Kirke

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Kirke transforms a companion of Odysseus into a pig (right side of a small altar, "Arula", Sicily , 6th century BC, Louvre in Paris)

Kirke ( ancient Greek Κίρκη , Latinized Circe , from it Zirze , which shows the traditional German pronunciation) is a sorceress of Greek mythology . She is the daughter of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid Perse and the sister of King Aietes of Colchis and the Pasiphaë . Medea is her niece.

myth

Odyssey

Kirke and Odysseus
( Lekythos by the Athena Painter , Eretria , around 480 BC, National Archaeological Museum, Athens )

Kirke is called a goddess by Homer . She lives with some servants on the island of Aiaia, which is overgrown with oaks and other trees (German "Klagen", derived from the call of the souls in Hades αἴ αἴ). In a clearing Kirke lives in a building in which they at one of gods created loom sits. Visitors to the island transform them into animals, so that there are tame lions and wolves living there in an enclosure around Kirkes houses, flattering newcomers - and thus giving an indication of the dangerousness of Kirke's seductive arts.

Odysseus lands on the island during his odyssey after he has lost all other ships and their crews to the attack of the Laistrygons . After Odysseus and his companions only stayed near their ship for three days and Odysseus recognizes a settlement in the middle of the island through rising smoke from a hill, half of his companions are sent to explore the island under the guidance of Eurylochus . They come across a complex of buildings made of slammed stones, in front of which they encounter tame wolves and lions. Kirke kindly asks the Greeks into their property, but mixes a dish she offers them with ominous herbs, turns them into pigs and locks them in a box . Only Eurylochus, who did not go into Kirkes house because he sensed a trap, escaped this fate. After waiting a long time for his companions and not finding them anymore, he runs back to the ship and tells in tears what he has experienced. Odysseus doesn't let himself be stopped from going to Kirke himself armed. On the way, Odysseus learns from Hermes , who appears to him as a young man, that Kirke has turned the missing companions into pigs, and receives the herb Moly from him in order to be immune to Kirkes magic. In fact, Kirkes herbs have no effect on Odysseus and he threatens her - as recommended by Hermes - with the sword until she swears not to harm him anymore. Kirke recognizes Odysseus, whose arrival she was once prophesied. At his request, she transforms the enchanted companions back into people and also invites the other companions to join her. Odysseus and his companions decide to stay with Kirke in order to draw strength for the return home to Ithaca.

Only after a year does Odysseus, urged by his companions, decide to leave the island. Kirke asks him, before continuing to the house of Hades, to drive on the Oceanic Stream, which is only a day's journey away , to ask the shadow of Teiresias about his further fate. Kirke shows him the way there and gives him precise instructions. Surprised by the departure of his companions, Elpenor fell to his death the next morning from the roof of Kirkes house, on which he had lay down after heavy drinking. After Odysseus and his companions have safely returned from the house of Hades and have buried Elpenor, Odysseus receives important support for his return from Kirke before his onward journey: She shows him the way, advises him how he can escape the singing of the sirens unharmed, describes the dangers of Scylla and Charybdis and names an alternative, no less dangerous route, past overhanging rocks (the plankton ) through strong surf. She also warns him urgently against stealing the cattle of Helios on Thrinakia . Finally, Kirke sends favorable winds.

Friedrich Preller, The Magic of Circe , The Gazebo 1871

Telegony

Through Odysseus, Kirke becomes the mother of three sons: Telegonos , Agrios and Latinos or two: Nausithoos and Telegonos.

When Telegonos grew up, Kirke sent him to look for Odysseus, who had already returned to Ithaca at that time . Upon his arrival Telegonos began to raid the island, believing it was Kerkyra ( Corfu ). Odysseus and Telemachos defended their city, Telegonos ignorantly killing his father with the poisonous thorn of a stingray , which formed the tip of his lance. After the momentous error had been cleared up, Telegonos brought his father's body to Aiaia and took Penelope , Odysseus' widow, and Telemachus with him. Kirke made her immortal and married Telemachos, while Telegonos took Penelope as his wife, through whom he became the father of Italus .

This story is told in Telegonia , an early Greek epic that has only survived in a summary. The epic is dedicated to a sequel to the Odyssey and Eugamon (or Eugammon) of Cyrene . Variants of the story can be found in later poets: as the tragedy Odysseus Akanthoplex by Sophocles (which is also lost), in which Odysseus learns through an oracle that he is doomed to be killed by his son. He assumes that Telemachos is meant, whom he immediately banishes to a nearby island. When Telegonus comes to Ithaca and approaches Odysseus' house, the guards do not allow him to see his father; Odysseus joins the resulting commotion, thinks Telemachus is coming, and attacks. In the following fight he is killed by Telegonos. When Kirke found out, she threw Telegonos to the wild boar to eat.

Argonauts legend

Landscape with Kirke and Her Lovers
( Dosso Dossi , 1514–1516, National Gallery of Art , Washington DC)

The Argonauts also landed on Kirkes Island on their return from conquering the Golden Fleece . But it is also said that only Jason and Medea went to Kirke at the behest of Zeus to have their blood guilt cleansed for the murder of Medea's brother Apsyrtus . Kirke did this reluctantly and then chased her away.

Kirke and Picus

According to Ovid , she turned Picus , who disdained her love, into a woodpecker .

Kirke and Scylla

The sea god Glaukos fell in love with Scylla and asked Kirke for help so that his feelings would be reciprocated. However, Kirke herself was secretly in love with Glaukos and therefore turned her rival into a sea ​​monster by pouring a magic potion into the bay, which Skylla inhabited.

Representations

Visual arts

Elaborations of the Kirke picture can already be found in ancient vase painting. In particular, however, the time around 1900, which was enthusiastic about mystical images of women, created interesting, mostly symbolist images of Kirke. These include the painters Franz von Stuck , John William Waterhouse , Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones .

music

There are numerous operas that utilize the Kirke material. Last but not least, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe staged Pasquale Anfossi farsetta La Maga Circe (The Sorceress Circe) as Weimar theater director . He had revised the libretto together with Christian August Vulpius and also planned an extension, which however never came about. Other musical dramas are:

Word derivation

The expression "bezirzen" (outdated spelling "becircen") is derived from the word Circe - that is, to bewitch, ensnare with charm , wrap up.

Kirke as namesake

literature

Web links

Commons : Kirke  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Kirke in the Theoi Project (English)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hesiod , Theogony 956-957; Library of Apollodorus , Epitome 7.14
  2. ↑ Homer, Odyssey 10, 126: θεός; 10, 455: δῖα θεάων. Ovid calls them "Titan Sprout" ( Metamorphosen 13, 968: Titanidos Circes)
  3. ↑ This Jakob Escher Bürkli : Aeaea 1 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume I, 1, Stuttgart 1893, Col. 920 f. with reference to ancient authors.
  4. ↑ Homer, Odyssey 10, 212-219
  5. ↑ Homer, Odyssey 10, 144-150
  6. ↑ Homer, Odyssey 10: 203-468
  7. ↑ Homer, Odyssey 10: 469-560
  8. ↑ Homer, Odyssey 12: 5–150
  9. ↑ Hesiod, Theogony 1011-1014
  10. ^ Hyginus Mythographus , Fabulae 125
  11. ^ Hyginus Mythographus, Fabulae 127
  12. ↑ Apollonios of Rhodes , Argonautica 4, 586-588
  13. ↑ Ovid, Metamorphosen 14, 320-396
  14. ↑ Hyginus Mythographus, Fabulae 199
  15. ↑ Description of Circe Chess including derivation of the name at chessvariants.com (English)