The Cyclops
Destiny Morris, Taylor Besch, Iza Rostkowski, Vivi Mendoza
The story, The Cyclops, tells us about Odysseus’ next adventure with a Cyclops named Polyphemus, Poseidon’s son. Odysseus is the cleverest of the greek heroes.. The story starts off with Odysseus and his men lighting a fire. They were coming back from the Trojan War, and had been blown off course. Odysseus’ curiosity had brought him to the cave. They were hungry and decided to get nourishment from the Cyclops’ goats. Polyphemus caught them and started to question them. Odysseus explained they came from Troy, but were blown off course from the Great Ship coming home from the Trojan War.
He then asks the Cyclops if he could have courtesy for the gods to help. Polyphemus claims he does not care for the gods and angrily gobbles down some of the men, killing most of them.
Luckily, Odysseus had a plan. He introduced the Cyclops to some wine and got Polyphemus drunk so it was easier to trick him and win. Polyphemus started to warm up to Odysseus, so he finally asked for his name. Odysseus told him his name was Nohbdy. When Polyphemus finally collapsed and passed out from the intoxication, Odysseus and his men stabbed the Cyclops in the eye with a red-hot bar, blinding him.
This had woken the Cyclops who started bellowing in pain. All his neighbors heard his howls of pain, so they questioned why he was crying and who had tricked him. To this he responds,
“Nohbdy, Nohbdy’s tricked me. Nohbdy’s ruined me!”
The clever Odysseus fooled the Cyclops. Since the false name Odysseus gave Polyphemus sounded like Nobody the neighbors returned to their daily lives since they thought nothing had been done to him, leaving Polyphemus to pray.
Odysseus and his men had to escape, so he used Polyphemus’ rams. He tied them together using cords of willow and each man was strapped underneath the animal, and then shielded by the wool. They waited underneath the animal until dawn. Polyphemus had woken up, patted his ram, blind to the men hiding underneath it, and then sent them out into the open. After the rams walked a certain distance, they rolled out.
“Nohbdy, Nohbdy’s tricked me. Nohbdy’s ruined me!”
The clever Odysseus fooled the Cyclops. Since the false name Odysseus gave Polyphemus sounded like Nobody the neighbors returned to their daily lives since they thought nothing had been done to him, leaving Polyphemus to pray.
Odysseus and his men had to escape, so he used Polyphemus’ rams. He tied them together using cords of willow and each man was strapped underneath the animal, and then shielded by the wool. They waited underneath the animal until dawn. Polyphemus had woken up, patted his ram, blind to the men hiding underneath it, and then sent them out into the open. After the rams walked a certain distance, they rolled out.
Polyphemus letting his sheep out. He felt the top to make sure none of the men were trying to escape among the sheep.
The clever way the men had tricked Polyphemus.
As they were leaving, Odysseus mocks Polyphemus by telling him how he had been fooled and revenge was sweetly granted. Polyphemus was furious and so he threw a hilltop at them, causing a giant wave in the water. Then, summoned was the grand and wondrous wizard- “Telemus.” Telemus casts a spell on Odysseus, wishing that he will not see his home again, and if he does, he will lose all his companions, living out his days miserably.
This is a photo of Polythemus throwing a piece of hill at Odysseus and his men trying to escape.
Odysseus and his men successfully leaving Polythemus, blind and in pain.
Odysseus drinking a drugged potion.
Odysseus and the Cyclops