ABSTRACT
King Alfred's Old English translation of Boethius' Consolatio philosophiae retells the myth of Odysseus and Circe in its paraphrase of the meter "Vela Neritii". Alfred's departures from his source have been analyzed in a frequently cited study by Karl Otten. His use of the phrase leas spell reveals his attitude towards classical myth. Its posture toward classical myth is by no means always so guarded. Alfred expressly characterizes mythological figures as "deceitful" only when rejecting the divine status or supernatural powers of pagan deities mentioned in his source. Otten notes the myth of Circe is placed in a Christian context from the very beginning. By doing so, Alfred situates his much amplified discussion of Circe's place in the pagan pantheon— background information necessary for a Christian audience unfamiliar with classical myth—within a moralizing, didactic framework.
