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"For six days and six nights we sailed without interruption, but on the seventh day we reached the city of the Læstrygonians. There the pastures are so rich in grass that the fields, which are grazed by one flock of sheep during the day, yield abundant food for another flock by night. The inhabitants were not only inhospitable, but they received us with a shower of stones, which they hurled at us and at our galleys. They broke our ships and killed my companions, spearing them like fish. Then they carried them ashore to be devoured. With the greatest difficulty I succeeded in saving one ship and a few companions from the hands of these giants, and I fled with them out to the high sea.
"Sadly we continued our course until we reached an island, where the goddess Circè, a daughter of the Sun and Ocean, lived. We landed silently, and gave two days and nights to rest, for we were worn out with toil and grief. On the third day I climbed to the top of a high hill and looked over the island. Down below I saw a marble palace, surrounded by a thick forest. There was smoke rising from the grounds, so I resolved to return to my men and send out some of them to look about and explore.
"A large stag ran down into my path, on his way to a river to drink, and I thrust my spear through him and flung him across my neck and took him to the ship. I threw him at the feet of my men, who were astonished at his size. They prepared a banquet at once, and we feasted upon the meat.
"That night we slept on the shore again, and in the morning I told them that I had seen a palace standing in a thick wood, and that I wanted to send several men there to try to get food. When my companions thought of all their comrades who had been slain they wept aloud. But their tears were useless. I divided them into two equal bands, and we cast lots to see which party should make the adventure.
"The lot fell to Eurylochos and his band of men. They started forth, and soon came to a beautiful valley, in which was the splendid house of Circè, which was built of well-hewn stone. There were beasts of prey, lions and wolves, around it. The animals were tame; they wagged their tails and fawned like dogs, but the men were afraid of them. Circè was weaving in the palace and singing a beautiful song. She had bright, sunny hair and a sweet voice. The men heard her as she went back and forth weaving, and they called aloud. She came to the door and threw it wide open and bade them enter.
"Eurylochos alone did not go in, for he feared that some evil would come of it. The others followed her, and Circè seated them on thrones and gave them food and wine, but in the wine she had secretly infused a magic juice which made them forget home and friends and all desire to see their native land.
"When they had eaten and drunk to their hearts' content, she waved her wand over them, and at once the poor wretches were changed into grunting pigs, which she shut up in pigsties and threw acorns and other food fit for swine before them. Although thus transformed and covered with bristles, they still retained the human mind.
"Eurylochos stayed a long time outside awaiting the return of his companions. But as they tarried so long, he hastened back to the ship to tell the news. Thereupon I quickly hung my sword over my shoulder and, taking my bow and arrows, hurried off alone, and soon found myself not far from Circè's palace."