Summary
After leaving the island of the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus and his men continue on their way back to Ithaca. On their journey back they find an island and they stop there. Odysseus becomes curious and decides that him and his crew are going to wait in the cave for the unknown being to make an appearance. When he finally shows up they are shocked to discover that it is a Cyclops named Polyphemus, whose father is the god of the sea. Polyphemus lets his herds of sheep into his cave and then blocks the entrance of the cave. Odysseus then makes conversation with the giant but Polyphemus decides to grab a pair of Odysseus’ men and eat them. Odysseus almost kills him right then but concludes against it since the boulder still sits in front of the
…show more content…
The men find a olive tree and take a six foot section to wield it into a stake. Later in the evening, Polyphemus comes back to the cave and quickly eats two more men. After this happens, Odysseus offers some wine to the Cyclops and he ends up drinking three bowls. Polyphemus then asks Odysseus for his name and Odysseus replies by saying his name is Nohbdy. The alcohol starts to take effect then and Polyphemus falls asleep. The men take action as the giant is sleeping and drive the stake into his eye. The rest of the Cyclops on the island come to the cave to see what ails the screaming Polyphemus, but when asked if there is someone inflicting pain onto him he answers by saying “Nohbdy, Nohbdy’s tricked me. Nohbdy’s ruined me!” The other cyclops disperse after hearing this believing that there is nobody hurting Polyphemus. Devising a plan to escape the Cyclops that now sits at the door waiting for the men to run into his grip, Odysseus ties three sheep together and then hangs a man under the middle one the disguise them. When dawn breaks Polyphemus moves the boulder to let his sheep run by, not knowing that the men he is trying to keep in are using the herd. Odysseus and his crew run back to the ship with the sheep and