batch.motif.greek-odyssey-butler-gutenberg-l4399-l4490
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-odyssey-butler-gutenberg-l4399-l4490
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK VIII / BOOK IX / BOOK X / AEOLUS, THE LAESTRYGONES, CIRCE.; lines 4399-4490
start: '4399'
end: '4490'
translation: The Odyssey
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Odysseus recounts the Laestrygonians' attack on his fleet, his escape with
one ship, the arrival at Aeaea, the sighting of smoke from Circe's house, the
killing of a stag for food, the division of the crew by lot, and Eurylochus's
party approaching Circe's house amid enchanted wolves and lions while she sings
and weaves inside.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Antiphates kills one of Odysseus's men and begins eating him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Laestrygonians throw rocks from cliffs at the ships and spear Odysseus's men
before taking them away to eat.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Odysseus cuts the cable of his own ship, orders his men to row, and escapes
into open water while the other ships are lost.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Odysseus and his surviving crew reach the Aeaean island, where Circe lives.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: Circe is described as a great and cunning goddess, sister of Aeetes, and child
of the sun by Perse, daughter of Oceanus.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: A god guides the ship into a safe harbour, and the crew rests there for two
days and two nights.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: Odysseus climbs a high lookout and sees smoke rising from Circe's house in
a dense forest.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: A god sends a fine antlered stag into Odysseus's path, and Odysseus kills
it with a spear.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: Odysseus brings the stag back to the ship and tells his men they will not
starve while they have food and drink.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: Odysseus tells the crew they do not know where the sun rises or sets and do
not know east from west.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: Odysseus reports that the land is an island surrounded by sea, low-lying with
smoke rising from a thick forest near the middle.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:12
text: The men remember Antiphates and Polyphemus, weep in fear, and Odysseus divides
them into two companies.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:13
text: Lots are cast in a helmet, and the lot falls to Eurylochus, who sets out with
twenty-two men.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:14
text: Eurylochus's party reaches Circe's house, which is built of cut stones in
the middle of the forest.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: obs:15
text: Wild mountain wolves and lions around Circe's house are described as bewitched
creatures tamed by her enchantments and drugged into subjection.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: obs:16
text: The wolves and lions do not attack the men but fawn upon them, frightening
the men.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: obs:17
text: Circe is heard inside singing beautifully while working at a loom and weaving
a fine, soft, dazzling web.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- id: obs:18
text: Polites proposes calling to the person inside to discover whether she is woman
or goddess.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:15
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Odysseus
description: Narrator and leader of the surviving crew; cuts his ship free, reconnoitres
Aeaea, kills the stag, and divides the crew into companies.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Antiphates
description: Laestrygonian husband called from assembly who kills and eats one of
Odysseus's men.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:10
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Laestrygonians
description: Sturdy beings described as ogres, not men, who attack the ships with
rocks and spear men to eat them.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Odysseus's men / crew
description: The crew attacked by the Laestrygonians; survivors travel with Odysseus
to Aeaea, eat the stag, fear past dangers, and are divided into companies.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:8
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Circe
description: Great and cunning goddess living on the Aeaean island; sister of Aeetes
and child of the sun by Perse; heard singing and weaving inside her house.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:14
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Aeetes
description: Magician and brother of Circe, both children of the sun by Perse.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Perse
description: Daughter of Oceanus and mother of Circe and Aeetes by the sun.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Oceanus
description: Father of Perse.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: some god
description: Unnamed divine agent who guides the ship to harbour and later sends
a stag into Odysseus's path.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: stag
description: Fine antlered stag sent into Odysseus's path and killed for food.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Eurylochus
description: Captain of one company; chosen by lot to lead twenty-two men to Circe's
house.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Polyphemus
description: Savage ogre remembered by the men as a previous threat.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: wolves and lions
description: Wild mountain animals around Circe's house, bewitched and tamed by
Circe's enchantments, who fawn on the approaching men.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Polites
description: Trusted man of Odysseus who speaks at Circe's gate and proposes calling
to the singer inside.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:15
roles:
- id: role:1
label: surviving leader
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Odysseus cuts his ship free, commands rowing, and later organizes the crew.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: role:2
label: scout
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Odysseus goes from the ship to reconnoitre and climbs to a lookout.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:3
label: man-eating adversary
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:12
basis: Antiphates and the Laestrygonians eat or take men to eat; Polyphemus is remembered
as a savage ogre in the crew's fear.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:10
- id: role:4
label: fleet destroyers
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: They throw rocks at ships, spear men, and leave no other ships surviving.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: threatened companions
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The men suffer attack, escape with Odysseus, and fear renewed danger on Aeaea.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:8
- ev:10
- id: role:6
label: divine enchantress
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Circe is a goddess; the animals around her house are tamed by her enchantments
and drugged into subjection.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:13
- id: role:7
label: weaver and singer
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: She is heard singing beautifully while working at her loom.
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- id: role:8
label: divine mother
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Perse is said to have children Circe and Aeetes by the sun.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:9
label: ancestor
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Oceanus is named as father of Perse.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:10
label: unnamed divine helper
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: A god guides the ship to harbour and sends a stag into Odysseus's path.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:11
label: food animal
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: The stag is killed, admired, cooked, and eaten by the crew.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:12
label: chosen expedition leader
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The lot falls to Eurylochus, who sets out with twenty-two men.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:13
label: enchanted guardian animals
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: Wolves and lions prowl around Circe's house but are bewitched, tamed, and
non-attacking.
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: role:14
label: trusted spokesman
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: Polites is valued and trusted by Odysseus and speaks to the party at Circe's
house.
evidence_refs:
- ev:15
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: rocks from cliffs
literal_form: vast rocks hurled from cliffs at the ships
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: open water
literal_form: open water beyond reach of hurled rocks
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: Aeaean island
literal_form: island surrounded by sea, low-lying, with forest and smoke near the
middle
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- water
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
- id: sym:4
label: smoke in forest
literal_form: smoke rising from Circe's house amid a dense or thick forest of trees
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: sym:5
label: stag
literal_form: fine antlered stag killed and brought to the ship for food
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: helmet lots
literal_form: lots cast in a helmet to decide which company goes to Circe's house
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: sym:7
label: Circe's stone house
literal_form: house built of cut stones in the middle of the forest, visible from
far
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:11
- fig:13
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: sym:8
label: enchanted wolves and lions
literal_form: wild mountain wolves and lions tamed by enchantments and drugged into
subjection
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: sym:9
label: loom and web
literal_form: loom and fine, soft, dazzling web woven by Circe
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Laestrygonian attack and escape
summary: Antiphates kills and eats a man; the Laestrygonians attack the fleet with
rocks and spears, while Odysseus cuts his ship free and escapes into open water
with no other ships left.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Arrival at Aeaea and sighting of Circe's smoke
summary: The survivors sail to Aeaea, enter a safe harbour by divine guidance, rest,
and Odysseus scouts from a high lookout where he sees smoke rising from Circe's
forest house.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:3
label: Stag sent and eaten
summary: An unnamed god sends a stag into Odysseus's path; Odysseus kills it, carries
it back, reassures the men, and the crew cooks and eats it.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:4
label: Council and division by lot
summary: Odysseus explains that they are disoriented on an island; the crew fears
earlier monsters, and lots are cast so Eurylochus leads twenty-two men toward
Circe's house.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:11
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: scene:5
label: Approach to Circe's house
summary: Eurylochus's party reaches Circe's stone house in the forest, encounters
bewitched wolves and lions who fawn on them, and hears Circe singing while weaving
inside; Polites suggests calling to her.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:11
- fig:13
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:8
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- ev:13
- ev:14
- ev:15
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: man-eating giants or ogres destroy a fleet
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Laestrygonians are described as ogres who hurl rocks at ships, spear
men, and take them away to eat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The available taxonomy list has no exact ogre or cannibal giant motif
family.
- id: motif:2
label: single surviving vessel escapes annihilation
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: Odysseus cuts the cable of his own ship and escapes while no other ships
remain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage emphasizes escape after destruction
rather than a formal departure motif.
- id: motif:3
label: divinely aided survival in strange land
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: An unnamed god guides the ship to harbour and later sends a stag for food.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: No more specific available taxonomy reference for divine provisioning
is supplied.
- id: motif:4
label: lost travelers disoriented on an unknown island
taxonomy_refs:
- mystical_quest
basis: Odysseus says the crew does not know east from west and must find a way out
on an island surrounded by sea.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage gives literal disorientation,
not an explicit mystical quest.
- id: motif:5
label: expedition chosen by lot toward dangerous house
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: The crew is divided into companies; lots are cast in a helmet, and Eurylochus
leads twenty-two men to Circe's house.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
confidence: medium
cautions: The initiation label is interpretive and not explicit in the passage.
- id: motif:6
label: enchantress with tamed wild beasts
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: Circe is a cunning goddess; wolves and lions around her house are bewitched,
tamed by enchantments, and drugged into subjection.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:13
confidence: medium
cautions: The supplied taxonomy reference 'shapeshifter' is only indirectly supported
here by enchantment of beasts; the passage does not yet describe transformation
of humans.
- id: motif:7
label: divine woman singing and weaving in an isolated house
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Circe is heard singing beautifully as she works at her loom and weaves a
dazzling web inside her forest house.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- ev:14
- ev:15
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly corresponds to divine weaving
or alluring song.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4399-4403
quote_or_summary: Antiphates is called from assembly, snatches one of Odysseus's
men, and begins eating him while the other two flee to the ships.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 4403-4410
quote_or_summary: Thousands of Laestrygonians, described as ogres, hurl vast rocks
from cliffs, crush ships, spear men like fishes, and take them home to eat.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 4410-4416
quote_or_summary: Odysseus cuts his ship's cable, orders hard rowing, reaches open
water beyond the rocks, and reports that none of the other ships remain.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 4417-4422
quote_or_summary: The survivors sail to the Aeaean island where Circe lives; she
is a great and cunning goddess, sister of Aeetes, both children of the sun by
Perse, daughter of Oceanus.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4422-4425
quote_or_summary: A god guides the ship into a safe harbour, and the crew rests
there for two days and nights, exhausted.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 4425-4434
quote_or_summary: On the third morning Odysseus takes spear and sword to reconnoitre,
climbs a lookout, and sees smoke from Circe's house rising amid dense trees.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 4435-4447
quote_or_summary: A god sends a fine antlered stag into Odysseus's path; Odysseus
spears it, binds its feet, and carries it back toward the ship.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 4447-4456
quote_or_summary: Odysseus throws the stag before the ship, encourages the men that
they will not starve, and the crew admires, prepares, and cooks the stag.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 4457-4468
quote_or_summary: At dawn Odysseus tells the men they are in difficulty, do not
know where the sun rises or sets, and are on a low island surrounded by sea with
smoke rising from a thick forest.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 4469-4475
quote_or_summary: The men are dismayed, remember Antiphates and Polyphemus, weep,
and Odysseus divides them into two companies with himself and Eurylochus as captains.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 4475-4478
quote_or_summary: Lots are cast in a helmet; the lot falls to Eurylochus, who departs
with twenty-two men while both groups weep.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:12
type: summary
locator: lines 4479-4481
quote_or_summary: Eurylochus's party reaches Circe's house, built of cut stones
in the middle of the forest on a site visible from far away.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:13
type: summary
locator: lines 4481-4489
quote_or_summary: Wild mountain wolves and lions around the house are bewitched,
tamed by Circe's enchantments, drugged into subjection, and fawn on the men rather
than attacking them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:14
type: summary
locator: lines 4489-4493
quote_or_summary: At the goddess's gates the men hear Circe inside singing beautifully
while working at a loom and making a fine, soft, dazzling web.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:15
type: summary
locator: lines 4493-4497
quote_or_summary: Polites, trusted by Odysseus, says someone inside is weaving and
singing beautifully and suggests calling to learn whether she is woman or goddess.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif taxonomy matches
are cautious because several literal patterns in the passage lack exact supplied
taxonomy references.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not explicitly support comparison to another tradition or corpus beyond internal memories of Antiphates and Polyphemus.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-odyssey-butler-gutenberg__l4399-l4490
passage_sha256=960a78513555269738bd8e099ed22cef5db8ebb3c726b5766b630264ff479450