Ulysses and Circe 1611 - 1669

Filippo Lauri painted Ulysses and Circe using oil on canvas. It depicts a pivotal moment from Homer’s Odyssey: Ulysses is a guest of the enchantress Circe. Observe how Circe’s outstretched hand presents a chalice, laden not with hospitality, but with a potion to transform men into beasts, a symbol of the deceptive nature of appearances. This echoes motifs found throughout art history, such as the story of Eve offering the apple to Adam, where seemingly innocent gestures conceal profound betrayals. Ulysses raises his glass in response, but Hermes gave him a herb that made him immune to Circe’s magic, a prefiguration of hope and salvation. The cup, so central here, is not just a drinking vessel; it is a vessel of fate, a container of both promise and peril. We see it again and again, from ancient rituals to medieval allegories, its meaning shaped by context, yet always a potent symbol of transformation. Lauri captures this moment with an emotional intensity, reminding us that beneath the surface of myths lie timeless truths about human nature.