what kind of liquor we had on board my ship。 I was bringing it to
you as a drink…offering； in the hope that you would take compassion
upon me and further me on my way home； whereas all you do is to go
on ramping and raving most intolerably。 You ought to be ashamed
yourself； how can you expect people to come see you any more if you
treat them in this way？'
〃He then took the cup and drank。 He was so delighted with the
taste of the wine that he begged me for another bowl full。 'Be so
kind；' he said； 'as to give me some more； and tell me your name at
once。 I want to make you a present that you will be glad to have。 We
have wine even in this country； for our soil grows grapes and the
sun ripens them； but this drinks like nectar and ambrosia all in one。'
〃I then gave him some more； three times did I fill the bowl for him；
and three times did he drain it without thought or heed； then； when
I saw that the wine had got into his head； I said to him as
plausibly as I could： 'Cyclops； you ask my name and I will tell it
you； give me； therefore； the present you promised me； my name is
Noman； this is what my father and mother and my friends have always
called me。'
〃But the cruel wretch said； 'Then I will eat all Noman's comrades
before Noman himself； and will keep Noman for the last。 This is the
present that I will make him。'
As he spoke he reeled； and fell sprawling face upwards on the
ground。 His great neck hung heavily backwards and a deep sleep took
hold upon him。 Presently he turned sick； and threw up both wine and
the gobbets of human flesh on which he had been gorging； for he was
very drunk。 Then I thrust the beam of wood far into the embers to heat
it； and encouraged my men lest any of them should turn
faint…hearted。 When the wood； green though it was； was about to blaze；
I drew it out of the fire glowing with heat； and my men gathered round
me； for heaven had filled their hearts with courage。 We drove the
sharp end of the beam into the monster's eye； and bearing upon it with
all my weight I kept turning it round and round as though I were
boring a hole in a ship's plank with an auger； which two men with a
wheel and strap can keep on turning as long as they choose。 Even
thus did we bore the red hot beam into his eye； till the boiling blood
bubbled all over it as we worked it round and round； so that the steam
from the burning eyeball scalded his eyelids and eyebrows； and the
roots of the eye sputtered in the fire。 As a blacksmith plunges an axe
or hatchet into cold water to temper it… for it is this that gives
strength to the iron… and it makes a great hiss as he does so； even
thus did the Cyclops' eye hiss round the beam of olive wood； and his
hideous yells made the cave ring again。 We ran away in a fright； but
he plucked the beam all besmirched with gore from his eye； and
hurled it from him in a frenzy of rage and pain； shouting as he did so
to the other Cyclopes who lived on the bleak headlands near him； so
they gathered from all quarters round his cave when they heard him
crying； and asked what was the matter with him。
〃'What ails you； Polyphemus；' said they； 'that you make such a
noise； breaking the stillness of the night； and preventing us from
being able to sleep？ Surely no man is carrying off your sheep？
Surely no man is trying to kill you either by fraud or by force？
〃But Polyphemus shouted to them from inside the cave； 'Noman is
killing me by fraud！ Noman is killing me by force！'
〃'Then；' said they； 'if no man is attacking you； you must be ill；
when Jove makes people ill； there is no help for it； and you had
better pray to your father Neptune。'
〃Then they went away； and I laughed inwardly at the success of my
clever stratagem； but the Cyclops； groaning and in an agony of pain；
felt about with his hands till he found the stone and took it from the
door； then he sat in the doorway and stretched his hands in front of
it to catch anyone going out with the sheep； for he thought I might be
foolish enough to attempt this。
〃As for myself I kept on puzzling to think how I could best save
my own life and those of my companions； I schemed and schemed； as
one who knows that his life depends upon it； for the danger was very
great。 In the end I deemed that this plan would be the best。 The
male sheep were well grown； and carried a heavy black fleece； so I
bound them noiselessly in threes together； with some of the withies on
which the wicked monster used to sleep。 There was to be a man under
the middle sheep； and the two on either side were to cover him； so
that there were three sheep to each man。 As for myself there was a ram
finer than any of the others； so I caught hold of him by the back；
esconced myself in the thick wool under his belly； and flung on
patiently to his fleece； face upwards； keeping a firm hold on it all
the time。
〃Thus； then； did we wait in great fear of mind till morning came；
but when the child of morning； rosy…fingered Dawn； appeared； the
male sheep hurried out to feed； while the ewes remained bleating about
the pens waiting to be milked； for their udders were full to bursting；
but their master in spite of all his pain felt the backs of all the
sheep as they stood upright； without being sharp enough to find out
that the men were underneath their bellies。 As the ram was going
out； last of all； heavy with its fleece and with the weight of my
crafty self； Polyphemus laid hold of it and said：
〃'My good ram； what is it that makes you the last to leave my cave
this morning？ You are not wont to let the ewes go before you； but lead
the mob with a run whether to flowery mead or bubbling fountain； and
are the first to come home again at night； but now you lag last of
all。 Is it because you know your master has lost his eye； and are
sorry because that wicked Noman and his horrid crew have got him
down in his drink and blinded him？ But I will have his life yet。 If
you could understand and talk； you would tell me where the wretch is
hiding； and I would dash his brains upon the ground till they flew all
over the cave。 I should thus have some satisfaction for the harm a
this no…good Noman has done me。'
〃As spoke he drove the ram outside； but when we were a little way
out from the cave and yards； I first got from under the ram's belly；
and then freed my comrades； as for the sheep； which were very fat；
by constantly heading them in the right direction we managed to
drive them down to the ship。 The crew rejoiced greatly at seeing those
of us who had escaped death； but wept for the others whom the
Cyclops had killed。 However； I made signs to them by nodding and
frowning that they were to hush their crying； and told them to get all
the sheep on board at once and put out to sea； so they went aboard；
took their places； and smote the grey sea with their oars。 Then；
when I had got as far out as my voice would reach； I began to jeer
at the Cyclops。
〃'Cyclops；' said I； 'you should have taken better measure of your
man before eating up his comrades in your cave。 You wretch； eat up
your visitors in your own house？ You might have known that your sin
would find you out； and now Jove and the other gods have punished
you。'
〃He got more and more furious as he heard me； so he tore the top
from off a high mountain； and flung it just in front of my ship so
that it was within a little of hitting the end of the rudder。 The
sea quaked as the rock fell into it； and the wash of the wave it
raised carried us back towards the mainland； and forced us towards the
shore。 But I snatched up a long pole and kept the ship off； making
signs to my men by nodding my head； that they must row for their
lives； whereon they laid out with a will。 When we had got twice as far
as we were before； I was for jeering at the Cyclops again； but the men
begged and prayed of me to hold my tongue。
〃'Do not；' they exclaimed； 'be mad enough to provoke this savage
creature further； he has thrown one rock at us already which drove
us back again to the mainland； and we made sure it had been the
death of us； if he had then heard any further sound of voices he would
have pounded our heads and our ship's timbers into a jelly with the
rugged rocks he would have heaved at us； for he can throw them a
long way。'
〃But I would not listen to them； and shouted out to him in my
rage； 'Cyclops； if any one asks you who it was that put your eye out
and spoiled your beauty； say it was the valiant warrior Ulysses； son
of Laertes； who lives in Ithaca。'
〃On this he groaned； and cried out； 'Alas； alas； then the old
prophecy about me is coming true。 There was a prophet here； at one
time； a man both brave and of great stature； Telemus son of Eurymus；
who was an excellent seer； and did all the prophesying for the
Cyclopes till he grew old； he told me that all this would happen to me
some day； and said I should lose my sight by the hand of Ulysses。 I
have been all along expecting some one of imposing presence and
superhuman strength； whereas he turns out to be a little insignificant
weakling； who has managed to blind my eye by taking advantage of me in
my drink； come here； then； Ulysses； that I may make you presents to
show my hospitality； and urge