Chapter VI

The same as Scene II. CIRCE’S banquet-hall.—As the curtain rises the party who entered the palace at the close of Scene IV are shown seated at the table on the Left, while THERMIA and other nymphs serve them with food and wine. The cups are filled by pouring from tall slender pitchers of silver, and these in turn by dipping the wine with ladles from the punch-bowl on the sideboard. The Enchantress and her companions are in their usual places. MYRTO turns her wheel slowly and intermittently without noticeable sound. CIRCE, seated as before at the head of the table on the Right, wears the same dress as in Scene II, but her black robe is not thrown off. The wand lies upon the table near her right hand, neither carelessly nor conspicuously placed. The throne at her left hand, behind which PHILINNA stands, is occupied by _Mikkos_, who wears a brightly polished collar.

The guests are all at the table farthest from CIRCE. The throne at its head, opposite her throne, is occupied by ELPENOR. At his left, near the corner of the table, sits PHORBAS, partaking freely of the banquet, but glancing nervously, now toward _Mikkos_ and now toward the door behind the dais where they had entered. At the left of PHORBAS sit some feasters with their backs to the audience. On the other side of the table, facing the audience, are THERON the cook (at ELPENOR’S right) wearing his cap; GLAUCUS (the farthest in the direction toward _Mikkos_); and other men between THERON and GLAUCUS.

It is near the close of the entertainment. Appearances indicate that the banqueters have begun to feel the effects of the wine that is still poured freely. They are also partly dazed and partly exhilarated by the presence of the Enchantress and her elegant nymphs. The symptoms of intoxication and bewilderment on the part of the men become by degrees more manifest as the conversation proceeds. GLAUCUS preserves his dignity rather better than his companions; but he seems fascinated by CIRCE, to whom he is the nearest in his position at table; and he does not refrain from drinking copiously, nor show due caution or a disposition to remember the details of the mission with which EURYLOCHUS had been entrusted.

CIRCE

[_After a pause_] Ye do full justice, strangers and kind guests,
To this our welcome and the cheer we spread.
’Tis right. Go on; and so with act sincere,
Not by the hollow word, those virtues prove
Which to my bounty I would fain impute.
And truly, until a guest hath quell’d the pangs
Of sharp importunate hunger, it were ungracious
To crave of him accounts or ply his ear
With curious question.—I am well pleased to wait
Upon your silence keeping even pace
With appetite.—Ye have not sat of late,
I judge, at flowing boards.

ELPENOR

[_Loudly_] We had roast _deer_ yesterday.

THERON

[_Flourishing his fork_] Done to a turn!

CIRCE

Ah!—did ye then venture
To hunt and slay the creatures that frequent
My island park? It were no jest to play
The involuntary cannibal!

[_Some of the men are seen to be startled by this remark._]

Follow’d perchance
Unusual visions in the wake of the feast?

PHORBAS

Yes, yes! my sleep ran ghostly; but I thought
’Twas a mere nightmare.

ELPENOR

I thought I saw a _horse_!

CIRCE

Of our four-footed denizens we note
Two sorts: one of original beastly shape;
Another, to which the brutal guise hath fallen
As fit encasement of their human habits.
And these two kinds, one from the other with sure
Discrimination to distinguish, proves
Sometimes not easy. Thus our good _Mikkos_ here

[_Patting the ape lightly_]

Was once a philosopher of the ancient sect
Call’d pre-Ionic—in his day the most
Redoubtable of doubters.

GLAUCUS

[_Gravely; nodding his head unsteadily_]
Madam, we doubt it not.

CIRCE

Fate ordain’d
That to this island he should drift and taste
Our cordials. Whereon he was profoundly struck
With my maid Myrto.

[_Here MYRTO without looking up sets her wheel a-spinning loudly for a brief moment, causing the banqueters to turn their eyes in her direction._]

From that hour a change
Came o’er him.

MYRTO

It was a harmless fancy;
And he is harmless now.

[_Upon hearing MYRTO’S voice_ Mikkos _without turning toward her begins to raise himself by his hands upon the arms of the chair, but at a sign from CIRCE lowers himself to sitting posture._]

THERON

[_To CIRCE; pointing with his fork to PHILINNA_]

But why, madam?—why did he not choose
That young miss there behind him?

CIRCE

He was a philosopher, I said.

THERON

He was a _pig_!—

CIRCE

Ah, by the by, Thermia, didst thou tell Graea
To renovate those sties?

THERMIA

I did, my lady.
More swine, she says, have bolted
And to the woods run wild. One sty stands empty.

CIRCE

It shall be fill’d erelong.

PHORBAS

[_Looking anxiously at a platter before him_]

Might there be a possible doubt about these spareribs?

CIRCE

Not the least;
I have a discriminating cook.

THERON

[_Helping himself to more meat_] You can wager
_She_ knows pork when she sees it!

ELPENOR

My father feeds hogs too.

CIRCE

Thy father, gentle youth, will be to-morrow
One pig the poorer.—But where dwells he pray?

ELPENOR

He dwells at home; I left him there.

THERON

Lady, the lad forgets; I do much doubt
If his own name he can remember right now.

CIRCE

It is an infirmity that ofttimes with wassail
Waxes apace. But haply you, good sir,
Can tell me whence ye came?

THERON

O sure, ma’am! we came lately from a cove
Call’d Æolus.

CIRCE

Ah, what!—from my great kinsman,
The steward of the winds?

THERON

A windy stew
He brew’d for _us_!—Great Juno! _was_ it breezy, Glauc?

GLAUCUS

Madam, I am a sailor; but I never
Saw such incessant, damnable contrary winds
In all my voyaging!

PHORBAS

[_Rousing himself excitedly_]

Yes, yes; but who?
Who let ’em out? Who let ’em out?

[_GLAUCUS looks fiercely at the speaker and THERON extends his fist threateningly toward him. PHORBAS shrinks away._]

CIRCE

But, gentlemen, pray inform me; whither now
Would ye be wafted? From which quarter should
Those breezes blow enabling you to reach
The desired haven?

THERON

We don’t know that, because
We don’t know where we are.

ELPENOR

We’re _here_ now.

GLAUCUS

We’re downright weary o’ pulling
Across head winds!

CIRCE

But which of you is leader?
Which one doth stand for steering and shrewd guidance?

ELPENOR

He stopp’d outside.

PHORBAS

We thought he enter’d with us; but once inside,
We miss’d him.

CIRCE

What _he_ hath miss’d he knows not. I shall send
Mikkos to fetch him.

GLAUCUS

Our leader, lady,
Is a good careful man, yet over wary
Of women or witchcraft. So soon he caught the strain
Of the song you sang it paralyzed him.

CIRCE

Ah!

GLAUCUS

Were he here now, he could not look you
Square in the face, as I do.

[_GLAUCUS is gazing at CIRCE admiringly._]

ELPENOR

He might see
That brass snake on her arm.

GLAUCUS

He would abhor
The arm worse than the serpent.

CIRCE

Is then my arm
So frightful?

THERON

The arm’s all right, ma’am; but there’s something wrong
About Eurylochus.

CIRCE

So; Eurylochus is your leader?

GLAUCUS

Only a bit
Backward about leading, when he scents
A woman in the wind.

CIRCE

And he would fear
Us hospitable maidens?—and, we trust,
Of aspect not forbidding.

THERON

O, it’s all one
About the aspect. You could tree him, ma’am,
As quick as the giant’s daughter.

CIRCE

The giant’s daughter?

THERON

Yes, ma’am; we landed lately on a lot
Of bloody cannibals—this big gal first;
And Eurylochus took to a tree.

ELPENOR

[_Pointing to PHORBAS_] He climb’d up too.

CIRCE

What! does your friend fear women also?

THERON

O no, ma’am. Phorb’s a trifle timid like,
Whether it’s a he or she. You see, it’s this way:
Phorb was a-fear’d, because she was so large;
And Eurylochus, because she was a lady.

CIRCE

She _was_ a lady then?

PHORBAS

She laid out Theron
When he made up to her.

THERON

I had half a mind
To make pork chop o’ the bloomin’ hussy!—Ye gods!
This meat-knife here does hang plumb heavy
For an after-dinner appendage.

[_He detaches the cleaver from his belt and lays it on the table, at the same time loosening the belt._]

I don’t want
The dang’d thing dangling at my haunches when
The dancing begins.

ELPENOR

When does it begin, Theron?

THERON

Split me if I know! There’s a raft more drinks
On the tapis yet.

CIRCE

My friends, I shall soon show you
A new dance call’d the four-step.

SEVERAL VOICES

Hi, hi! Hip, hip! [_They pound on the table with their cups._]

THERON

Ha, ha! The four-step; two-and-two two-step:
That means partners!

[_He leers again at PHILINNA, drains his cup and waves it toward her.—Other men seem to pay increased attention to the nymphs serving them._]

GLAUCUS

[_Admiringly, but unsteadily_] Do you dance it, madam, yourself?

CIRCE

O no; but Mikkos knows it.

[_Here the ape slowly raises himself by the hands until all four extremities rest upon the arms of the chair, remaining a moment or two in this position before lowering himself._]

THERON

Would you mind, ma’am,
Letting that there young miss step over here to take
The place of this one?

[_He points to PHILINNA and indicates THERMIA behind him with his left thumb over the shoulder._]

ELPENOR

[_Parenthetically_] Don’t take _her_ away!

CIRCE

A moment, sir; I have some present need of her.
One choicest cordial I have not yet brought
To your attention. In my island only
The vintage can be stored.—A jar, Philinna;
Here on my table.

PHILINNA

Do you mean, my lady,
The wine which for ourselves alone we press?

CIRCE

Yes, child; these are no every-day arrivals; go!

[_PHILINNA goes out at Right 2. The other nymphs present, except MYRTO and THERMIA, leave the room quietly and unobservedly, closing the Left central door. THERON’S song begins as PHILINNA disappears. The refrain and chorus are joined in by all the men except ELPENOR and PHORBAS, who look at each other and laugh._]

THERON

[_Sings; still looking toward the door where PHILINNA went out._]

It was a stout sailor who cook’d for the crew;

ALL

Sing yo, heave yo!

THERON

A-shedding salt tears while he season’d the stew.

ALL

A-shedding salt tears while he season’d the stew.
Sing yo, heave yo, on the briny!

THERON

Salt tears for the sweetheart that jilted him last;

ALL

Sing yo, heave yo!

THERON

And the onions he peel’d made ’em fall thick and fast.

ALL

And the onions he peel’d made ’em fall thick and fast.
Sing yo, heave yo, on the briny!

CIRCE

[_To GLAUCUS_] Would _that_ song paralyze your leader, sir?

GLAUCUS

The allusion would prick him, madam; depend upon it.—

[_Turning to THERON_] One more, Thee,—till she’s back with the
bitters.

THERON

[_Sings_] One fine morning the pudding-bag busted a flap;

ALL

Sing yo, heave yo!

THERON

So he boil’d the noon mess in his greasy cook’s cap.

[_Here THERON takes his cap from his head and lays it over a plate._]

ALL

So he boil’d the noon mess in his greasy cook’s cap.
Sing yo, heave yo, on the briny!

THERON

“For God’s sake,” cried the captain, “what’s struck the plum-duff?”

ALL

Sing yo, heave yo!

THERON

“We don’t need hogs’ bristles to flavor the stuff!”

ALL

“We don’t need hogs’ bristles to flavor the stuff!”
Sing yo, heave yo, on the briny!

[_With the last chorus PHILINNA re-enters bearing a punch-bowl of elegant pattern, smaller than the one on the sideboard at the opposite end of the room. She places the bowl upon the table before CIRCE, while the men become silent as they look on._]

MYRTO

My lady, may Mikkos have a drop?

[_At these words the ape begins to draw himself up by the hands again. CIRCE nods assent to MYRTO._]

CIRCE

Philinna!

[_PHILINNA fills a cup from the bowl and hands it to the ape. She also sets a small cup of wine before CIRCE._ Mikkos _drains the beaker, holding it with both hands and throwing his head very far back; and while the eyes of all the men are directed toward him with amused attention CIRCE, opening a very small silver casket that hangs at her girdle, takes a fine powder therefrom and quickly throws it into the bowl. She draws the wand nearer to her hand._]

CIRCE

Thermia!

[_At the word, THERMIA passes up to CIRCE’S table and she and PHILINNA, filling pitchers from CIRCE’S bowl, proceed to refill the cups of the banqueters in regular order, THERMIA from left to right, PHILINNA from right to left. Then as they meet at the centre both the nymphs retire together to the extreme Right near CIRCE. Meanwhile the sombre figure of GRAEA the Swine-maiden is discovered lurking in the corridor behind the Right central doorway._]

CIRCE

[_Raising her cup_] To the health of your backward leader, my
brave guests!

GLAUCUS

[_Half-rising; unsteadily_] Out, out! To hostess, hostess!
Here’s to hostess!

[_All drink; and the effects of the drug straightway become apparent. An expression of stupefaction and horror passes over the faces of the men. They look at each other vacantly with forced smiles; their heads and arms sway and droop; they swing round in their seats and are evidently unconscious of their situation. At the first symptoms of this delirium the Enchantress rises deliberately from her throne, wand in hand; and gliding along the line toward the Left taps lightly and quickly each man with the wand without pausing in her course. Then she steps upon the dais._]

CIRCE

[_Sternly; with wand pointed upward and back toward the Right centre_]

Hence to the sty! your proper shapes assume!

[_Directly GRAEA, who during CIRCE’S movements has stridden noiselessly into the room and has passed along its edge behind THERMIA and PHILINNA and the Enchantress’ throne until in front of the other table near the point where PHORBAS sits, raises her long whip and cracks it fiercely with sharp detonation at the men’s feet. In a huddle they rush tumultuously away with drooping heads and arms to the open rear doorway and out through it, passing in front of MYRTO and her wheel and followed by GRAEA lashing furiously. Some of the fugitives, as they drop on all fours near the exit, are seen to have already developed curly pigs’ tails at their posteriors. As the victims rush forth_ Mikkos _springs upon the empty throne of CIRCE and balancing himself upon its arms gazes intently into the bowl on the table before him, while MYRTO sets her wheel revolving and humming loudly. The drop-curtain falls just as the door closes behind the herd and GRAEA disappearing over the corridor._]

The several positions at the fall of the curtain are as follows: CIRCE stands upon the dais with wand raised in the attitude described. MYRTO sits at her wheel, which turns more and more slowly as the curtain descends. PHILINNA and THERMIA stand near the boudoir, still holding their pitchers, the hand of one girl resting on the other’s shoulder. _Mikkos_, poised upon CIRCE’S chair, his head lower than his tail, pores intently over the punch-bowl. No person exhibits signs of amusement or excitement of any sort. Their faces are serene, their figures motionless. The wheel comes to a standstill just as the descending curtain hides it.