Hermes gives Odysseus moly to resist Circe’s magic. The herb protects him when he approaches Circe’s palace after she has transformed many of his companions into swine.
In Homer’s Odyssey, Hermes intercepts Odysseus before he reaches Circe and explains how to counter her potion. He supplies moly, described as a magical plant, and tells Odysseus to draw his sword when Circe’s spell fails. This allows him to force her to swear that she will not harm him.
Moly is not the same as nectar or ambrosia, the divine food and drink of the gods. Nor is it the lotus associated with the Lotus-Eaters, whose fruit causes Odysseus’s men to forget their desire to return home.
The plant’s real identity has never been settled. Ancient and modern writers have proposed species including snowdrop and golden garlic. Some modern interpretations connect its protective role with galantamine in snowdrops, though Homer presents moly as a legendary herb rather than a securely identified botanical species.