Circe sits with books and wand; to right, men transformed into animals. Etching by G.B. Castiglione, 165-.

In Homer's Odyssey (Book 10), Odysseus and his companions land on Circe's island. Circe was a witch, who gave travellers a magic potion which turn them into animals. Some of Odysseus's companions fell into this trap, but not Odysseus who had been forewarned by Hermes. The print does not show Odysseus's men, as they were transformed into pigs, but no pigs are shown. Instead Castiglione shows Circe before Odysseus's men have arrived at her island: previous arrivals have been turned into sheep or a peacock, and their human armour--useless protection against magic-- is piled up in the foreground.