Odyssey: A Daily Odyssey through Homer’s The Odyssey
Jun 29, 2026 · 15 min · 8 segments
Morning comes with motion — and with loss. Even as the way forward is revealed, death claims one more without warning. In *The Odyssey*, Book 10 draws toward its close as Circe prepares Odysseus…
Landon SolanoHost
Then she put on me a mantle and a doublet for raiment, and the nymph clad herself in a great shining robe, light of woof and gracious.
And about her waist she cast a fair golden girdle, and put a veil upon her head.
But I passed through the halls and roused my men with smooth words, standing by each one in turn.
Sleep ye now no more, nor breathe sweet slumber, but let us go on our way, for surely she hath shown me all, the Lady Circe.
There was one, Elpenor, the youngest of us all, not very valiant in war, neither steadfast in mind.
He was lying apart from the rest of my men on the housetop of Circe's sacred dwelling, very fain of the cool air, as one heavy with wine.
Now when he heard the noise of the voices and of the feet of my fellows as they moved to and fro, he leaped up of a sudden and minded him not to descend again by way of the tall ladder, but fell right down from the roof.
and his neck was broken from the bones of the spine, and his spirit went down to the house of Hades.
Then I spake among my men, as they went on their way, saying, Ye deem now, I see, that ye are going to your own dear country, but Circe hath showed us another way, even to the dwelling of Hades of the dread Persephone, to seek the spirit of Thebian Tiresias.
And they sat them down even where they were, and made lament and tore their hair.
But as we were now wending Sourful to the swift ship in the sea-banks, shedding big tears, Circe meanwhile had gone her ways, and made fast a ram and a black ewe by the dark ship, lightly passing us by.
Who may behold a god against his will, whether going to or fro? Well, that concludes chapter 10.
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Then she put on me a mantle and a doublet for raiment, and the nymph clad herself in a great shining robe, light of woof and gracious.
And about her waist she cast a fair golden girdle, and put a veil upon her head.
But I passed through the halls and roused my men with smooth words, standing by each one in turn.
Sleep ye now no more, nor breathe sweet slumber, but let us go on our way, for surely she hath shown me all, the Lady Circe.
There was one, Elpenor, the youngest of us all, not very valiant in war, neither steadfast in mind.
He was lying apart from the rest of my men on the housetop of Circe's sacred dwelling, very fain of the cool air, as one heavy with wine.
Now when he heard the noise of the voices and of the feet of my fellows as they moved to and fro, he leaped up of a sudden and minded him not to descend again by way of the tall ladder, but fell right down from the roof.
and his neck was broken from the bones of the spine, and his spirit went down to the house of Hades.
Then I spake among my men, as they went on their way, saying, Ye deem now, I see, that ye are going to your own dear country, but Circe hath showed us another way, even to the dwelling of Hades of the dread Persephone, to seek the spirit of Thebian Tiresias.
And they sat them down even where they were, and made lament and tore their hair.
But as we were now wending Sourful to the swift ship in the sea-banks, shedding big tears, Circe meanwhile had gone her ways, and made fast a ram and a black ewe by the dark ship, lightly passing us by.
Who may behold a god against his will, whether going to or fro? Well, that concludes chapter 10.
