WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:14.980 [Sounds of the sea] 00:00:14.980 --> 00:00:19.480 Episode 5: Bewitched 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:25.360 [Sounds of the sea] 00:00:25.360 --> 00:00:28.870 Poseidon, the god of the sea, 00:00:28.870 --> 00:00:31.170 the king of the tumbling foam, 00:00:31.170 --> 00:00:33.210 wanted us dead. 00:00:33.210 --> 00:00:40.750 How would we ever see our homes, our hearths, our fields, and farms and families again? 00:00:40.750 --> 00:00:44.210 As soon as we sighted land in any direction we made for it. 00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:45.160 We beached the ship, 00:00:45.160 --> 00:00:48.900 we dragged it up out of reach of even the fiercest wave. 00:00:48.900 --> 00:00:52.930 And then my men sat on the beach, weeping. 00:00:52.930 --> 00:00:56.960 They were so full of despair they could do nothing. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.610 As for me, I decided to explore this island. 00:01:00.610 --> 00:01:05.690 Perhaps it would provide us with some means of placating or outwitting the sea god. 00:01:05.690 --> 00:01:08.160 And so I left my men on the beach. 00:01:08.160 --> 00:01:09.570 I climbed a hill. 00:01:09.570 --> 00:01:16.430 I looked out across the island and I saw that not far from where we’d beached the ship there was a forest. 00:01:16.430 --> 00:01:18.380 In the forest there was a clearing. 00:01:18.380 --> 00:01:22.030 In the clearing a white palace of strange design. 00:01:22.030 --> 00:01:23.760 The island was inhabited. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:25.160 I made my way down the hill, 00:01:25.160 --> 00:01:27.340 to tell my men what I had seen. 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:29.450 But when I reached the ship, 00:01:29.450 --> 00:01:32.240 it was deserted. 00:01:32.240 --> 00:01:34.610 I saw a path leading into a forest. 00:01:34.610 --> 00:01:35.690 I followed the path – 00:01:35.690 --> 00:01:37.740 it took me to the clearing I had seen from the hill. 00:01:37.740 --> 00:01:41.890 There was the white palace across the clearing from me but between me and it – 00:01:41.890 --> 00:01:44.860 lions, wolves. 00:01:44.860 --> 00:01:46.670 Cautiously I drew my sword. 00:01:46.670 --> 00:01:49.440 I stepped into the clearing towards the first of them. 00:01:49.440 --> 00:01:52.190 A lion it was, and as I approached it, 00:01:52.190 --> 00:01:56.540 it closed its eyes, flattened its ears and began to purr. 00:01:56.540 --> 00:02:00.320 I found I could stroke the velvety fur between its eyes, 00:02:00.320 --> 00:02:03.020 it licked my hand. 00:02:03.020 --> 00:02:09.580 I stepped past it towards a wolf that rolled onto its back and showed me its belly to scratch. 00:02:09.580 --> 00:02:12.640 What kind of wild beasts were these? 00:02:12.640 --> 00:02:16.290 I picked my way between them until I was in front of the palace. 00:02:16.290 --> 00:02:19.380 I looked through the window and there were all my crew, 00:02:19.380 --> 00:02:25.080 sitting round a table, drinking, talking, laughing, singing. 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:28.110 And then I saw the mistress of that place. 00:02:28.110 --> 00:02:35.300 Long-limbed she was, pale-skinned, dark-haired and dark-eyed. 00:02:35.300 --> 00:02:40.460 She was bringing them cheese and wine and honey and barley meal. 00:02:40.460 --> 00:02:45.600 As they ate and drank I saw her take from somewhere a wand. 00:02:45.600 --> 00:02:47.140 She walked around the table, 00:02:47.140 --> 00:02:49.360 touching each man in turn, 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:54.970 and as she did so the man she had touched dropped the goblet he was holding. 00:02:54.970 --> 00:02:57.610 He stared at his fingers as they clung to one another, 00:02:57.610 --> 00:02:59.570 his arms and legs shrank. 00:02:59.570 --> 00:03:01.980 His nose stretched out into a snout, 00:03:01.980 --> 00:03:04.530 his ears grew up and flopped down over his eyes. 00:03:04.530 --> 00:03:09.640 Not men now, only pigs around that table. 00:03:09.640 --> 00:03:15.620 They flopped from their stools and followed her into the shadows. 00:03:15.620 --> 00:03:19.490 I looked back into the clearing and I understood. 00:03:19.490 --> 00:03:26.130 Once, those lions and wolves had been human. 00:03:26.130 --> 00:03:28.230 I drew my sword, 00:03:28.230 --> 00:03:31.200 intending to rush in, but then, 00:03:31.200 --> 00:03:34.900 all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. 00:03:34.900 --> 00:03:36.560 I knew this sensation. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:41.790 I knew this meant I was in the presence of one of the mighty gods or goddesses. 00:03:41.790 --> 00:03:43.790 Sure enough behind me, 00:03:43.790 --> 00:03:47.100 shimmering in the guise of a beautiful young man, 00:03:47.100 --> 00:03:48.750 there was Hermes. 00:03:48.750 --> 00:03:52.140 I knew him by his winged sandals. 00:03:52.140 --> 00:03:53.930 “Odysseus,” he said, 00:03:53.930 --> 00:03:55.700 “this is Circe. 00:03:55.700 --> 00:03:59.300 She is a witch of great knowledge and power. 00:03:59.300 --> 00:04:01.760 If you enter this place with no protection, 00:04:01.760 --> 00:04:04.520 you will suffer the same fate as all the others. 00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:09.730 But if you have the strength of character to follow the instructions I am about to give you, 00:04:09.730 --> 00:04:12.380 not only will your crew be restored to you, 00:04:12.380 --> 00:04:17.580 but you may gain some of the knowledge you need to find a way home.” 00:04:17.580 --> 00:04:20.840 The gods visit us in dreams and visions. 00:04:20.840 --> 00:04:23.800 Sometimes they tell us truth but sometimes not. 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:28.510 Sometimes they tell us half-truths in order to betray us. 00:04:28.510 --> 00:04:30.300 I saw it happen at Troy. 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:36.220 Hermes is the messenger of the gods but he is also the god of trickery. 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:39.100 But I had no choice. 00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:43.030 I could not sail my ship without a crew. 00:04:43.030 --> 00:04:46.530 And so I followed Hermes into the forest. 00:04:46.530 --> 00:04:49.050 He showed me a strange plant, 00:04:49.050 --> 00:04:51.260 black of root it is, 00:04:51.260 --> 00:04:52.760 white of petal. 00:04:52.760 --> 00:04:54.330 He pulled it from the ground. 00:04:54.330 --> 00:04:56.620 ‘Moly’ is its name. 00:04:56.620 --> 00:04:59.140 He told me this would be my protection, 00:04:59.140 --> 00:05:03.330 against Circe’s charms and potions. 00:05:03.330 --> 00:05:05.390 I put it inside my mouth. 00:05:05.390 --> 00:05:09.160 I kept it inside my mouth against my cheek. 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:11.010 And then I bowed my head, 00:05:11.010 --> 00:05:17.690 I gave thanks to great Hermes and when I opened my eyes he was gone. 00:05:17.690 --> 00:05:20.150 I was alone. 00:05:20.150 --> 00:05:23.700 I was trembling as I approached her palace. 00:05:23.700 --> 00:05:26.890 She welcomed me when I came to the door. 00:05:26.890 --> 00:05:29.060 I could not meet her eye. 00:05:29.060 --> 00:05:32.520 I knew if I looked into her eyes for even a moment, 00:05:32.520 --> 00:05:35.100 I would be under her spell. 00:05:35.100 --> 00:05:36.800 I sat at the table. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:40.910 She gave me cheese and wine and honey and barley meal, 00:05:40.910 --> 00:05:47.770 but all I tasted was the bitter root of moly against my tongue. 00:05:47.770 --> 00:05:50.910 I felt something cool touch my neck. 00:05:50.910 --> 00:05:51.920 I looked up. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:52.960 She was standing over me, 00:05:52.960 --> 00:05:54.280 the wand in her hand. 00:05:54.280 --> 00:05:57.160 She was astonished to see her spell had had no effect. 00:05:57.160 --> 00:05:57.760 I stood. 00:05:57.760 --> 00:05:59.950 I struck the wand out of her hand with my sword. 00:05:59.950 --> 00:06:02.710 I showed her the sharp end of my blade and I said, 00:06:02.710 --> 00:06:07.170 “Promise me there will be no more tricks and restore my crew to their human form, 00:06:07.170 --> 00:06:13.380 or you will learn why they say my name means ‘trouble’!” 00:06:13.380 --> 00:06:16.660 “‘Trouble’?” she said. 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:18.870 “A hundred years ago, 00:06:18.870 --> 00:06:20.590 there was a prophecy. 00:06:20.590 --> 00:06:27.680 I was told that eventually a man would come who was worthy of the knowledge I bear. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:33.560 The prophecy said his name would mean ‘trouble’. 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:35.910 You are welcome here. 00:06:35.910 --> 00:06:39.530 Your name is Odysseus, Laertes’ son. 00:06:39.530 --> 00:06:44.530 I promise you, I will give you only what you desire.” 00:06:44.530 --> 00:06:46.430 She picked up the wand. 00:06:46.430 --> 00:06:48.480 She led me into the shadows. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:49.540 She opened the door. 00:06:49.540 --> 00:06:53.090 Suddenly we were out in the fierce sunlight again. 00:06:53.090 --> 00:06:58.510 Behind her palace and there before us, was a pigsty. 00:06:58.510 --> 00:07:00.150 She walked between the pigs, 00:07:00.150 --> 00:07:02.020 touching each in turn. 00:07:02.020 --> 00:07:04.820 As she did so the pig would become one of my crew, 00:07:04.820 --> 00:07:08.500 crawling on his hands and knees, guzzling acorns. 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:11.370 At first they were terrified of her, 00:07:11.370 --> 00:07:16.380 but when I told them of the promise she had made me we returned to her palace, 00:07:16.380 --> 00:07:18.510 and that night she gave us a great feast. 00:07:18.510 --> 00:07:20.960 And at the end of the night when my men were asleep, 00:07:20.980 --> 00:07:23.010 she took me to her bedroom, 00:07:23.010 --> 00:07:24.460 she whispered, 00:07:24.460 --> 00:07:26.690 “Odysseus, 00:07:26.690 --> 00:07:29.560 the sail of your ship is torn to shreds. 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:32.010 The rest of the ship is in need of repair, 00:07:32.010 --> 00:07:39.130 your men are filled with despair and I have waited for you for one hundred years. 00:07:39.130 --> 00:07:41.330 Please don’t go at once. 00:07:41.330 --> 00:07:46.420 Give me a month, a little month.” 00:07:46.420 --> 00:07:50.310 “A month,” I said. 00:07:50.310 --> 00:07:56.240 A year later a delegation came from the crew demanding that we now leave this island. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:02.040 And so, reluctantly, I went to Circe and I told her the time had come for us to travel on. 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:08.250 I asked her if she knew how we might placate or outwit the god of the sea. 00:08:08.250 --> 00:08:10.140 She shook her head. 00:08:10.140 --> 00:08:11.640 She said, 00:08:11.640 --> 00:08:15.350 “I know who would have an answer to your question: 00:08:15.350 --> 00:08:19.090 the blind prophet Tiresias.” 00:08:19.090 --> 00:08:20.770 “Where is he?” I said. 00:08:20.770 --> 00:08:21.690 “I will go to him. 00:08:21.690 --> 00:08:23.370 I will speak with him.” 00:08:23.370 --> 00:08:28.280 Her answer put a chill into my very soul: 00:08:28.280 --> 00:08:32.570 “Tiresias died long ago. 00:08:32.570 --> 00:08:37.030 If you want to speak with him you must sail north, 00:08:37.030 --> 00:08:39.090 and north again, 00:08:39.090 --> 00:08:43.210 until you enter the realm of many guests, 00:08:43.210 --> 00:08:50.040 until you walk among the ghosts of the dead.” 00:08:50.040 --> 00:09:33.800 [Closing music]