Odysseus vs. Polyphemus
By: Homer
The curse of Polyphemus
Of all the heroes that wandered far and wide before they came to their homes again after the fall of Troy, none suffered so many hardships as Odysseus. Between the burning of Troy and his return to Ithaca, west of the land of Greece. Ten years did he fight against Troy, but it was ten years more before he came to his home and his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus.
One day Odysseus and his crew of twelve good ships came to a beautiful strange island, a verdant place to see, deep with soft grass and well water springs. Here they ran the ships ashore, and took their rest and feasted for a day. Now as fair as the place was, there dwelt in it a race of giants, the Cyclopes, great rude creatures, having each but one eye, and that in the middle of his forehead. One of them was POLYPHEMUS, the son of POSEIDON. He lived by himself as a shepherd, and it was to his cave that Odysseus came, by some evil chance. It was an enormous grotto, big enough to house the giant and all his flocks. But Odysseus knowing nought of all this, chose out twelve men, and with a wallet of corn and a goatskin full of wine they left the ship and made their way to Polyphemus's cave of which they had seen from the water.
They wondered who might be the master of this strange house. Polyphemus was away with his sheep, but the cavern was well stored with goodly cheeses and cream and whey. The wearied men kindled a fire and sat down to eat such things as they found, till a great SHADOW came dark against the doorway, and they saw the cyclops near at hand returning with his flocks. In an instant they fled into the darkest corner of the cavern.
What are ye? he roared then
robbers or rovers
We are Achaeans of the army of Agamemnon said he
And by the will of Zeus we have lost our course, and are come to you as strangers. Forget not that Zeus has a care for such as we, strangers and suppliants.
You are a witless curl to hid heed the gods!
Polyphemus then looking them over with his one eye, seized two of the mariners and dashed them against the wall and made his evening meal of them, while their comrades stood by helpless.After this he slept all night long, taking no more heed of them than if they had been flies. But no sleep came to the wretched seamen, for even had they been able to slay him, they were powerless to move away the boulder from the door. So all night long Odysseus took thought how they might possibly escape.
At dawn the Cyclops woke and again seized two of their comrades and served them up for his terrible repast. Then the savage shepherd drove his flocks out of the cave, only turning back to set the boulder in the doorway and pen up Odysseus and his men in their dismal lodging.
But the wise king had pondered well. In the sheepfold he had seen a mighty club of olive-wood, in size like the mast of a ship. As soon as the Cyclops was gone. Odysseus bade his men and cut off a length of this club and sharpen it down to a point. That done, they hid it away under the earth and they waited in dread and torment for their chance to escape.
At sundown, the Cyclops came home and again made his meal of two more hapless men, while their fellows looked on with burning eyes. Then Odysseus stood forth holding a bowl of wine that he had brought with him; curbing his horror he spoke in a friendly fashion:
Drink cyclops, and prove our wine, such as it was, for all was lost with our ship save this. And no other man will ever bring you more, since you are such an ungentle host
The Cyclops tasted the wine and laughed with delight so that the cave shook.
"ho, this is a rare drink, I've never tasted anything so good! Give me the rest and tell me your name, that I may thank you for it"
Since you ask it, Cyclops my name is Noman
And I will give you this for your wine, Noman, you shall be eaten last of all
After his drinking of the wine he sank heavily out of his seat and his great eye shut and he fell asleep.
Odysseus thrust the stake under the ashes till it was glowing hot; and his fellows stood by him, ready to venture all. Then together they lifted the club and drove it straight into the eye of Polyphemus and turned it around and about.
The cyclops gave a horrible cry, and, thrusting away the brand, he called on all his fellow-giants near and far. Odysseus and his men hid in the utter-most corners of the cave, but they heard the resounding steps of the Cyclops who were roused, and their shouts as they called:
What ails thee, Polyphemus? Art thou slain> Who has done thee any hurt?
Noman! No man is here to slay me by treachery
Then if no man hath hurt thee, let us sleep.
Polyphemus then sat there groaning in pain, with the light of his eye gone out, Odysseus bound together the rams of the flock, for underneath the mid ram of each group a man clung. These rams on each side guarding him from discovery. When dawn came, the rams hastened out to the pasture, and Polyphemus felt of their backs as they huddled along together; but he knew not that every three held a man bound securely.
Once free of the cave, Odysseus and his fellows loosed their hold and took flight, driving the rams in haste to the ship.
But as they push from shore, Odysseus could not refrain from hailing the Cyclops with taunts.
Cyclops if any shall ask who blinded thine eye, say that it was Odysseus, son of Laertes of Ithaca
I waited for some man of might who should overcome me by his valor- not a weakling!
Father Poseidon, my father. look upon Odysseus, the son of Laertes of Ithaca, and grant me this revenge,- let him never see Ithaca again! Yet, if he must , may he come late, without a friend, after long wandering, to find evil abiding by his hearth!
Poseidon, who is lord of the sea, had heard the prayer of his son, and that homeward voyage was to wear through ten years more, with storm and irksome calms and misadventure
