magic juice And yield not to its power. No living man, Whoever he might be, that tasted once Those drugs, or passed them o’er his lips, has yet Withstood them. In thy breast a spirit dwells Not to be thus subdued. Art thou not then Ulysses, master of wise stratagems, Whose coming hither, on his way from Troy, In his black galley, oft has been foretold By Hermes of the golden wand? But sheathe Thy sword and share my couch, that, joined in love, Each may hereafter trust the other’s faith.’
“She spake, and I replied: ‘How canst thou ask, O Circè, that I gently deal with thee, Since thou, in thine own palace, hast transformed My friends to swine, and plottest even now To keep me with thee, luring me to pass Into thy chamber and to share thy couch, That thou mayst strip me of my manly strength I come not to thy couch till thou engage, O goddess, by a solemn oath, that thou Wilt never seek to do me further harm.’
“I spake; she straightway took the oath required, And, after it was uttered and confirmed, Up to her sumptuous couch I went. Meanwhile Four diligent maidens ministered within The palace—servants of the household they, Who had their birth from fountains and from groves, And sacred rivers flowing to the sea. One spread the thrones with gorgeous coverings; Above was purple arras, and beneath Were linen webs; another, setting forth The silver tables just before the thrones, Placed on them canisters of gold; a third Mingled the rich wines in a silver bowl, And placed the golden cups; and, last, the fourth Brought water from the fountain, and beneath A massive tripod kindled a great fire And warmed the water. When it boiled within The shining brass, she led me to the bath, And washed me from the tripod. On my head And shoulders pleasantly she shed the streams That from my members took away the sense Of weariness, unmanning body and mind. And when she thus had bathed me and with oil Anointed me, she put a princely cloak And tunic on me, led me in, and showed My seat—a stately silver-studded throne, High-wrought—and placed a footstool for my feet.