To speak critically , indeed , the latter rather carried the thing to excess , and seemed to make it a point to wallow in the miriest part of the sty , and otherwise to outdo the original swine in their own natural vocation . When men once turn to brutes , the trifle of man 's wit that remains in them adds tenfold to their brutality . The comrades of Ulysses , however , had not quite lost the remembrance of having formerly stood erect . When he approached the sty , two and twenty enormous swine separated themselves from the herd , and scampered towards him , with such a chorus of horrible squealing as made him clap both hands to his ears . And yet they did not seem to know what they wanted , nor whether they were merely hungry , or miserable from some other cause . It was curious , in the midst of their distress , to observe them thrusting their noses into the mire , in quest of something to eat . The nymph with the bodice of oaken bark -LRB- she was the hamadryad of an oak -RRB- threw a handful of acorns among them ; and the two and twenty hogs scrambled and fought for the prize , as if they had tasted not so much as a noggin of sour milk for a twelvemonth . `` These must certainly be my comrades , '' said Ulysses . `` I recognize their dispositions . They are hardly worth the trouble of changing them into the human form again . Nevertheless , we will have it done , lest their bad example should corrupt the other hogs . Let them take their original shapes , therefore , Dame Circe , if your skill is equal to the task . It will require greater magic , I trow , than it did to make swine of them . '' So Circe waved her wand again , and repeated a few magic words , at the sound of which the two and twenty hogs pricked up their pendulous ears . It was a wonder to behold how their snouts grew shorter and shorter , and their mouths -LRB- which they seemed to be sorry for , because they could not gobble so expeditiously -RRB- smaller and smaller , and how one and another began to stand upon his hind legs , and scratch his nose with his fore trotters . At first the spectators hardly knew whether to call them hogs or men , but by and by came to the conclusion that they rather resembled the latter . Finally , there stood the twenty-two comrades of Ulysses , looking pretty much the same as when they left the vessel . You must not imagine , however , that the swinish quality had entirely gone out of them . When once it fastens itself into a person 's character , it is very difficult getting rid of it . This was proved by the hamadryad , who , being exceedingly fond of mischief , threw another handful of acorns before the twenty-two newly-restored people ; whereupon down they wallowed in a moment , and gobbled them up in a very shameful way .
Then , recollecting themselves , they scrambled to their feet , and looked more XXXXX commonly foolish .
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