CIRCE
John William Waterhouse, Circe
In Greek mythology, the witch Circe was the daughter of the sun god Helios and the ocean nymph Perse (or Perseis).
Circe was a enchantress who lived with her nymph attendants on the mythical island of Aiaia. One of her most memorable appearances is in the Odyssey of Homer, where she detains the hero Odysseus on her island.
John William Waterhouse This painting shows a scene not from the Odyssey, but from Ovid's Metamorphoses. A jealous Circe throws a magic potion into the well, where her rival in love Scylla is going to bathe.
She was skilled in the magic of metamorphosis, the power of illusion, and the dark art of necromancy. The lovely female who sings while she weaves seems quite innocent to the companions of Odysseus. However, this innocence is an illusion. For as soon as Circe lures the men into her lair, she transforms them into swine. It is the hero Odysseus who comes to the rescue, with the help of the god Hermes. Hermes overcame the goddess and forced her to release his men from her spell.
Edward Burne-Jones - The Wine of Circe,
Circe restored the crew to human form and offered to entertain them before they returned to sea. Odysseus and his men found life on the island so pleasurable that they remained there a full year before resuming the journey home. When they finally left, Circe sent them on their way with a favorable wind and advice about how to avoid the many dangers that lay before them.
Dani, Almudena, Alba 4ยบ B IES de Poio References: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ca-Cr/Circe.html http://www.loggia.com/myth/circe.html
Story of Ulysses by Pellegrino Tibaldi in Palazzo Poggi (Bologna)