--- title: Circe's Palace., part 1 — Tanglewood Tales · full text with trees · page 2 description: Circe's Palace., part 1, «Tanglewood Tales» by Nathaniel Hawthorne: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Some of you have heard, no doubt, of the wise King Ulysses, and how he went to the siege of Troy, and how, after that famous city was taken and bu --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/15/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Tanglewood Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/) / Circe's Palace., part 1 # Circe's Palace., part 1 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/15/) **2** On his way to the shore, Ulysses had the good luck to kill a large stag by thrusting his spear into his back.[38](../../38/ "tree and pragmatics") Taking it on his shoulders (for he was a remarkably strong man), he lugged it along with him, and flung it down before his hungry companions.[39](../../39/ "tree and pragmatics") I have already hinted to you what gormandizers some of the comrades of King Ulysses were.[40](../../40/ "tree and pragmatics") From what is related of them, I reckon that their favorite diet was pork, and that they had lived upon it until a good part of their physical substance was swine's flesh, and their tempers and dispositions were very much akin to the hog.[41](../../41/ "tree and pragmatics") A dish of venison, however, was no unacceptable meal to them, especially after feeding so long on oysters and clams.[42](../../42/ "tree and pragmatics") So, beholding the dead stag, they felt of its ribs, in a knowing way, and lost no time in kindling a fire of driftwood, to cook it.[43](../../43/ "tree and pragmatics") The rest of the day was spent in feasting; and if these enormous eaters got up from table at sunset, it was only because they could not scrape another morsel off the poor animal's bones.[44](../../44/ "tree and pragmatics") The next morning, their appetites were as sharp as ever.[45](../../45/ "tree and pragmatics") They looked at Ulysses, as if they expected him to clamber up the cliff again, and come back with another fat deer upon his shoulders.[46](../../46/ "tree and pragmatics") Instead of setting out, however, he summoned the whole crew together, and told them it was in vain to hope that he could kill a stag every day for their dinner, and therefore it was advisable to think of some other mode of satisfying their hunger.[47](../../47/ "tree and pragmatics") "Now," said he, "when I was on the cliff, yesterday, I discovered that this island is inhabited.[48](../../48/ "tree and pragmatics") At a considerable distance from the shore stood a marble palace, which appeared to be very spacious, and had a great deal of smoke curling out of one of its chimneys."[49](../../49/ "tree and pragmatics") "Aha!" muttered some of his companions, smacking their lips. "[50](../../50/ "tree and pragmatics") That smoke must have come from the kitchen fire.[51](../../51/ "tree and pragmatics") There was a good dinner on the spit; and no doubt there will be as good a one to-day."[52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") "But," continued the wise Ulysses, "you must remember, my good friends, our misadventure in the cavern of one-eyed Polyphemus, the Cyclops\![53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") Instead of his ordinary milk diet, did he not eat up two of our comrades for his supper, and a couple more for breakfast, and two at his supper again?[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") Methinks I see him yet, the hideous monster, scanning us with that great red eye, in the middle of his forehead, to single out the fattest.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") And then, again, only a few days ago, did we not fall into the hands of the king of the Laestrygons, and those other horrible giants, his subjects, who devoured a great many more of us than are now left?[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") To tell you the truth, if we go to yonder palace, there can be no question that we shall make our appearance at the dinner table; but whether seated as guests, or served up as food, is a point to be seriously considered."[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") "Either way," murmured some of the hungriest of the crew; "it will be better than starvation; particularly if one could be sure of being well fattened beforehand, and daintily cooked afterwards."[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") "That is a matter of taste," said King Ulysses, "and, for my own part, neither the most careful fattening nor the daintiest of cookery would reconcile me to being dished at last.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") My proposal is, therefore, that we divide ourselves into two equal parties, and ascertain, by drawing lots, which of the two shall go to the palace, and beg for food and assistance.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") If these can be obtained, all is well.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") If not, and if the inhabitants prove as inhospitable as Polyphemus, or the Laestrygons, then there will but half of us perish, and the remainder may set sail and escape."[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") As nobody objected to this scheme, Ulysses proceeded to count the whole band, and found that there were forty-six men, including himself.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") He then numbered off twenty-two of them, and put Eurylochus (who was one of his chief officers, and second only to himself in sagacity) at their head.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") Ulysses took command of the remaining twenty-two men, in person.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, taking off his helmet, he put two shells into it, on one of which was written, "Go," and on the other "Stay."[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") Another person now held the helmet, while Ulysses and Eurylochus drew out each a shell; and the word "Go" was found written on that which Eurylochus had drawn.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") In this manner, it was decided that Ulysses and his twenty-two men were to remain at the seaside until the other party should have found out what sort of treatment they might expect at the mysterious palace.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") As there was no help for it, Eurylochus immediately set forth at the head of his twenty-two followers, who went off in a very melancholy state of mind, leaving their friends in hardly better spirits than themselves.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") No sooner had they clambered up the cliff, than they discerned the tall marble towers of the palace, ascending, as white as snow, out of the lovely green shadow of the trees which surrounded it.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") A gush of smoke came from a chimney in the rear of the edifice.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") This vapor rose high in the air, and, meeting with a breeze, was wafted seaward, and made to pass over the heads of the hungry mariners.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") When people's appetites are keen, they have a very quick scent for anything savory in the wind.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") "That smoke comes from the kitchen!" cried one of them, turning up his nose as high as he could, and snuffing eagerly. "[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") And, as sure as I'm a half-starved vagabond, I smell roast meat in it."[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") "Pig, roast pig!" said another. "[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Ah, the dainty little porker.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") My mouth waters for him."[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") "Let us make haste," cried the others, "or we shall be too late for the good cheer!"[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") But scarcely had they made half a dozen steps from the edge of the cliff, when a bird came fluttering to meet them.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") It was the same pretty little bird, with the purple wings and body, the yellow legs, the golden collar round its neck, and the crown-like tuft upon its head, whose behavior had so much surprised Ulysses.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") It hovered about Eurylochus, and almost brushed his face with its wings.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") "Peep, peep, pe--weep!" chirped the bird.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") So plaintively intelligent was the sound, that it seemed as if the little creature were going to break its heart with some mighty secret that it had to tell, and only this one poor note to tell it with.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") "My pretty bird," said Eurylochus--for he was a wary person, and let no token of harm escape his notice--"my pretty bird, who sent you hither?[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") And what is the message which you bring?"[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") "Peep, peep, pe--weep!" replied the bird, very sorrowfully.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Then it flew towards the edge of the cliff, and looked around at them, as if exceedingly anxious that they should return whence they came.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Eurylochus and a few of the others were inclined to turn back.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") They could not help suspecting that the purple bird must be aware of something mischievous that would befall them at the palace, and the knowledge of which affected its airy spirit with a human sympathy and sorrow.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") But the rest of the voyagers, snuffing up the smoke from the palace kitchen, ridiculed the idea of returning to the vessel.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") One of them (more brutal than his fellows, and the most notorious gormandizer in the crew) said such a cruel and wicked thing, that I wonder the mere thought did not turn him into a wild beast, in shape, as he already was in his nature.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/15/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/15/) - next →: [Circe's Palace., part 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/16/) - ↑ back to [Tanglewood Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/)