Alexw asked Madeline Miller:

Madeline-thanks for taking questions which adds to the magic of reading of your writing. Two questions please? First- in Circe- when Pasiphae is impregnated by the sacred bull-she tries to pass it off as an "accident" but my feeling was that she wanted the bull to impregnate her so a song could be written about her. 2nd -on cover of Circe-the eyes flash when tilted in light-looks like she is related to Medusa?

Madeline Miller Hello, and thank you for your note! I am the type of writer who believes that once a book is published and out in the world it belongs to its readers as much as to me--and whatever you find in the text is yours to interpret as you see fit. So if that's your take on Pasiphae, I think you should stick with it! (In my own imagination, I agree that I think Pasiphae never does anything by accident). And that's interesting to draw a parallel to Medusa, another maligned and dangerous woman from Greek myth. Circe's flashing eyes come from her father Helios--all of the sun-god's children have them.

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