I could see that the tantalizing hearth of Circe had brought yet another ship of unsuspecting travelers to her lair.  If they had only known what awaited them they would surely have fled, escaping with their lives untouched by her deception.  From where I lay in one of the many animal pens, being a wolf with the mind of a man, I was cognizant of all that occurred within the mystical palace.

            I, Seidon, had been confined to the goddess’s island for twelve, long years.  Like the newcomers who sat at her table that evening, I too had been intrigued by the innocuous facade of the lush isle.  I had been sailing the seas for eight years in search of adventure, and it was this desire to conquer the unknown that ultimately led me to my animal state.

            The men who Circe entertained wore clothing suited for the open sea life, but they all appeared very haggard.  Some were so tired that they could hardly walk.  It was obvious that their journey had been a very trying one.  As I looked upon them, I wondered if any of them had fought at Troy as I had done before I set sail in search of new conquests.  After a few minor encounters with a fire-breathing dragon and a green sea monster, I landed on Circe’s island.  Like the sailors who were sitting before me I had drank the bubbly concoction that erased all thoughts of home and family.  I stood frozen for what felt like years, and then there was a sudden feeling of emptiness.  My transformation into a wolf soon followed.  I felt that hole within myself the entire time that I remained in the form of a wolf, but I could not determine what it was that I lacked.

            I watched that same wretched fate fall on so many men and women, and it was always the same.  A shrill squeal or a low growl were common sounds that soon followed the pathetic transformation of man to beast as Circe waved her magic wand above their heads.  On that particular day, twenty-two more trophies were herded into the pig pens doomed for what could be eternity.

            Night fell over the island, and I slept until I was awakened by the sound of a husky, male voice.  The man that I saw was tall with a handsome build.  He carried himself like a warrior, but he had the air of a god.  He wore fine clothing and ornaments of gold.  A fine sword of gold fell at his side and clanked against his leather belt as he walked.  Regardless of his appearance, the man was surely to become another unfortunate victim, but all of a sudden I realized that Circe’s wand and potion had no power over the stranger.  He obviously possessed a power greater than that of the goddess.  The man then wisely demanded that Circe promise not to harm him before they ascended the great staircase that led to her bedroom.

            Dawn broke over the island, and I learned that the  incredible stranger I had seen the night before was Odysseus, son of Laertes, sacker of cities.  I overheard two of the maidservants say that Odysseus was full of sorrow and would not touch the lavish food laid out for him.

            At about that time, I heard Odysseus and Circe talking to one another.  Odysseus pleaded with the goddess to restore his friends to their former selves.  Rage, jealousy, and disgust poured through my body all at once because I knew that Circe could not deny his wishes.  She led the blessed creatures out of their pens and administered the proper antidote.  A few minutes went by and nothing happened.  Then, as if they had been struck by lightning, the pigs jerked and squealed giving off what had to be the cries of growing pains.  Their hooves and stubby legs became sculptured feet and long, lean legs.  Their fat stomachs became flat and muscular, and their squashed noses and pointed ears grew into the finest curved features of their faces.  It was amazing.  Before they looked like ordinary men, but now each one could have been mistaken for Adonis.  I was stunned by their transformation.

            A sense of longing filled my soul as I watched the reunion of Odysseus and his companions, but I could not determine what it was I desired to have.  Odysseus and his men remained on the island for one year, and all the while I watched them from my pen.  I saw them eat the banquets Circe prepared for them, and I was present when her maid servants bathed and anointed each man.  With each passing day, their joy diminished a little more as thoughts of home burned in their minds, pushing them to finish their journey.

            I was not set free until my fifteenth year on the island.  Circe was very fond of contests and of showing off her powers, and one day she bet Aphrodite that she could seduce a king of a prominent country before Aphrodite could.  Aphrodite had no doubt about her own capabilities, so she bet that if she won Circe had to give her most prized possessions — her caged pets;  each one would have to be restored to its former self.  If Circe won, then Aphrodite would have to declare to all the gods and mortals that Circe had more power than she did.  To my great fortune, Circe lost, but I won my freedom.

            So, that is my tale, my dear friends and family.  I have missed you all very much, and my love for you has only grown from this grotesque experience; however, I must confess that I still feel imprisoned by my own discontent.  Even with all that I have seen and all the places that I have traveled to in my life, I fear that the mountains will never seem high enough; the rivers will never seem fast enough; and the contests will never seem challenging enough to satisfy me.