"Nay, but," they said, "if no man does thee wrong, we cannot help
thee. The sickness which great Zeus may send, who can avoid? Pray to
our father, Poseidon, for help."
Then they departed, and Ulysses was glad at heart for the good
success of his device when he said that he was No Man.
But the Cyclops rolled away the great stone from the door of the cave
and sat in the midst, stretching out his hands to feel whether
perchance the men within the cave would seek to go out among the
sheep.
Long did Ulysses think how he and his comrades should best escape. At
last he lighted upon a good device, and much he thanked Zeus for that
this once the giant had driven the rams with the other sheep into the
cave. For, these being great and strong, he fastened his comrades
under the bellies of the beasts, tying them with osier twigs, of which
the giant made his bed. One ram he took and fastened a man beneath it,
and two others he set, one on either side. So he did with the six, for
but six were left out of the twelve who had ventured with him from the
ship. And there was one mighty ram, far larger than all the others,
and to this Ulysses clung, grasping the fleece tight with both his
hands. So they waited for the morning. And when the morning came, the
rams rushed forth to the pasture; but the giant sat in the door and
felt the back of each as it went by, nor thought to try what might be
underneath. Last of all went the great ram. And the Cyclops knew him
as he passed and said:
"How is this, thou, who art the leader of the flock? Thou art not wont
thus to lag behind. Thou hast always been the first to run to the
pastures and streams in the morning and the first to come back to the
fold when evening fell; and now thou art last of all. Perhaps thou art
troubled about thy master's eye, which some wretch--No Man, they call
him--has destroyed, having first mastered me with wine. He has not
escaped, I ween. I would that thou couldst speak and tell me where he
is lurking. Of a truth I would dash out his brains upon the ground and
avenge me of this No Man."
So speaking, he let him pass out of the cave. But when they were out
of reach of the giant, Ulysses loosed his hold of the ram and then
unbound his comrades. And they hastened to their ship, not forgetting
to drive before them a good store of the Cyclops' fat sheep. Right
glad were those that had abode by the ship to see them. Nor did they
lament for those that had died, though they were fain to do so, for
Ulysses forbade, fearing lest the noise of their weeping should betray
them to the giant, where they were. Then they all climbed into the
ship, and sitting well in order on the benches, smote the sea with
their oars, laying-to right lustily, that they might the sooner get
away from the accursed land. And when they had rowed a hundred yards
or so, so that a man's voice could yet be heard by one who stood upon
the shore, Ulysses stood up in the ship and shouted:
"He was no coward, O Cyclops, whose comrades thou didst so foully slay
in thy den. Justly art thou punished, monster, that devourest thy
guests in thy dwelling. May the gods make thee suffer yet worse things
than these!"
Then the Cyclops in his wrath broke off the top of a great hill, a
mighty rock, and hurled it where he had heard the voice. Right in
front of the ship's bow it fell, and a great wave rose as it sank, and
washed the ship back to the shore. But Ulysses seized a long pole with
both hands and pushed the ship from the land and bade his comrades ply
their oars, nodding with his head, for he was too wise to speak, lest
the Cyclops should know where they were. Then they rowed with all
their might and main.
And when they had gotten twice as far as before, Ulysses made as if he
would speak again; but his comrades sought to hinder him, saying,
"Nay, my lord, anger not the giant any more. Surely we thought before
we were lost, when he threw the great rock and washed our ship back to
the shore. And if he hear thee now, he may crush our ship and us, for
the man throws a mighty bolt and throws it far."
But Ulysses would not be persuaded, but stood up and said, "Hear,
Cyclops! If any man ask who blinded thee, say that it was the warrior
Ulysses, son of Laertes, dwelling in Ithaca."
And the Cyclops answered with a groan, "Of a truth, the old oracles
are fulfilled, for long ago there came to this land one Telemus, a
prophet, and dwelt among us even to old age. This man foretold me that
one Ulysses would rob me of my sight. But I looked for a great man and
a strong, who should subdue me by force, and now a weakling has done
the deed, having cheated me with wine. But come thou hither, Ulysses,
and I will be a host indeed to thee. Or, at least, may Poseidon give
thee such a voyage to thy home as I would wish thee to have. For know
that Poseidon is my sire. May be that he may heal me of my grievous
wound."
And Ulysses said, "Would to God, I could send thee down to the abode
of the dead, where thou wouldst be past all healing, even from
Poseidon's self."
Then Cyclops lifted up his hands to Poseidon and prayed:
"Hear me, Poseidon, if I am indeed thy son and thou my father. May
this Ulysses never reach his home! or, if the Fates have ordered that
he should reach it, may he come alone, all his comrades lost, and come
to find sore trouble in his house!"
And as he ended he hurled another mighty rock, which almost lighted on
the rudder's end, yet missed it as if by a hair's breadth. So Ulysses
and his comrades escaped and came to the island of the wild goats,
where they found their comrades, who indeed had waited long for them,
in sore fear lest they had perished. Then Ulysses divided among his
company all the sheep which they had taken from the Cyclops. And all,
with one consent, gave him for his share the great ram which had
carried him out of the cave, and he sacrificed it to Zeus. And all
that day they feasted right merrily on the flesh of sheep and on sweet
wine, and when the night was come, they lay down upon the shore and
slept.