How Does Hermes Help Odysseus Against Circe?

When Odysseus and his men arrived on the island of Aeaea, they encountered the sorceress Circe. She turned many of Odysseus’ men into pigs and held them captive. Fortunately, Hermes, the messenger god, came to Odysseus’ aid and helped him defeat Circe.

Who is Hermes?

Hermes is one of the twelve Olympian gods in Greek mythology. He is known as the messenger god and was often depicted wearing winged sandals and a winged helmet. Hermes was responsible for delivering messages from the gods to mortals and guiding souls to the afterlife.

How did Hermes help Odysseus?

When Odysseus realized that his men had been turned into pigs by Circe, he decided to go confront her. On his way, he met Hermes who gave him a special herb called moly. Moly was supposed to protect Odysseus from Circe’s magic.

When Odysseus reached Circe’s palace, she offered him a drink that had been spiked with a potion that would have turned him into a pig as well. However, because he had taken moly beforehand, he was immune to her magic.

Circe was surprised when her magic didn’t work on Odysseus and became afraid of him. She then invited him to stay with her on Aeaea for a year while they both plotted against their common enemy – the god of the sea Poseidon.

What other help did Hermes provide?

In addition to giving Odysseus moly, Hermes also told him how to defeat Circe. He instructed Odysseus to draw his sword and threaten her with it until she agreed to turn his men back into humans.

Hermes also helped guide Odysseus through many other challenges during his journey home from Troy including helping him navigate the dangers of the underworld.

Conclusion

Hermes played a crucial role in helping Odysseus defeat Circe and save his men from being turned into pigs forever. Without Hermes’ help, Odysseus may not have been able to overcome Circe’s magic and continue his journey home.