The Cyclops
They next arrived at the country of the Cyclopes.
The Cyclopes inhabited an island of which they were
the only possessors. They dwelt in caves and fed
on the wild productions of the island and on what
their flocks yielded, for they were shepherds.
Ulysses 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. Coming to a large cave they entered it,
and, finding no one within, examined its contents.
They found it stored with the riches of the flock,
quantities of cheese, pails and bowls of milk,
lambs and kids in their pens, all in good order.
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.
Next he sat down and milked his ewes, preparing a
part for cheese and setting the rest aside for his
customary drink. Then turning round his one huge
eye he discerned the strangers, and growled out at
them, demanding who they were and where from.
Ulysses 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 deigned no answer, but reaching
out his hand seized two of the men, 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
himself on the floor to sleep. Ulysses was tempted
to seize the opportunity and plunge his sword into
him as he slept, but recollected 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, and
they would therefore be in hopeless imprisonment.
Next morning the giant seized two more of the
men 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 Ulysses 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 cut by the
Cyclops for a staff, which they found in the cave.
They sharpened the end of the staff 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 Ulysses joined himself as a
fifth. The Cyclops came home at evening, rolled
away the stone, and drove in his flock as usual.
After milking them and making his arrangements as
before, he seized two more of Ulysses' companions,
dashed their brains out, and made his evening meal
upon them as he had on the others. After he had
supped, Ulysses approaching him handed him a bowl
of wine, saying, "Cyclops, this is wine;
taste and drink after thy meal of man's
flesh." He took and drank it, and was hugely
delighted with it, and called for more. Ulysses
supplied him once and 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 Ulysses replied, "My
name is Noman."
After his supper the giant sought his repose,
and was soon sound asleep. Then Ulysses with his
four select friends held the end of the stake in
the fire till it was one burning coal, then
poising it exactly above the giant's only eye,
they plunged it deep into the socket, twirling it
round as a carpenter does his auger. The howling
monster with his outcry filled the cavern, and
Ulysses with his aids nimbly got out of his way
and concealed themselves in the cave. He,
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 grievous hurt 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 of all as
they went out, that Ulysses and his men should not
escape with them. But Ulysses had made his men
harness the rams of the flock three abreast, with
osiers which they found on the floor of the cave.
To the middle ram of the three one of the Greeks
suspended himself, so protected by the exterior
rams on either side. As they passed, the giant
felt of the animals' backs and sides, but never
thought of their bellies; so the men all passed
safe, Ulysses himself being on the last one that
passed. When they had got a few paces from the
cavern, Ulysses and his friends released
themselves from their rams and drove a good part
of the flock down to the shore to their boat. They
put them aboard with all haste, then pushed off
from the shore; and when at a safe distance
Ulysses shouted out, "Cyclopes, the gods have
well requited thee for thy atrocious deeds. Know
it is Ulysses to whom thou owest thy shameful loss
of sight." The Cyclops, hearing this, seized
a rock that projected from the side of the
mountain, and rending it from its bed, he lifted
it high in the air, then exerting all his force,
hurled it in the direction of the voice. Down came
the mass, just forward of the vessel. The ocean,
at the plunge of the huge rock, heaved the ship
toward Polyphemus; but a second rock which he
hurled, striking aft, propelled them fortunately
in the direction that they desired to take.
Ulysses 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 his missile, but waited till they had
reached a safer distance than before. The giant
answered them with curses, while Ulysses and his
friends, plying their oars vigorously, regained
their companions.
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