Circe was a sorceress of Greek legend, described in the Odyssey as "fair-headed, a clever goddess, possessing human speech," sister of "all-wise Aeaetes," daughter of "the Sun, who gives light to mortals, and of Perse, whom Ocean begot and his daughter."

 

Round her palace in the island of Aeaea were various people, whom she had changed into the shapes of wolves and lions by her drugs and incantations. She also changed 22 of the companions of Ulysses into pigs; however, Ulysses himself, having obtained from Mercury the herb Moly, went boldly to the palace of the sorceress, immune from the power of her drugs, and induced her to lift the spell on his companions. He stayed with her for a year; and went he left, she instructed him how to avoid the dangers he'd encounter on his homeward voyage.

 

Ovid relates how, when she was jealous of Scylla, whose love was sought by Glaucus, she poured the juice of poisonous herbs into that part of the sea where he rival was accustomed to bathe, and so changed her into a hideous monster.