“The sight of the stately animal put new life into my fainting comrades. They sprang up, washed their hands, and began to prepare the meat. We sat down to an excellent evening repast and our courage returned. A sweet sleep refreshed us, and at daybreak we determined to set out and see whom we could find on the island. But my companions grew panic-stricken when they thought of the Cyclops and the cannibal Læstrygones. ‘Very well,’ I said, ‘divide yourselves into two parties. I will lead one and the hero Eurylochus shall lead the other.’ We then drew lots from a brass helmet to see who should explore and who should remain to guard the ship. The lot fell to the brave Eurylochus and he hastened to set out with twenty-two men. “In a distant valley they found the stately palace of Circe, the Sun-god’s daughter, a sorceress skilled in all the arts. Her dwelling was surrounded by lions and wolves, which were men transformed into animals by her magic. They were unfortunates who had been cast upon her coast by storms. Their human reason had not been taken from them, so that they did not attack the approaching men, but came up to them like friendly dogs. Inside the palace sat the beautiful Circe at her loom, singing. ‘Listen,’ said one of the men, ‘what lovely singing. Let us go in.’ The goddess who had overheard the words, left her work and opened the door. ‘Come in, strangers,’ she said sweetly, ‘that I may entertain ye.’ The friends obeyed and went inside. Only the cautious Eurylochus remained without and hid himself from the sorceress as though he divined mischief. “The strangers were invited to sit on soft cushioned chairs and Circe passed food and mixed sweet wine for them, but in the wine she secretly put evil herbs, and when the poor fellows had drunk of the mixture Circe touched them all with her magic wand and in an instant they were changed into grunting swine. She then drove them out and put them into pens and laughingly shut them in. Eurylochus, horrified, saw all this from his hiding place, then hastened away to bring me the news. In broken words he related the horrible fate of our friends. “I immediately sprang up. ‘Guide me thither,’ I cried, impatiently. ‘I will avenge the unfortunates if I cannot save them.’ But he fell at my feet and begged me with tears not to sacrifice myself. ‘Let us flee from the cursed island,’ he cried, ‘that we, at least, may escape the same awful fate.’ “‘Stay thou,’ I answered scornfully, ‘and eat and drink thy fill here by the shore, but I must needs go.’ With these words I hurried along the beach until I saw the dwelling of Circe in the distance. All at once a shining youth came toward me. I recognized Hermes by his staff and his glorious appearance.