THE ODYSSEY

They next arrived at the country of the Cyclopes, giants who inhabited an island of which they were the only possessors. Their name means “round eye,” and these giants were so called because they had but one eye, and that placed in the middle of the forehead. They dwelt in caves and fed on the wild productions of the island and on what their flocks yielded, for they were shepherds. Odysseus left the main body of his ships at anchor, and with one vessel went to the Cyclopes’ island to explore for supplies. He landed with his companions, carrying with them a jar of wine for a present, and coming to a large cave they entered it, and finding no one within examined its contents.

Presently arrived the master of the cave, Polyphemus, bearing an immense bundle of firewood, which he threw down before the cavern’s mouth. He then drove into the cave the sheep and goats to be milked, and, entering, rolled to the cave’s mouth an enormous rock that twenty oxen could not draw. Then, turning round his great eye, he discerned the strangers, and growled out to them, demanding who they were, and where from.

Odysseus replied most humbly, stating that they were Greeks, from the great expedition that had lately won so much glory in the conquest of Troy; that they were now on their way home, and finished by imploring his hospitality in the name of the gods. Polyphemus gave no answer, but reaching out his hand seized two of the Greeks, whom he hurled against the side of the cave, and dashed out their brains. He proceeded to devour them with great relish, and having made a hearty meal, stretched out on the floor to sleep. Odysseus was tempted to seize the opportunity and plunge his sword into him as he slept, but realized that it would only expose them all to certain destruction, as the rock with which the giant had closed up the door was far beyond their power to remove.

Next morning the giant seized two more of the Greeks, and dispatched them in the same manner as their companions, feasting on their flesh till no fragment was left. He then moved away the rock from the door, drove out his flocks, and went out, carefully replacing the barrier after him. When he was gone Odysseus planned how he might take vengeance for his murdered friends, and effect his escape with his surviving companions. He made his men prepare a massive bar of wood which they found in the cave. They sharpened the end of it, and seasoned it in the fire, and hid it under the straw on the cavern floor. Then four of the boldest were selected, with whom Odysseus joined himself as a fifth.

Polyphemus came home at evening, rolled away the stone and drove in his flock as usual. He then seized two more of Odysseus’ companions and dashed their brains out, and made his evening meal upon them. After he had supped, Odysseus approaching him handed him a bowl of wine, saying, “Cyclops, this is wine; taste and drink after thy meal of men’s flesh.” He took and drank it, and was hugely delighted with it, and called for more. Odysseus supplied him once again, which pleased the giant so much that he promised him as a favor that he should be the last of the party devoured. He asked his name, to which Odysseus replied, “My name is Noman.”

After his supper the giant lay down and was soon found asleep. Then Odysseus with his four select friends thrust the end of the stake into the fire till it was all one burning coal, then poising it exactly above the giant’s only eye, they buried it deeply into the socket, twirling it round as a carpenter does his auger. The howling monster with his outcry filled the cavern, and Odysseus with his comrades nimbly got out of his way and concealed themselves in the cave. The giant, bellowing, called aloud on all the Cyclopes dwelling in the caves around him, far and near. They on his cry flocked round the den, and inquired what had caused him to sound such an alarm and break their slumbers. He replied, “O friends, I die, and Noman gives the blow.” They answered, “If no man hurts thee, it is the stroke of Jove, and thou must bear it.” So saying, they left him groaning.

Next morning the Cyclops rolled away the stone to let his flock out to pasture, but planted himself in the door of the cave to feel them as they went out so that Odysseus and his men could not escape. But Odysseus had made his men harness the rams of the flock three abreast. To the middle ram one of the Greeks suspended himself, so protected by the exterior rams on either side. As they passed, the giant felt the animals’ backs and sides, but never thought of their bellies; so the men all passed safe, Ulysses himself being the last one that passed.

When they pushed off from the shore Odysseus shouted, “Cyclops, the gods have well requited thee for thy atrocious deeds. Know it is Odysseus to whom thou owes thy shameful loss of sight.” Polyphemus, hearing this, seized a rock, lifted it high in the air and hurled it in the direction of the voice. Down came the mass, just clearing the vessel’s stem. The ocean, at the plunge of the huge rock, heaved the ship back on land.  When they had with the utmost difficulty pulled offshore, Odysseus was about to hail the giant again, but his friends besought him not to do so. He could not forbear, however, letting the giant know that they had escaped the rock, but waited till they had reached a safer distance than before. The giant answered them with curses, but Odysseus and his friends plied their oars vigorously, and soon regained their companions.

Adapted from Bulfinch’s Mythology.