Circe and The Friends of Ulysses, 1871

Briton Rivière 1840 - 1920

Summary

A lady in a white gown sits on the ground with her arms and hands clasped around her knees. She is seated so that we can see the right side of her body and face. She has very long blonde hair gathered in a pony tail at the nape of her neck and trails over the floor. Behind her is a long, thin black stick or wand. In front of her and slightly lower down is a herd of swine. Five of them have their front trotters on the mound she is seated on and their heads raised as if trying to reach her, enraptured by her voice and beauty. Circe is an enchantress in the Trojan Wars who lures Ulysses' men to her home with her beautiful singing and then turns them in to swine for her own entertainment. With the help of Hermes, Ulysses manages to ward off Circes magic and he convinces her to free his men.