Circe

Also known as: Aeaean Circe · Family: divine · Role: sorceress · First appears: Book III 3

In Book III, Aeaean Circe is identified as the sister of Aeetes. In Book IV, she is named the daughter of Perse and Helios, and Zeus ordains that the Argonauts must be cleansed through her counsels after Apsyrtus’s murder; a speaking beam consequently directs Polydeuces and Castor to pray for a path to her.

At Aeaea, Circe recognizes Jason and Medea as suppliants and performs the sacrifice required to cleanse them from the guilt of Apsyrtus’s death. She discerns Medea’s concealed involvement despite her silence about the murder, but, as her kinswoman, refuses to devise further harm against her. Circe orders Medea to leave with Jason and will not approve her flight, after which Jason leads her from Circe’s home.

Relationship record

Life events

• Zeus ordained that Circe cleanse the Argonauts from Apsyrtus’s murder before their return.(Book IV 5)
  • With: Zeus Apsyrtus
  • “When Apsyrtus had fallen in mighty overthrow Zeus himself, king of gods, was seized with wrath at what they had done. And he ordained that by the counsels of Aeaean Circe they should cleanse themselves from the terrible stain of blood and suffer countless woes before their return.”
• The speaking beam foretold that Circe must purge Apsyrtus’s murder and commanded prayers to find her.(Book IV 5)
  • With: Polydeuces Castor
  • “For it proclaimed that they should not escape the paths of an endless sea nor grievous tempests, unless Circe should purge away the guilt of the ruthless murder of Apsyrtus; and it bade Polydeuces and Castor pray to the immortal gods first to grant a path through the Ausonian sea where they should find Circe, daughter of Perse and Helios.”
• Circe performs a cleansing sacrifice for Jason and Medea after Apsyrtus’s murder.(Book IV 6 · 📍 Aeaea)
  • With: Jason Medea Apsyrtus
  • “Wherefore in reverence for the ordinance of Zeus, the god of suppliants, who is a god of wrath yet mightily aids slayers of men, she began to offer the sacrifice with which ruthless suppliants are cleansed from guilt when they approach the altar.”
• Circe discerns Medea’s concealed involvement in Apsyrtus’s murder.(Book IV 6 · 📍 Aeaea)
  • With: Medea Jason Apsyrtus
  • “So Medea told her all she asked—the daughter of Aeetes of the gloomy heart, speaking gently in the Colchian tongue, both of the quest and the journeyings of the heroes, and of their toils in the swift contests, and how she had sinned through the counsels of her much-sorrowing sister, and how with the sons of Phrixus she had fled afar from the tyrannous horrors of her father; but she shrank from telling of the murder of Apsyrtus. Yet she escaped not Circe’s ken;”
• Circe refuses further aid and orders Medea to leave with Jason.(Book IV 6 · 📍 Aeaea)
  • With: Medea Jason
  • “But since thou art my suppliant and my kinswoman, no further ill shall I devise against thee at thy coming; but begone from my halls, companioning the stranger, whosoever he be, this unknown one that thou hast taken in thy father’s despite; and kneel not to me at my hearth, for never will I approve thy counsels and thy shameful flight.”
• Jason leads Medea away, and they leave Circe’s home.(Book IV 6 · 📍 Aeaea)
  • With: Medea Jason
  • “Thus she spake, and measureless anguish seized the maid; and over her eyes she cast her robe and poured forth a lamentation, until the hero took her by the hand and led her forth from the hall quivering with fear. So they left the home of Circe.”

Book III 3

• siblings with Aeetes “when he was bringing my sister Circe to the western land”

Book IV 5

• parent: Perse “Circe, daughter of Perse and Helios”
• parent: Helios “Circe, daughter of Perse and Helios”
• employer: Zeus “And he ordained that by the counsels of Aeaean Circe they should cleanse themselves from the terrible stain of blood and suffer countless woes before their return.”

Book IV 6

• siblings with Aeetes “they readily guessed that she was the sister of Aeetes.”
• protégé: Medea “But since thou art my suppliant and my kinswoman, no further ill shall I devise against thee at thy coming”
• protégé: Jason “Jason fixed in the ground the mighty hilted sword with which he had slain Aeetes’ son; nor did they raise their eyes to meet her look. And straightway Circe became aware of the doom of a suppliant and the guilt of murder. Wherefore in reverence for the ordinance of Zeus, the god of suppliants, who is a god of wrath yet mightily aids slayers of men, she began to offer the sacrifice with which ruthless suppliants are cleansed from guilt when they approach the altar.”
• with Medea (Circe calls Medea her kinswoman.) “But since thou art my suppliant and my kinswoman, no further ill shall I devise against thee at thy coming”

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Extracted from the original text of The Argonautica. Made with Rho MD.