Odysseus and the Cyclops2
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A long time ago, after the end of the Trojan War, a triumphant Odysseus and his crew
were sailing home to Ithaca from Troy.
On their long journey, they landed on an unknown island in the
middle of the ocean.
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Although Odysseus didn’t know it
yet, on the island there lived fierce
giants known as Cyclops. These
giants were shepherds and each
had only one eye in the middle of
its forehead.
One of the giants was
called Polyphemus.
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When Odysseus and his 12 crew sailed up the coast of the island, they heard the bleating
of sheep and goats and voices of the giants.
Soon after landing, carrying a chest full of wine, they stumbled upon the entrance to a
cave.
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Beside the deep, gloomy cave entrance grew laurel shrubs. To one side, a
huge, rough stone lay. Odysseus and his crew entered the cave.
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As their eyes adjusted to the gloom, they noticed baskets heaped with
cheeses and barrels full of milk. The men set down the wine and helped
themselves to the cheese, lighting a fire and making themselves at home to
wait for the owner of the cave to return.
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At nightfall, the cave dweller returned. It was Polyphemus, the Cyclops, and he was
furious to see Odysseus and his men devouring his food. In a rage, he threw down the
wood he had collected in a pile and shooed his sheep and goats into the cave for the
night.
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Then the Cyclops trampled towards the entrance and rolled the huge
stone, as heavy as two dozen wagons, across the entrance, trapping
the crew inside.
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The fuming giant showed no mercy. With his immense hands, he dashed two of
Odysseus’ men against the stony floor, killing them dead in
an instant.
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The heartbroken Odysseus and the rest of his crew hid in a corner and plotted a way to
avenge their friends’ murders, punish the Cyclops and escape captivity. First, they offered
the Cyclops plenty of their delicious wine, which he greedily swigged in great gulps from
the wineskin.
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The Cyclops demanded more wine and to know Odysseus’s name, promising a generous
gift in return. The clever hero, seeing that the Cyclops was nearly overpowered by the
wine, told him, “My name is Nobody.” The giant replied, mockingly, “My present is that I
shall eat Nobody last of all.” He then fell into a stupor.
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Seeing the giant incapacitated, the men enacted the next part of their plan; they lifted a
sharpened spear they had made from the woodpile and held it in the fire until the end
caught alight. With a mighty heave, they thrust the burning stick into the Cyclops’ eye,
blinding him. He jumped up in pain, yelling cries of help to the other giants. “Nobody is
trying to kill me!” he shouted. Of course, the other giants took no notice.
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Groaning in agony, the Cyclops scrambled on all fours to the entrance of the cave. He rolled
back the huge stone to release his goats and sheep and to catch the escaping men. However,
Odysseus would outsmart him again! With rope and sticks, Odysseus tied each man to the belly
of a sheep.
The next morning, after sunrise, they made their escape.
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Sitting blindly by the entrance, the Cyclops could only use his hands to stroke each
of the animal’s back, as it left. As a result, Odysseus and the rest of his men passed
by the giant undetected.
They gladly returned to their ship, taking the sheep with them.
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From the safety of the sea, Odysseus teased the giant, shouting, “I am Odysseus,
son of Troy and it was I who put out thine eye!” The blinded giant hurled a rock
towards the ship but missed and the Greeks sailed safely on their way to continue
their voyage home.
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