The gloom of sadness and woe of a windless night settled over the men like a blanket. Odysseus urged his men to row, but their hearts weren't in it. The men thought they were forsaken, cursed by the gods, and despair had taken hold of each of them. All through the night Odysseus pleaded and begged for them to row. Finally as a finger of gray stirred in the east, Odysseus addressed his men in anger, "You believe we are cursed, so you refuse to row. But by the grace of some mighty god, we were spared destruction. Although some gods may want us dead, others want us to live. None of us know what is written on the endless scroll kept by fate. A new day is dawning. Our hearts are heavy, but let us fortify our minds and will our bodies forward. Drummer boy, give us a lively beat."
As the boy beat a lively rhythm on the drums, Odysseus chanted a poem that brightened his men's hearts, as much as the sun brightened the day. By noon, they could see another island on the horizon. When they reached the shore, they drew lots; half the men would stay with the ship and the other half would explore the island. As fate would have it, Odysseus was to stay with the ship, and Eurylocus, the ship's lieutenant, was to lead twenty-two men in exploration of the island. Eurylocus and his men headed straight for the center of the island because they hoped to find a fresh water spring. Instead they found a cottage made of cut stone. The house was surrounded by an assortment of wild animals: lions, wolves, bears, and many other creatures.
Eurylocus told the men to approach the animals with caution, but the animals were friendly. They did not attack the men, but wagged their tails and rubbed against the men like some tamed dogs or cats. "The creature that lives within," said Eurylocus to his men, "must have powerful enchantment to tame such wild beasts." "She is no enchantress," said one of the men. "She's beautiful." In the sunlit room, there was a beautiful woman at her loom. She was singing a merry song, and weaving cloth of dazzling beauty. Before Eurylocus could caution his men, one of them called out to the woman. She waved to them and invited them in. Eurylocus believed that danger often comes in beautiful packaging, and he refused to go into the house with the rest of his men.
"Welcome. I am Circe," said the beautiful woman to the men. "Please sit at my table, and have dinner with me, because I rarely have guests upon my island." The men accepted her invitation eagerly. The sorceress loaded her table with many good things to eat: cheese, fruit, wine, and bread. She watched them eat the food. The men did not know that the food was enchanted. Soon they forgot about their homes, and even their names. Then, with a flick of her wand, she turned them all into squealing pigs. Eurylocus, who was watching from outside, was horrified, and hurried back to Odysseus. When he reached Odysseus and the rest of the men, he was so dismayed that he could not speak. Odysseus didn't need to hear words to know that something terrible had happened to his comrades.
"You needn't speak," said Odysseus. "Just show me the way." Eurylocus pointed in the direction he had come, and Odysseus grabbed his armor and his sword. Odysseus had not gone far when suddenly Hermes, disguised as a youthful man, approached him. "Where do you go?" asked the youth. "I don't know," said Odysseus, "but something terrible has happened to my men." "Men? Ha, I think not," said the youth, laughing. "If you mean Circe's pigs, nothing terrible will happen to them until they fatten up." Odysseus eyed the youth more carefully. "You are not who you seem," said Odysseus. "This is true," said the youth, "but I can help you. Take this necklace of herb and wear it beneath your shirt. It will protect you from Circe's enchantments." Odysseus took the necklace of herbs, and the youth skipped into the sky and was gone.
When Odysseus reached Circe's house, he called out to her, and she invited him in. "Please sit at my table, and have dinner with me, because I rarely have guests upon my island," she said, smiling wickedly. Odysseus ate with her, but her spell had no effect. When she flicked her wand and said, "Off to the pigsty with you!" Odysseus drew his sword and charged her. Before he could strike her, she fell to her knees, "Who are you and from where have you come?" "I am Odysseus. If you value your life, you will release my men from your enchantment." "Put back your sword, mighty hero," said Circe. "First, you cannot kill me; second, your visit was foretold; and third, we are to become friends." Circe reached up and gently helped Odysseus to put back his sword, and then she took him by the hand and took him to her room.
Circe found Odysseus sitting the next morning, eating nothing. "Why do you sulk, noble Odysseus? I promised to do you no harm!" "You promised to do me no harm, but my men are still pigs squealing and grunting in your sty. How can I be happy, when my men are thus condemned?" "Do your men mean that much to you?" asked Circe. Odysseus nodded. "So be it! I will release them." With a quick flick of her golden wand, the squealing and grunting in the pigsty ceased, and soon the gate to the sty burst open and there stood twenty-two dazed and mud-covered men. "They are rather unsightly," said Circe. "I simply won't have them in my house until they have bathed." Circe clapped five times, and five fairy-like nymphs appeared. "Wash and oil them," she commanded, and the nymphs did as they were ordered.
Odysseus and his men spent many days enjoying Circe's hospitality. As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, Odysseus finally told Circe of his desire to leave. "You have been very kind, but your kindness is just another kind of enchantment. It is time for us to leave." "It is foretold," said Circe. "You will leave, but your journey is not over. Before you can return home, you must seek the prophet named Tiresias." "And where can I find this prophet?" asked Odysseus. "In the land of the dead," said Circe confidently. "And how, except by death, do I journey to this land?" asked Odysseus, dismayed. "Set your whitest sail, smear ash upon your face, and wait. The wind of death will take you where you need to go." Odysseus bowed his head in resignation. Unlike mortal men, Circe could read the script that fate had written.