the unfortunate hero, that he was induced to remain a whole year with her. At length, when he wished to leave her, she prevailed upon him to descend into the lower world to consult the seer Teiresias. After his return from thence, she explained to him the dangers which he would yet have to encounter, and then dismissed him. (Od. lib. x.--xii.; comp. Hyg. Fab. 125.) Her descent is differently described by the poets, for some call her a daughter of Hyperion and Aerope (Orph. Argon. 1215), and others a daughter of Aeetes and Hecate. (Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. 3.200.) According to Hesiod (Hes. Th. 1011) she became by Odysseus the mother of Agrius. The Latin poets too make great use of the story of Circe, the sorceress, who metamorphosed Scylla and Picus, king of the Ausonians. (Ov. Met. 14.9, &c.) [L.S]
- daughter of the Sun, a sorceress.
(Κίρκη). The sister of Aeëtes, king of Colchis, and daughter of the Sun and Persé, or Perseïs, one of the ocean-nymphs. Circé is celebrated for her skill in magic arts, and for her knowledge of subtle poisons. According to Homer ( Od. x. 135 foll.), she dwelt in an island (Aeaea), attended by four nymphs, and all persons who approached her dwelling were first feasted, and then, on tasting the contents of her magic cup, converted into beasts. When Odysseus had been thrown on her shores, he deputed some of his companions to explore the country; these, incautiously partaking of the banquet set before them, were, by the effect of the enchanted potion, transformed into swine. When Odysseus himself, on hearing of their misfortune from Eurylochus, set out to release them or share their fate, he was met by Hermes, who gave him a plant named moly (μῶλυ), potent against her magic, and directed him how to act. Accordingly when she handed him the medicated cup, he drank of it freely; and Circé, thinking it had produced its usual effect, striking him with her wand, bade him go join his comrades in their sty. But Odysseus, drawing his sword, threatened to slay her; and the terrified goddess bound herself by a solemn oath to do him no injury. She afterwards, at his desire, restored his companions to their pristine form, and they all abode in her dwelling for an entire year. Circé is said to have had by Odysseus a son named Telegonus (q.v.), who afterwards unwittingly slew his own father in Ithaca, whither he had wandered in search of him. See Odysseus.
Later writers took great liberties with the narratives of Homer and Hesiod. Thus, for example, Dionysius, the Cyclic poet, makes Circé the daughter of Aeëtes by Hecaté, the daughter of his brother Perses. He goes on to say that she was married to the king of the Sarmatians, whom she poisoned and seized his kingdom; but, governing tyrannically, she was expelled, and then fled to a desert isle of the ocean, or, as some said, to the headland named from her in Italy. (See Circeii.) The Latin writers thence took occasion to connect Circé with their own scanty mythology. See Cic. N. D. iii. 19, 48; and the article Scylla.
- Apollod. 1.9.1
- purifies the Argonauts for the murder of Apsyrtus: Apollod. 1.9.24
- and Odysseus: Paus. 5.19.7
- daughter of the Sun, sister of Aeetes, an enchantress, turns the companions of Odysseus into beasts: Apollod. E.7.12
- Odysseus escapes her enchantments and shares her bed: Apollod. E.7.16
- she bears him a son Telegonus: Apollod. 2.8.3
- she sends Odysseus on his way: Apollod. 2.8.3