Circe Circe or (sometimes Kirke) is the enchantress, the daughter of son, the fair-headed goddess. Despite being a minor goddess, she is a spirit of immense power and belongs to the Greek pantheon. The resemblance in her name and the word “Sorceress” is not a co-incidence. She knows all the mysteries of witchcraft, shamanism, necromancy, metamorphosis and illusion. She has profound knowledge of herbs, potions and incantations. Different sources tell her different parentage. She is the daughter of the Titan sun god- Helios and an Oceanid nymph- Perseis according to the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology while Greek historian Diodorus Siculus’ Library of History states that she is daughter of Hekate and Aeetes. She is a shape-shifter and can manifest in whatever form way she wants but she is generally manifested as a fair-headed beautiful and young woman. Being a daughter of the sun, her eyes have a glint of brilliant light.
There are various myths related to the goddess. It is believed that she married a prince to gain ruler-worship of a kingdom near the Black Sea and poisoned him to become the sole leader of the kingdom due to which she was exiled to live in Aeaea, the island which was enchanted in itself. Some people believe that the name of the island being the same as spelled backwards or spelled forward (Aeaea being a palindrome) is the reason for the island being enchanted. Circe transformed her island to an ethereal paradise-like place. There she spent her days singing and weaving and lived with her priestesses to whom she taught sorcery. Another myth states that both Medae and Jason went to Circe for performing a cleansing ritual on them after they murdered Medae’s brother- Absyrtus (Circe’s nephew). Another myth involves the sea god Glaucus. Glaucus was in love with a beautiful girl- Scylla. Since Glaucus became the sea god he
transformed into a half man, half fish with long strands of seaweed in place of hair. Due to his
appearance Scylla feared and rejected Glaucus. He went to Circe and asked for a spell to make
Scylla love him. Instead of help, Circe offered him her love but Glaucus wanted no one but
Scylla. This made the goddess jealous and she enchanted the water where Scylla was swimming
and transformed her to a horrible six headed-sea monster.
Another myth, perhaps the most famous of all involves Odysseus and his crew. Odysseus while
returning from the Trojan War was sailing by Aeaea and stopped there struck by the beauty of
the island. They saw beautiful plants and Lions, Baboons and Pigs. The animals didn’t seem
harmful and it was as if they welcomed them. These were the men transformed into animals by
Circe. It is said that she didn’t chose these transformations at random, it was the true identity of
people which revealed itself in the faces of animals. Circe invited all of them to a feast to which
everyone accepted except for Odysseus. Circe offered the crew member to drink a potion from
her goblet and when they drank, they transformed into pigs. Eurylochus didn’t accept the goblet
and went tell Odysseus about what had happened.
Odysseus decided to demand his people back from Circe in person. As he went he met a man
(Hermes in disguise) who warned him that Circe would try to enchant her. He told him to not to
fell for the trap and take out his sword if things go sour. He also gave him a mysterious herb,
Moly which was an antidote to Circe’s enchantments. Odysseus went to Circe and demanded his
people back, but he wasn’t surprised when the enchantress tried her charms on her. He took out
his sword and threatened to kill her. She transformed his men back and offered to entertain them
if they stayed. The crew members agreed and they stayed at Aeaea for a year. Circe became
mother of three sons of Odysseus- Telegonus, Agrius, and Latinus. Circe also taught Odysseus
Shamanism, journey to Hades and interviewing dead people. She also helped him return home
and have a safe journey.
Circe’s association with Goddess Hekate are plentiful. Some sources say she was the daughter of
Hekate, some states that Circe sold her soul in order to gain secret knowledge of witchcraft from
Hekate, other say that she was a student of Hecate.
In an Italian version of this legend, Telegonus traveled to Ithaca to seek his father but then killed
him by accident. He brought Odysseus's body back to Aeaea, accompanied by Odysseus's widow,
Penelope, and their son Telemachus. Circe made them all immortal and married Telemachus, and
Telegonus married Penelope.
(Quoted from Myths Encyclopedia)
She is also the mother of Aega, the sun goddess. Telegonus also ruled over Tyrsenians.
Circe may be invoked for fertility, cleansing and for revealing true identity of a person.
Circe is also associated with the Falcon, circling her prey until caught. She is portrayed with a
wand or staff in one hand and offering a goblet in other hand.
There are various myths related to the goddess. It is believed that she married a prince to gain ruler-worship of a kingdom near the Black Sea and poisoned him to become the sole leader of the kingdom due to which she was exiled to live in Aeaea, the island which was enchanted in itself. Some people believe that the name of the island being the same as spelled backwards or spelled forward (Aeaea being a palindrome) is the reason for the island being enchanted. Circe transformed her island to an ethereal paradise-like place. There she spent her days singing and weaving and lived with her priestesses to whom she taught sorcery. Another myth states that both Medae and Jason went to Circe for performing a cleansing ritual on them after they murdered Medae’s brother- Absyrtus (Circe’s nephew). Another myth involves the sea god Glaucus. Glaucus was in love with a beautiful girl- Scylla. Since Glaucus became the sea god he
transformed into a half man, half fish with long strands of seaweed in place of hair. Due to his
appearance Scylla feared and rejected Glaucus. He went to Circe and asked for a spell to make
Scylla love him. Instead of help, Circe offered him her love but Glaucus wanted no one but
Scylla. This made the goddess jealous and she enchanted the water where Scylla was swimming
and transformed her to a horrible six headed-sea monster.
Another myth, perhaps the most famous of all involves Odysseus and his crew. Odysseus while
returning from the Trojan War was sailing by Aeaea and stopped there struck by the beauty of
the island. They saw beautiful plants and Lions, Baboons and Pigs. The animals didn’t seem
harmful and it was as if they welcomed them. These were the men transformed into animals by
Circe. It is said that she didn’t chose these transformations at random, it was the true identity of
people which revealed itself in the faces of animals. Circe invited all of them to a feast to which
everyone accepted except for Odysseus. Circe offered the crew member to drink a potion from
her goblet and when they drank, they transformed into pigs. Eurylochus didn’t accept the goblet
and went tell Odysseus about what had happened.
Odysseus decided to demand his people back from Circe in person. As he went he met a man
(Hermes in disguise) who warned him that Circe would try to enchant her. He told him to not to
fell for the trap and take out his sword if things go sour. He also gave him a mysterious herb,
Moly which was an antidote to Circe’s enchantments. Odysseus went to Circe and demanded his
people back, but he wasn’t surprised when the enchantress tried her charms on her. He took out
his sword and threatened to kill her. She transformed his men back and offered to entertain them
if they stayed. The crew members agreed and they stayed at Aeaea for a year. Circe became
mother of three sons of Odysseus- Telegonus, Agrius, and Latinus. Circe also taught Odysseus
Shamanism, journey to Hades and interviewing dead people. She also helped him return home
and have a safe journey.
Circe’s association with Goddess Hekate are plentiful. Some sources say she was the daughter of
Hekate, some states that Circe sold her soul in order to gain secret knowledge of witchcraft from
Hekate, other say that she was a student of Hecate.
In an Italian version of this legend, Telegonus traveled to Ithaca to seek his father but then killed
him by accident. He brought Odysseus's body back to Aeaea, accompanied by Odysseus's widow,
Penelope, and their son Telemachus. Circe made them all immortal and married Telemachus, and
Telegonus married Penelope.
(Quoted from Myths Encyclopedia)
She is also the mother of Aega, the sun goddess. Telegonus also ruled over Tyrsenians.
Circe may be invoked for fertility, cleansing and for revealing true identity of a person.
Circe is also associated with the Falcon, circling her prey until caught. She is portrayed with a
wand or staff in one hand and offering a goblet in other hand.
In a nutshell, Circe is a Greek goddess with immense knowledge of potions, incantations, herbs, sorcery, necromancy, shape-shifting and shamanism. She is young and beautiful and an enchantress in every sense. She doesn’t tolerate people who she dislikes.
Click here to see the prayer I wrote for the Goddess.
Click here to see the prayer I wrote for the Goddess.
Sources:
The Encyclopedia of Spirits : The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses Judika Illes (Harper Collins, 2010) 388-399
The Magical Circle School Resource Library Goddesses and Gods Circe Colleen Criswell http://www.mistresskalpanasrealm.com/mod/glossary/showentry.php?courseid=36&eid=1151&displayformat=dictionary
Coven of the Goddess Circe Unknown Author http://www.covenofthegoddess.com/goddesscirce.htm
Myths Encyclopedia Circe Unknown Author http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ca-Cr/Circe.html
The Magical Circle School Greek Goddesses Sacred to Circe Amy Davison http://www.mistresskalpanasrealm.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=4330
The Magical Circle School Greek Goddesses Who is She? Amy Davison http://www.mistresskalpanasrealm.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=4329
The Encyclopedia of Spirits : The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses Judika Illes (Harper Collins, 2010) 388-399
The Magical Circle School Resource Library Goddesses and Gods Circe Colleen Criswell http://www.mistresskalpanasrealm.com/mod/glossary/showentry.php?courseid=36&eid=1151&displayformat=dictionary
Coven of the Goddess Circe Unknown Author http://www.covenofthegoddess.com/goddesscirce.htm
Myths Encyclopedia Circe Unknown Author http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ca-Cr/Circe.html
The Magical Circle School Greek Goddesses Sacred to Circe Amy Davison http://www.mistresskalpanasrealm.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=4330
The Magical Circle School Greek Goddesses Who is She? Amy Davison http://www.mistresskalpanasrealm.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=4329