The Odyssey - Book 9 (THE CYCLOPS)

• In answer to Alcinous Odysseus began his tale. 
• He says how amazing the bard is and how he feels there is nothing more delightful than when the festive mood runs through the banqueters whist the tables are laid with food and drink. 
• "This, to my way of thinking, is perfection"
• He goes on to say to Alcinous how his tale is woeful.
• He begins by telling Alcinous that his is "Odysseus, Laetres son. The whole world talks o my stratagems, and my fame has reached the heavens". 
• he tells Alcinous that his home is Ithaca- he then explains Ithaca- "our landmark is mount Neriton with its quivering leaves. Other islands are clustered around it, Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus. But Ithaca is the rarest out to sea, lies slanting out to the west, whereas the others face dawn and the rising sun"
• He explains how he was held captive in Ogygia by Calypso "because she yearned for me to be her husband and with the sane Circe"
• He explains how Circe the "Aeaean witch" kept him in her place.
• He begins his story from when he and his men were trying to escape from Troy after the Trojan war, he talks about how he sacked Troy and destroyed it's menfolk. he then goes on to blame his men for their late take off as they were distracted bu wine and plenty of livestock- "they kept on drinking and butchering sheep and shambling crooked-horned cattle by the shore". Meanwhile and Cicones who were "both more numerous and better men, trained in fighting from the chariot as well as on foot as well" overtook Odysseus and his men. 
• The Cicones and Odysseus' men fought well in battle on the ships. In the morning Odysseus' men were still holding their ground, but by nightfall the Cicones "broke the Achaean ranks" and killed six of Odysseus' men. 
• They then sailed away from Ismarus £grieving for the loss of out dear companions though rejoicing our own escape" 
• Zeus then sent a terrible gale which caused their ships to "plunge in the wind" and turn the sails into "shreds and tatters" 
• They rested on land for two days and two nights "with exhaustion and anxiety knawing at our hearts" 
• When they sat back on the water initially the wind blew them straight and he would have ended up back at Ithaca is it had not been for the North Wind and current combined which sent them drifing past Cythera. 
• On the tenth day of their journey across the sea they reached the land of the Lotus Eaters (a race which eats the rare Lotus fruit) 
• they parked their ship and his men ate mew by the ships. 
• Odysseus sent three of his men to look around the island to see if they could find another human somewhere. 
• Once they left it was not long before they came across the Lotus-Eaters. 
• the Lotus-Eaters had no intention of killing the comrades but they gave them some lotus fruit to eat. 
• "Those who ate the honeyed fruit of the plant lost any wish to come back and bring us news" 
• Odysseus has to use force to bring them back to his ships and his men wept on the way. Once they were on board Odysseus tied them up and dragged them under benches. 
• Odysseus then commanded the comrades to drive the ships full speed ahead as he didn't want to risk any other members of his crew eating the Lotus fruit. 
• They sialed onwards and came to the land of the Cyclopes "a fierce, lawless people who never lift a hand to plant or plough but just leave everything to the immortal gods" "the cyclopes have no assemblies for the making of laws, nor any established legal codes, but live in hollow caverns in the mountain heights, where each man is lawgiver to his own children and women, and nobody has the slightest interest in what his neighbours decide" 
• Next to the Cyclopes island is Goat Island. 
• The Cyclopes island is not a poor country as it is able to yield a crop in any given season. 
• The island has a safe harbour in which there is no need for an anchor in moorings as all the crew needs to do is beach the ship and wait for the right wind to blow. At the head of the harbour there is a stream of fresh water running out of a cave. 
• They landed their ships in this harbour through a murky night which the gods must have guided them through. 
• As soon as they had landed their ships they jumped upon the shore and fell asleep. 
• When they woke up they were delighted with what they saw on the island and set out to explore it. 
• They seperated into 3 different groups and began to shoot the goats. When all of the goats they had shot were shared out nine were allotted to each of the twelve ships but to Odysseus they made an allottment for ten. 
• For the whole day they sat down to rich supplies of meat and mellow wine. 
• they looked out across the land where they could see fired of the Cicones and hear their voices and the bleating of their sheep and goats. 
• They then all went and lay down the sleep on the sea shore. 
• When Dawn appeared Odysseus assembled his men and told them to stay where they are for the time being whilst he goes in his ship to find out whether the men are aggressive savages with no sense of wrong or hospitable and god fearing people. 
• They climbed on board of his ship and told his men to follow him. (From his group) 
• As they came closer to the land they could make out a cave which the entrance to was overhung by laurels., Here there were large flocks of sheep and goats penned at night. 
• It was the den of a giant. 
• At this point Odysseus told him men to stay on guard by the ship, but before he went Odysseus picked his twelve best men to go with him. He took with him some goatskin and some dark mellow wine. he filled the goatskin with wine and took some food in a bag with him as he had a vision that he would come face to face with a "barbarous being of colossal strength and ferocity". 
• it didn't take long for them to reach the cave and when they did the owner wasn't in. When they entered the entrance of the cave they saw baskets laden with cheeses and pens which kept lambs and kids in separate sections.
• His men begged him to let them take away some the cheeses and drive the lambs out of their pens and back to the ship but Odysseus was not to be persuaded.
• "When he did appear my men were not going to find him a very likeable character"
• Odysseus and his men lit a fire to make offerings to the gods they helped themselves to the cheeses and ate. Once they has eaten they sat down to await his arrival. 
• When he came, he was carrying a large pile of wood and with a crash he threw them down. 
• He then closed the entrance to the cave with a "mighty slab" which could have been the size of "twenty two four wheeled wagons" 
• he then began to milk his ewes and goats collecting whey and storing it in the wicker cheese baskets. After he had finished milking he noticed Odysseus and his men in his cave. 
• He began in uproar asking the men who they are and where they have come from. 
• Odysseus says that the booming of the Cyclops' voice fills all of the men with panic but Odysseus manages to tell Polyphemus (the Cyclops) that they are on their way back from Troy but that on their way home they have taken the wrong route and have ended up in his cave. "We find ourselves here as suppliants to your knees, in the hope that you may give us hospitality"
• Polyphemus replies saying that he cares nothing for the gods as he is much stronger as they are. He then asks where Odysseus moored his ship, whether is was along the coast or nearby. 
• Odysseus tells Alcinous that Polyphemus' words didn't get the better of him as he had more knowledge than the Cyclopes. 
• The Cyclops made no reply but instead reached out towards the men and lifter two up. He banged their heads against the floor and their brains ran onto the ground he tore the men limb from limb and then he eats them. He washed down the human flesh with unwatered milk. 
• As Polphemus slept Odysseus and his men waited for the next day. 
• As soon as Dawn appeared the Cyclops re-lit the fire and milked the ewes and goats. After doing this he snatched up two more of Odysseus' men adn began to prepare his breakfast. When he has eaten he took away the door stone and let his flocks out. He replaced the stone in front of the entrance so Odysseus and his men couldn't escape and then went off towards the mountains with his flock. 
• When the Cyclops had gone, Odysseus cut off some of the wood which the Cyclops had brought in the day before and tore off a length. He told his men to smoothen it down, when his men had done this Odysseus sharpened it to a point. Odysseus then hardened it in the fire. He then told four of his men to help push it into the Cyclops' eye whilst he slept. 
• Polyphemus then returned in the evening with his flocks and hearded them back into the cave. 
• He then milked the ewes and goats and once again snatched two of the men and prepared his supper. 
• Once Polkyphemus had finished eating the men, Odysseus offered him some wine in order for him to "wash down the human flesh". Odysseus tells the Cyclops that he has brought the wine as a offering for the hope that he would pity the men and hep them get home. 
• Polyphemus took the wine and drank it all, when he had finished he asked Odysseus for another helping of it and so Odysseus gave him some more. he filled the bowl up three more times of the Cyclops. 
• When the Cyclops was quite drunk Odysseus introduced himself as "Nobody", Polyphemus tells Odysseus that he will eat "Nobody" last as his gift. 
• Polyphemus then toppled over and fell face upwards on the floor. In his drunken stupor he vomited a mixture of wine and the flesh of men. 
• When Odysseus told his men they took the stake out of the fire and drove it into Polyphemus' eye. 
• They twisted it around until his eye burned up a bright colour "his eyeball blazed and the very root raked in the flame" 
• Polyphemus gave a shriek which echoed around the caves. 
• The other Cyclopes gathered around his cave and asked him what was wrong. 
• Polyphemus cried out in response saying "O my friends, it's Nobody's treachery, not violence, that is doing my death" 
• In response the other Cyclopes said that he must be sick and all he can do is pray to his dad Poseidon 
• Odysseus laughed to himself about his cunning name. 
• the Cyclops pushed the rock away from the mouth of the cave. 
• He then sat in the doorway trying to catch the men with his hands. 
• His men quickly strapped themselves to the bottom of the rams. 
• As soon as Dawn appeared the rams and sheep ran out past the unsuspecting Polyphemus with Odysseus' men strapped to the bottom of them. 
• the Cyclops passed his hands along the tops of the animals as they ran past his feet and the men went unnoticed. 
• the big ram was the last to leave the entrance and Polyphemus held him in his hands and asked him why he was the last of the flock to leave as he never usually lacks behind the rest. He comes to the conclusion that the ram must be grieved about his eye. 
• When the ram managed to escape through the entrance through the entrance Odysseus installed himself and his men and they headed back to the ship. 
• When they reached the ship the other men were pleased with their escape and hurried to get the goats and sheep on board of their ship. 
• As the boat took of Odysseus shouted at Polyphemus saying that his crimes are bound to catch up with him. 
• Odysseus' words angered Polyphemus, who then threw a rock at the ship. The rock landed just in front of the ship and as it landed in the water it made a wave which nearly washed them back onto the beach. 
• Odysseus' crew then took to the oars again this time rowing faster than before. Odysseus was about to shout again but his men shouted at him trying to restrain him from calling out again. 
• Odysseus didn't listen to his crew and called out the Cyclops again saying that he is the "sacker of cities" 
• the Cyclops replied saying "Alas the prophecies have come back to me now! We had a prophet living with us once, a great mighty man, Eurymus' son Telemus" "all that has now happened he foretold, when he warned me that a man called Odysseus would rob me of my sight., But I always expected some big handsome man of tremendous strength to come along. And now a penny, feeble goof for nothing fuddled me with wine and then puts out my eye! But come here, Odysseus so that I can give you some friendly gifts and prevail on the great earthshaker Poseidon, to see you safely home. For I am his some and he is proud to call himself my father" 
• After this Polyphemus lifted up his hands and prayed to Poseidon saying that if he is truly his son, grant that Odysseus may never reach his home in Ithaca. But if he is destined to see his friends again to come once more to his house late and wretched in plight having lost all his comrades in a foreign ship and let him find trouble at his house. 
• After he had finished praying to Poseidon, Polyphemus picked up a bigger boulder and once again hurled it at Odysseus' ship. this time the rock narrowly missed the rudder and the wave the boulder created was so big that it carried them towards the other shore and so they reached the island where the rest of their ships were waiting for them. 
• Once they reached the other ships they unloaded the Cyclops' sheep and divided them equally between all of the ships, but of course Odysseus had the big ram. 
• On the beach they made sacrifice for Zeus but he took no notice of their sacrifice and already had made plans to destroy their ships. 
• Until sundown Odysseus and his men feasted on the beach on their meat and mellow wine. 
• When Dawn appeared Odysseus woke his men and ordered them to go on board and get ready to leave. 
• They left the island and sailed on with heavy hearts "grieving for the dear friends we had lost but glad to escape our own death"