The Saga of Kirke :: Classics

The Saga of Kirke. In various situations in the Kirke episode the themes of false paradise and loyalty are present. The Island of Kirke gives itself a false appearance of divinity. The goddess Kirke gives off a false appearance of enchantment and courtesy. Odysseus and his men convey the theme of loyalty throughout the episode of Kirke to each other. Odysseus shows loyalty not just to his men, but to his wife and his homeland as well. From the ship's arrival on the shore the island gives itself a false appearance of divinity. Odysseus narrates that an unseen god has lured them into the cove: "We came/ washed in our silent ship upon her shore/ and found a cove, a haven for a ship-/ some god, invisible, conned us in" (154-157). False appearance of divinity comes out on third day on the island of Kirke. On Odysseus's way back to the seashore from the observation rock he comes across a big buck, which he kills to feed his men. Odysseus perceives the buck as a gift from the gods: ", some god's compassion/ Set a big buck in motion to cross my path-/ So hands were washed to take what heaven sent us" (173-200). Kirke herself gives off a false appearance to the men. When the first group of Odysseus's men come to the house, they were enticed by the goddess's song: "In the entrance way they stayed to listen there:" (240-241). She shows the men that she is courteous by inviting the men in and giving them food and drink. The goddess works her magic on the men by giving them temptations to deal with. She gives them food to eat, and wine that she has laced with some sort of potion that causes the men to lose desire to go home. Kirke then turns the men into pigs. She uses false appearance as a courteous enchanting god the lure the men in. "/ to call them in./ While she prepared a meal of cheese and baley/ and amber honey mixed with Pramnian wine./ adding her own vile pinch,/ / all/ swinish now" (253-265). The men are not the only ones that have to deal with the deception of Kirke. She tries to deceive Odysseus with the same food and drink that she offered his men, but with the knowledge attained from Hermes he was able to out wit the goddess. When her first attempt fails she then tries flattery to dupe Odysseus into the bedroom to lie with her: " 'What a champion, of what country, can you be?/ We two shall mingle and make love upon our bed.