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Epithets: ''Bold and reckless, lone Odysseus'' ''Ulysses, noble son of Laertes'' ''rose-fingered Dawn''
Odysseus is seen as an epic hero because of a couple reasons. One reason he is seen as an epic hero because he is favored and helped by the gods. Without the help of Hermes the god, he could not have been immune to Circe's magic. Another way Odysseus is seen as an epic hero is because he made mistakes. He was not perfect and realized staying with Circe was not right. he realized he should return to Ithaca and Penelope and not let his temptations get to him.
Ulysses and his men did not know they were at the island for one year. Something in the drug made them forget about their home back in Ithaca and they had no sense of time.
Circe, the beautiful witch goddess is best known for her ability to turn men into animals with her magic wand. She lives on the island of Aeaea and when Ulysses and his men land on the island the crew was easily fooled by her. Ulysses sent his crew off to search the island and she welcomed them into her home.
Circe
The message the Greeks are trying to get through in this part of the epic is to resist temptation. Even though Odysseus gave into his temptation because he had been away from his life for 10 years, he realized what he really longed for was his home back in Ithaca and his family.
Eurylokhos fears a trap and does not go with the other men. Circe gives the other members of the crew food and wine which is drugged. She then turns them into swine and puts them into a sty. Eurylokhos went back to Odysseus to warn him but on his way there, he was interrupted by Hermes who gave him a plant that would protect him from her spells. When Odysseus reached her house, she tried her spells on him. Powerless, Circe was forced into turning his crew back into humans. Circe asked Odysseus to stay with her and his crew and himself stayed for one year.
When Odysseus realized how much time had passed he quickly wanted to get home. He asked Circe for advice and she told him he had to go to the underworld to talk to Teiresias. When they got back, she told Odysseus about the journey ahead including Scylla, Charybdis, and the Sirens.
SETTING-on the island of Aeaea and her house was ''built of cut stones, on a site that could be seen from far, in the middle of the forest.'' There was also ''wild mountain wolves and lions prowling all round it.'' INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION- Circe is described as '' singing most beautifully as she worked at her loom, making a web so fine, so soft, and of such dazzling colours as no one but a goddess could weave.'' SYMBOLISM- Circe transformed the men because of their actions and ''They were like pigs-head, hair, and all, and they grunted just as pigs do; but their senses were the same as before, and they remembered everything.'' DRAMATIC IRONY-Odysseus was immune to Circe's magic with the help of Hermes the god who said, ''I will protect you and get you out of your difficulty. Take this herb, which is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go to Circe's house, it will be a talisman to you against every kind of mischief. ''
An epic simile from this part of the epic is: Just as dogs will beg around their master when he comes from dinner-since he keeps bringing scraps to please their hearts- that's how the wolves and sharp-clawed lions there kept fawning round those men, who were afraid just looking at those fearful animals.
