I never turned anyone into a pig.
-- Circe (Speaker) (Line 1)

Importance: In the poem's opening line, Circe refutes her own infamous portrayal by claiming never to have transformed anyone into a pig. In the original myth, Circe uses her magical abilities to turn men into swine and other beasts. This has contributed to her villainous portrayal over eons. Her use of casual language ("turned" instead of "transformed," for example) lends a conversational tone and situates her in a more contemporary era.

Some people are pigs; I make them / Look like pigs.
-- Circe (Speaker) (Lines 2-3)

Importance: Here, Circe begins to establish a relationship between the internal and the external, which she will return to later in the poem. She claims that her magical powers (used in this case to make men resemble swine) are actually a force of truth in the world. Rather than solely punishing the men, she transforms their physical appearance to match their inner characters. To...