ODYSSEUS AND HIS COMPANIONS LEAVE THE LAND OF THE CYCLOPS
"Polyphemus, groaning with pain, tried to feel his way with his hands
to the mouth of the cavern. Having succeeded in this, he rolled back
the stone and sat down at the entrance and stretched out his hands
in order to catch us if we should happen to try to get out among the
sheep.
"But we were not so foolish as to be caught in this way. There were
in the cave a number of stout and woolly rams. Of these I put three
abreast and tied them together with twigs that happened to be in the
cave. Under each middle ram I tied one of my companions. The two sheep,
one on each side of him, hid the man completely. For myself I selected
the stoutest ram of the flock, and, seizing his long shaggy wool with
my hands, held fast to him with my knees and arms.
"The sun rose and the animals began to hasten out to the pastures.
The Cyclops, though nearly exhausted with pain, passed his hands over
the backs of the sheep to find out whether any of us were trying to
ride out of the cave. He did not find out our trick, and my companions
all escaped safely. Last of all, the ram that carried me came to the
door, because I was so heavy that he could hardly walk with me hanging
to him.
"Polyphemus felt of his back and recognized him at once as his favorite
ram, and said: 'Dearest of all my sheep, why dost thou go last?
Commonly thou wert the first of the flock to hasten to the rich pasture
and the cool spring, just as thou wert the first in the evening to
return to thy manger. But to-day thou art last of all. Dost thou grieve
because thy master hath lost his eye, which Nobody has put out? But
wait a little. He shall not escape death. Couldst thou only speak,
my ram, thou wouldst tell me at once where the scoundrel is; then
thou shouldst see how I would dash him against the rocks.'
"Speaking such words as these, he let the ram go. When we were safely
out of the cave, we gladly took to our feet and drove the fat sheep
down to our boat with all haste. Our friends received us with tears
of joy, for they thought we had surely perished. I made signs to them
not to weep aloud, and to hurry the sheep on board the ship. They
did this with all haste, and each man took his place at the oars.
"When we were beyond the reach of the Cyclops, I called out to tease
him, 'Ha! Cyclops, Cyclops, thou hast not been entertaining a coward.
Zeus and the other gods have avenged the brave men whom thou didst
so cruelly destroy.'
"The Cyclops heard my words and grew furious. He seized a large rock
and threw it with all his might toward the place where he had heard
my voice.
"The rock fell in front of my ship, and the waves which it raised
carried us back on shore. I seized a large pole and shoved the boat
back into the water, commanding my men to ply their oars vigorously,
that we might escape destruction. My companions begged me not to
excite the dangerous monster further; but when we were a long way
out I shouted to him: 'Cyclops, if ever anybody asks thee who put
out thine eye, tell him it was Odysseus, the son of Laertes, conqueror
of Troy.'
"When Polyphemus heard these words he gave a deep groan, and said
to me: 'Truly did the wise seer, Telemos, foretell that I was to be
blinded by Odysseus. But I thought there would come a large and
powerful man, not such an insignificant little fellow who would cheat
me with wine. Come back, Odysseus, and let me bestow upon you the
gifts which are due to strangers. I will pray to my father, Poseidon,
to give thee a safe and speedy return to thy native land. He can restore
my eye whenever he will, so I cherish no anger against thee.'
"I knew his deceit, however, and replied: 'I would rather take thy
life, and send thee down to the dark halls of the dead, where thy
father could never restore thy sight.'
"As soon as Polyphemus heard this, he raised his hands to heaven and
prayed to Poseidon, 'My father,' he said, 'hear me, if in truth I
am thy son. Grant me this prayer. May Odysseus never return to his
own country, or, if it be thy will that he reach home and friends
again, let his return be late and sorrowful. May his comrades all
be lost, and may he go back in a borrowed ship, and find new troubles
waiting for him in his house.'
"Poseidon was moved to wrath against me by this prayer, and determined
to take vengeance on me. The Cyclops seized another stone, much larger
than the last, and swinging it round, threw it at us with tremendous
strength. It fell close to the ship, but this time it drove the boat
out into the sea and in the direction of the island where we first
landed.
"When we reached the island we found the friends we had left there
waiting anxiously for our return. My men drew their boat up on to
the smooth sand and stepped upon the beach, taking the sheep along
with them. Each man took an equal share, but they gave me the ram
which had saved my life. We took him out upon the beach and offered
him up as a sacrifice to Zeus.
"But sacrifices were vain, for Zeus had more evil for us in his mind.
We spent the rest of the day on the island, eating and drinking, and
when the sun went down we camped on the shore for the night. In the
morning I called my men to climb the decks and cut the ropes that
kept us fastened to the shore. With all speed they went aboard and
took their oars in hand and set sail for home, glad to escape, but
sorrowing for our lost companions."