MEMORY I mused my would f ain embraced v r my Mother dead . e e waxed g rief — x i. 204 5 , 208 . FO R E W O R D . IN the present monograph I continue the illustration of the e e the ou — e influ nc of N Aryan East upon H llas , a subj ect which I have discussed in The Great D ion siak M th the e y y , by inv stigation of a particular Hom erik I personage and episode . trust that this study will bring into still cle arer prominence the fact that the Homerik Po ems constitute one of the e ie the e e arl st , and at sam tim most important , links e h h b twee n t e East and the West . T e subj ect is also in strict continuation of my prior mythological re searche s ; and as I have alre ady treated separately the D the M The Unicorn : a of Sun ( ionysos), oon (in M tholo ical Investi a tion the S The La w y g g ), and tars (in o Kosmic Order Eridanus River and Constella f , and tion ); so in the myth of Kirke the two he avenly W e e e e W protagonists ill app ar in clos conn xion , alik ith e e ach othe r and With the stellar host . As pr viously te e are e e be c on tris sta d , such inv stigations int nd d to butions to the n ew and highly important study of archaic psychology . The mighty harp of Homer is he ptach o rd ; the e e o e e e e e e Po ms r s lv thems lv s into a s v nfold asp ct , be e e the e e M tho which may d not d by t rms R ligion , y e eo logy , Folklor , Archa logy , History , Humanity , and Linguistic ; and we are very far from the last word upon any of th e s e divisions . Investigators chose this or that branch of Hom erik study in accord ance withtheir tastes and opportunitie s ; on e works the e e e e e with spad , anoth r historically at d ciph rm nt , the e e e r a third on lin s of linguistic sci nc , a fou th t upon hose of comparative mythology . All the se labo urs are truly valuable ; the various subj ects e The intertwin and interpene trate . goal will be re e the en d et e e w ach d , but is not y ; and m anwhil e shall do well to recognize the importance of care ful e ff and sci ntific e ort in e very portion of the fie ld . M n ot r l e uch , of a st ictly inguistic charact r , still remains to be done in the study o f the text of the l I ias and Odysseia . Especially should all re currin g e e e e e formulas , and pith ts ith r obscur or appare ntly r e e e e e not pa ticularly appropriat , r c iv car ful attention in a comparative point of view . The unintelligible and the seemingly—unsuitable are constantly survivals r e e e f om a prior stag , and g n rally become luminous th by e aid of comparison . orewor F d. ix The Poems are of cours e Aryan in character the Non - e e e e e e e Aryan l m nt , how v r important , is xc ptional and s u bordinate . While we rej ect any imaginary moral grafted on e e a e we e a myth in a comparativ ly lat g , shall do w ll at the same time to think of Nature as ‘ the e arlie st Gospel of the wise and of the noblest myths as e e e adumbrating and s tting forth , in a c rtain mann r , e e e . e e the G or ias infinit r aliti s Wh n Sokrat s , in g , has quote d the Hom erik legend of Odysseus in the e the e M Shad s , and told how h ro saw inos , holding a ’ e e the e he sc ptr of gold and giving laws to d ad , adds the se noble and memorable words Now I am e e the e e e p rsuad d of truth of th s things , and I consid r how I shall present my soul whole and u n defiled ‘ b efore the Judge in that day . Renouncing the the e e o honours at which world aims , I d sir nly to the e e and know Truth , and to liv as w ll as I can , , th e the e e die . e wh n tim com s , to And , to utmost of ’ e e e m en the e . my pow r , I xhort all oth r to do sam BA RTON - UP ON - HUMBER October 1883 . PA GE FOREWORD A BBREVIATIONS SECTION I T I EG D . HE HOME R K L EN K p o II. IRKE A ND KAL r s ’ THE NAME ‘ KIRKE A IA THE I LA D OF KIRE E , S N II S ON - IK T E OE K KE V . OME N HOME R NO IC S IR TE E MY C RELAT VE OF K KE VIII. THI I S IR IX TH E T A F MA T . R NS OR ION P T THE STO E X . SOME SPECIA L OIN S IN R KIRKE A ND THE NEKYI A ABBREVIATIONS . M h r a t Dion s a/c M th. L n d D . T e G e i o on Brown R . Jr. G. , , y y ( Lon man s 187 7 g , R M A — Th Reli ion an d M tholo the A r a ns o . e g y gy of y f N orthern Eu ro e. Lon on E . Stanfor p ( d d, — L Lan u a e an d Theories o its Ori in . Lon on . g g , f g ( d E Stan for . d , — M tholo ica l In v t n U The n icorn : a esti a ion . Lo on . U y g g ( d Lon ma n s g , — The Law o Kos mic Order. Lon on Lon m an L If . 0 . s . f ( d g , 1882) — Eridan u s River a n d ons tella tio E C n . Lon on : Lon . , ( d g m an s, G — haldean A ccou n t Gen esis 2n d e it B S i h A . m t Geo . G . C . , , . of , d y r f Sa ce P o . y . T — a h i t Bi ica A rcha o o . Tr n sa tion s of t e Soc e of e c y bl l l gy . TH E M Y TH OF K IRKE A N H M E RIK S T O UD Y. SECTION I . MERIK LEGE F THE HO ND O KIRKE. ’ ODYSSEUS with his ship s crew having escaped from the Laistr on es are e e e n yg , who d scrib d as b i g giant e the A iaian e e e e t cannibals , com s to Isl , wh r dw l K e - e A iétés e e o irk , own sist r of and daught r of H li s and Pe rse daughter of Okeanos . On the third day e e r the e e e aft r th ir a rival h ro r connoitr s , and having e e e o ff the re notic d smok and flam afar in woodland , turns to the ship with a stag upon which the company h e . e n e e e f ast N xt mor ing divid s his band , and s nds 22 m en t Eu rylochos with to explore he country . he the e K e the e T y find palac of irk in for st , sur e e e rounded by tam and b witch d wolve s and lions . e she r Th ey h e ar the godd ss singing. as wo ks at a web her she e e mighty ; and hail , and bids th m nter l h s her te . Eur oc o e e ga s y alon r mains without , and after long watching returns to Odysseus with the e the l news that his fellows had disapp ear d in pa ace . B 2 The My th of Me e K e n e e her e es anwhil , irk havi g s at d gu sts , mak them a mess mixed with harmful drugs which cause e e them to forget their home . Wh n th y have drunk the she e e her potion smit s th m with magic wand , e e e e e e are wh r upon th y b com swin , and shut up in e m sties but still retain th ir human ind . Odysseus now arms himself and sets out to the rescue of his men ee w He e , and on his way m ts ith rm s who in stru cts e e e him th him how to b hav , and giv s e magic e mol e he ll be e h rb y, by m ans of which wi nable d e e the e e to succ ssfully d fy nchantm nts of Kirke.