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The Role Of Circe In Homer's Odyssey

427 Words2 Pages

There are many characters in the Odyssey that helped Odysseus. For example, Athena intervenes in Odysseus's journey multiple times to help him. Another important character in the Odyssey is Circe. Circe, a powerful and beautiful goddess-like enchantress, has a complicated family and plays a role in the Odyssey by aiding the Odyssey. Circe is a powerful and beautiful goddess. Similar to her mother, Circe is experienced with witchcraft, potions, and herbs. She is also depicted using a magic staff. Circe will also use remedies and hexes to turn men into animals such as pigs, wolves, and lions (“The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica”). She would turn men into animals for revenge or even entertainment. It is also said she can use her voice to bewitch …show more content…

Her mother Perse, a nymph, has connections to witchcraft and a knowledge of potions and herbs. Circe has a brother named Aetes, he is the keeper of the Golden Fleece. "The famous daughter of Ocean, Perseis, Bore to her mate, untiring Helios, Circe and King Aetes." i.e. a mated syllable. Another sibling is her sister, Pasiphae. Pasiphae is the queen of a mythical island called Crete. In the Odyssey, Circe is banished to an island called Aeaea by her father for killing her then husband. While banished to Aeaea, Circe had three children with Odysseus, Agrus, Latinus, and Telegonus. Circe's family is very complicated, especially because her father banished her. Circe is one of the people who helped Odysseus in the Odyssey. When Odysseus finds Circe on her island, Aeaea, surrounded by all of Odysseus’s men who she turned into animals with her staff (“Circe”), he persuades Circe to turn them back and they end up making a deal. Odyseuss has to stay on the island for a year, and Circe can not hurt him with her magic. During that year, Circe and Odysseus had three children. When Odysseus leaves, Circe gives him advice on how to get back to his home,

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