Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/175

286—327. But come now, I will free thee and preserve thee from evils: take this excellent drug, and keeping it, go to the house of Circe, the power of which will ward off the evil day from you. And I will tell you all the cunning tricks of Circe. She will prepare a mixture for you, and will put drugs in the food. But not even thus will she be able to charm you; for the excellent drug which I will give you, will not permit it: but I will tell you every thing. When Circe strikes you with a long rod, then do thou draw thy sharp sword from thy thigh, and rush at Circe, as if desirous to kill her. But she crouching in fear will exhort thee to lie down: then do thou no longer refuse the bed of the goddess, that she may loose your companions and convey thee back thyself: but exhort her to swear a great oath of the blessed gods, that she will not plan any other evil harm for thee, nor make thee naked, weak, and unmanly.'

"Thus having spoken, the Argus-slayer gave me the remedy, pulling it out of the earth, and he showed me its nature. It was black in the root, and its flower was like unto milk; and the gods call it Molu; but it is difficult for mortal men to dig up; but the gods are able to do every thing. Then Mercury departed to great Olympus, through the woody island: but I went to the house of Circe; and my heart planned many things as I went. And I stood at the gate of the fair-haired goddess; there standing I called out, and the goddess heard my voice. She immediately coming out, opened the shining doors, and invited me: but I followed sorrowing in my heart. And leading me in, she made me sit down on a silver-studded throne, beautiful, variegated, and beneath my feet was a footstool. And she prepared a mixture for me in a golden cup, that I might drink; and she put the drug in it, meditating evil things in her mind. But when she gave it me, and I drank it off, she did not soothe me any more; striking me with a rod, she spoke and said, 'Go now to the stye, lie with thine other companions.'

"Thus she spoke; but I, having drawn my sharp sword from my thigh, rushed at Circe, as desiring to kill her. But she, crying out loudly, ran under, and laid hold of my knees, and lamenting addressed to me winged words:

Who art thou? from whence amongst men? where are thy city and parents? Astonishment possesses me, that thou wast not soothed, drinking these drugs. For not yet has any