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Home , Cyclopes, Maron (mythology)

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN THE

HUMANS AcAMEMNoN (ag'a mem/ noru: king and leader of Greek forces during the ALCI,Nous (al sin'o a$: king of the Phaeacians and person to whom relates his story (am fin'ð rrlâs): one of 's suitors ANTINoUs (an tin/o as)' rudest of Penelope's suitors

EUMAEUS tyoo me'as), Odysseus's loyal swineherd EURvcLETA ryoô ri kle'a): Odysseus's faithful old nurse EURyLocHUS (yoo ri'a kas), one of Odysseus's crew EURvMACHUS {yoo rim'a kas), one of Penelope's suitors EUtryNoME {yoo rin'a me), Penelope's housekeeper úã ut'têz\: Odysseus's father MARoN (mãr' on): priest of who gives Odysseus a gift of powerful wine oDyssEUS to dis'e as): king of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan war p-EñELopE (pa nel'a pë), Odysseus's wife

,9t ''1¿ rERIMEDES {per'i me" dênt one of Odysseus's crew iíìri, (ta {r. lem/a kast' Odysseus and Penelope's son \-,]! TTRESTAS (tr rë'sê as): blind prophet from the underworld ü

GODS AND IMMORTALS APoLLo ta pol'öt, god of sunlíght, music, poetry, medicine, law, and the tending of flocks and herds (ê the'nâ): daughter of and goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare who helps her chosen heroes lka lip'so): immortal sea nyrnph who holds Odysseus captive for many years ctraRYBDIS tka rib'disl, dangerous whirlpool personified as a female (sur'se): enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea cYcLoPES tsi klo'pèz): râcê of one-eyed ; an individual merrÈerpfthe race is a (si klops) (he'lë os')' god of the sun; another name for Apollo Lorus llo'tast EATERS: inhabitants of a land visited by Odysseus and his crera. (pof i fe'mas)r a Cyclops and son of posEIDoN {pa s1d'an): god of the sea and earthquakes scyLLA (sil'a): six-headed female sea monster srnrru's $l'ranz), sea nymphs who sing songs that lure men to their death zrus (zoos): king of the gods

858 UNIT 5 EPIC AND FarT I hn Invocation poets in 's døy belieaed thøt the gods inspired their-storytelling, his.performønce rnith )ía"ii"gl"g. Accorñng tu custom, Hom.er begins cølling-upon the Muse, the goddess of , for i*"'¡irír*øn,'í,)tn cøpture ord. inspiration'- The inaocøtion serrses ø second purpose: to 'äï the ,iau"ri's øttention with highlights of heroic ødaentures that poet will løter describe in detøil' Singin me, Muse, and through me tell the story man skilled in all ways of contending,o 2 contending: fighting or dealing of that with difficulty. the wanderer, harriedo for years on end, 3 harried: constantly tormented or after he p)*W,A*¡",ç,$ the_ stronghold troubled. 5 on the proud height of TroY. He saw the townlands and learned the minds of many distant men, many bitter nights and days I weathered: gotthrough safelY; and weatheredo survived. in his deep heart at sea, while he fougþ only 10 to save hiã hfe, to bring his shipmates home' Butnot by will not y*9,L9; could he save them, for their own recklessness destroyed them all- children and footrs, they killed and feasted on god of Lord Helios,o the Sun, L4 Helios (hê'lê os'): the the cattle of the sun. 15 and he'whoffloves all day through heaven took from thqir,eyes the dawn of their return' Muse, datrghter of 7''eus'" 17 Zeus (zoo$: The most Powerful Of these âdvent'ures, of the gods, Zeus is the father of tell us in our time,lift the greai song again' coun[less major and minor gods. tsegin when all the rest who left behind them 20 heedlong death in battle 9r,at¡ea had h'ãagp rui,,"'"d, while he a&me etill hungered f,tr ú;* wfe. Her tadYshiP CalYPso" 22 eaþse(ke'liP^sö) her caves- erftg to him in 9ea.hgllowed iinmortal" and most beautiful' 24 nymph: a Young, beautiful a n1tfuph," spirit, or minor goddess, rePre- 25 who craved him for her own' senting the divine Power of a Place or of something in nature, such as a tree, cave, or bodY of water. immortal: living forever; eternal.

thøt the story Epie trnd þie Íir.lta Now does the reader quickly leorn l aboutta uttÍold recounþ the deeds of on epíc heroT

(plun' v. to take (property) by forcq especially inwarlarc v///ri,//////olunder ' dar) yÞ)P,É (val'ai) n. great courage' especially in battle

THE ODYSSEY, PART 1 859 And when long y*att and, seasons wheeling.brought around that point of tirne ordainedo for him to make his passage homeward, 28 ordaíned: set or determíned by trials and dangers, even so, attended him an authority-in this case, fate, or the gods, 30 even in Ifhaca, near those he loved. Yet all the gods had pitied.Lord Odysseus, (o all but Poseidon, ragþg cold and rougho 31-33 Odysseus dis'e as) . . . against the brave till he came ashore the brave king: Odysseus is the ki.g' king of lthaca. at last on his own land. 32 Poseidon (pa sr-d'an), raging cold and rough: Po#ídon, brother of Zeus, governs the oceans as well as earthquakes. ln the next section, New Coasts and Poseidon's Son you will find clues to his anger at 0dysseus. The gods øre worried. Neqrly ten yeørs høae pøssed since the end of the rnør agøinst Troy, but one of the greøtest Greek generals has not yet yeturned home. Odysseus høs encountered ø series of disøsters on his aoyøge and is now the prisoner of a nymph nømed Cølypso. He høsølso øngered Poseidon, who høs prevented him from returning to his raiþ; Penelope (pa nel'e pQ), and his son, Telemøchus (ta lem'e kas), oin the islønd of Ithøcø, But Poseidon ís oisiting Africø, ønd the other gods øgree to øct behind his bøck. The poet now tells of Odysseus, who is miserøble nfter seaen yeørs on his island príson. Cølypso loaes her høndsorne cøptiae ønd will not let hím go, but she ís forced to reconsider her position when she receiaes a strongly worded order from . _Giaing in, CøIypso helps Odysseus møke ø raft, ønd he thønkfully depørts.'But he does not høue smooth søiling. Poseídon, returning from Africø, spots his old enemy øt sea ønd shipwrecks him in øn instønt with ø fierce storm. Zeus's døugþter Athenø intmtenes. She cøsts Adysseus, naked ønd neør deøth, øshore on the island of Phneøciø (fë ã'she). TVrcre ø beøutiful princess discoz¡ers him ønd tøkes him home to the paløce of her føther, King (al sin' o es). The Phneøciøns treøt Odysseus øs ø noble guest ønd urge him to reueøl his idmtity. At løst he relutts nnd uncer- tøínly begins to tellhis grþping story.

Colliope, Muse of epic poetry. Marble. Ludovisi collection. Vual fl" AA is the muse of epic poetry. In , were believed to inspire the creation of the arts. Poets, musicíans, and artisans often looked to them as the source of their creativity. What about this sculpture suggests that the woman might be involved with the creation of epic poetry?

Analyze Figurative Language Why might tþe poet have used the verb wheeling to describe the possing af yeors ond seosons?

840 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH "What shall I say Íirst? What shall I keep until the end?

The gods have triedo me in a thousand ways. 3 tried: tested. But first my name: let that be known to you, s and if I pull away from pitiless deatþ friendship will bind us, though my land lies far. I am Laertes'son, Odysseus.

Men hold" me I hold: regard; consider. g formidable' lor &!Ð)Ê,in peace and war: formidable: causingfear, dread, 1.0 this fame has gone abroad to the sky's rim. awe, or admiration as a result of sizg strengh, power, or some other My home is on the peaked sea-mark of lthaca impressirle quality. under Mount Neion'so wind-blor¡m robe of leaves, 12 Neion (nê'on)

in sight of other islands-Dulichium,o 13 Dulichium (dõõ lik'e am) o Same, wooded T.acynthuso-Ithaca 14 Same (sã'mê). Zacynthus 1.s being most lofty in that coastal sea, (za sin'thes) and northwest, while the rest 1ie east and south A rocky isle, but good for aboy's traintng; I shall not see on earth a place more dear, though I have been detained long by Calypso, z0 loveliest among goddesses, who held me in her smooth caves, to be her heart's delight, as Circe of Aeaea, the enchantress,o 22 Circe (sur'se)... the desired me, and detained me in her hall. enchantress: Circe is a goddess capable of enchanting, or working But in my heart I never gave consent. , magic uþon, men. Aeaea (e e'a) is 25 Where shall a man find sweetness to surpass her ísland. his own home and his parents? ftr far lands he shall not, though he find a house of gold. I¡Vhat of my sailing, thery from Troy? What of those years 30 of rough ad.venture, weathered und.er Zevs?"o 30 weathered under Zeus: 0dysseus uses words craftíly. Here, he appears to give respectful credit reløtes his Odysseus first ødaenture. He ønd his fleet of twelae shíps to Zeus for getting him safely øttøcked ønd plundered the coøstal settlement'of the ,(si kotnez). through danger; but he also is making a pun on the word The røid lt)øs ø success, but the overconfident men becøme drunk and weothered. Zeus governs the mutinous (unresponsiae to Odysgeus's orders to retreøt). The Cicones's heavens and the weather and is well ørmy surprised Odysseus and his men øt darnn, ønd droae them bøck to known for sending people storms, lightning, and thunder when he is sea with heøay losses. displeased. "Imtghthave made it safely home, that time, Malea ( lê'a) ri but as I came round Maleao the current 32

Journeys How høs Odysseus proved ta his audiehce thot he is determined to achíeve his journey\ end?

i g))jle (gil) n. slyness; craftiness; skillful deception

THE ODYSSEY, PAR.T 1 84I, The Ship of Odysseus with Oors and a Furled Soil, "l 93Q-"1 935. Francois-Louis Schmied. Stapleton Collecfion. V"u, ile A¿ The Art Deco movement expressed modernity in art through the use of angular, geometric figures. How does this work by Francois-Louis Schmied reflect the Art Deco movement?

took me out to sea, and from the north a fresh gale drove me on, past Cythera.o 34 Cythera (sith'a re) 35 Nine days I driifted on the teerning sea before dangerous high winds. Upon the.tenfh we came to the coastline of the Lotus Eaters, who live upon that flower. We landedftere to take on water. All ships'companies 40 musteredl alongside for the mid-day meal. 40 mustered: gathered togethet Then I sent out two picked men ánd a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained.o 42 sustained: kept alíve; Th"y fell iru soon enough, with Lotus Eaters, supported. who showed no will to do us harm, only 4s offering the sweet Lotus to our friends- but those who ate this honeyed plant, the Lotus, never cared to report, nor to return: they longed to stay forever, browsing on that native bloom, forgetful of their homeland.

842 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH 50 I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches, and called the rest: 'All hands aboard; come, clear the beach and no one taste the Lofus, or you lose your hope of home.' ss Filing in to their places by the rowlocks my oarsmen dipped their long oars in the surf, and we moved out again on our sea faring.

In the next land we found were Cyclopes,o 58 Cyclopes (si klõ'pez); a race of - without alaw to bless them. one-eyed giants. 59 louts: stupid beings. 60 ignorance leaving the fruitage of the earth in mystery to the immortal'gods, they neither plow nor sow by hand, nor till the ground, though grain- wild wheat and barley-grows untended, and wine-grapes, in clusters, ripen in heaven's rain. 6s Cyclopes have no muster and no meeting, no consultation or old tríbaIways, but-each one dwells in his own mountain cave dealing out rough justice to wife and child, indifferent to what the others do." lust ffihore from the lønd of the Cyclopes is ø deserted island with ø fine nøturøl hørbor. Odysseus ønd his men spend two comfortøble nights there. On the second day, oaercom.e by curiosity, Odysseus søils wíth one shíp ønd a crew to the mainlnnd. He rnønts to see just rahøt sort of creøtures the.se Cyclopes are. 70 "As we rowed on, and nearer to the mainland, at one end of thebay, we saw a cavern yawning above the water, scieened with iaurei,o 72 screened with laurel: partly and rnany rams and goats about the place hidden behind laurel trees. inside a sheepfol{";made from slabs of stone 74 sheepfold: an enclosure, or Ts earthfast between tall trunks of pine and rugged pen, for holding sheep. towering oak trees.

A prodigious" man 77 prodígious: huge; enormous. slept in this cave alone, and took his flocks to graze afieid-remote from all companions, 80 knowing nqne but savage wayq a brute so huge, he seemed no man at all of those who eät good wheaten bread; but he'seerìred rather a shaggy mountain reared in solitude. We beached there, and I told the crew 85 to stand by and keep watch over the ship;

Epic and Epic Hero What trcíß does Odysseus reveol ín this episoderthot set him opart frarn his men?

THE ODYSSEY, PART 1 845 as for myself I took my twelve best fighters and went ahead. I had a goatskin full of that sweet liquor that Euanthes' sory Maron,had given me. He kept Apollo's 90 holy grove at ;o for kindness 88-90 Euanthes' (yoo an'thêz) we showed him there, and showed his wife and child, son, . . . lsmarus (iz mãr'e$: ln ancient Greece, worshippers of he gave me seven shining Sqlden talentso certain gods built shrines to them, perfectly formed, a solid silver winebowl, sunounded by woods, or "groves," jars that were considered sacred and then this liquor-twelve two-handled sanctuaries. Priests oversaw the 9s of brandy, pure and fiery. Not a slave planting and tending of the groves. in Maron's household knew this drink; only Maron (mãr'on) is a priest of Apollo (a pol'õ), an important god he, his wife and the storeroom mistress knew; associaTed with music, medicine, and they would put one cupful-rub¡colored, law, and the tending of flocks and honey-smooth-in twenty more of wateg herds. 92 talents: bars of gold used as 100 but still the sweet scent hovered like a fume money in ancient Creece. over the winebowl. No man turned away when cups of this came round. A wineskin full I brought along, and victualso in abag, 104 victuals (vilals): food. 105 for in my bones I knew some towering brute would be upon us soon-all outward power, a wild mary ignorant of civility." 107 civílity: polite and courteous behavior. We climbed, f}ren, briskly to the cave. But Cyclopso 108 Cyclops (s1'klop$: Notethe had gone afield, to pasture his fat sheep, different spelling and pronunciation reference to a single one- so we looked round at.everything inside: of this 110 eyed . a drying rack that sagged with , pens crowded wfth iambs and kids, each in its class: firstlings apart from middlings, and the 'dewdrops,' or newborn lambkins, penned apart from both.o 111-1L4 pens . . . both: The 115 And vessels fuIl of wheyo were brimming there- lambs are grouped by age. 115 whey: the watery Part of milk bowls of earthenware and pails for milking. that seoarates from the curd, or My men came pressing round me, pleading: solìd pãrt, during the -making pr0cess. 'IMhy not take these cheeses, get them stowed, come back, rz0 throw open allthe pens, and make a run for it? We'll drive the kids and lambs aboard. We say put out again on good salt water!: Ah, how sound" that was! Yet I refused. I wished 124 sound'. sensible. 12s to see the cavemary what he had to offer- no pretty sight, it turned out, for rny friends.

Journeys Why is Odysseus making this expeditíon? What does this side tríp suggest about epic journeys?

844 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH We lit a fire, burnt an offering,o 127 burnt an offering: The men and took some cheese to eat; then sat in silence burned some food as a gift to the around gods in the hope of winning their the embers, waiting. When he came support. rsl he had a load of dry boughs on his shoulder to stoke his fire at suppertime. He dumped it with a great crash into that hollow cave, and we all scattered fast to the far wall. Then over the broad cavern floor he ushered rss the ewes he meant to milk. He left his rams and he-goats in the yard outside, and swung high overhead a slab of solid rock to close the cave. Two dozen four-wheeled wagons, with heaving wagon teams, could not have stiired 1.40 the tonnage of that rock from where he wedged it over the dgorsill. Next he iook his seat and milked fus bleating ewes. A practiced job he made of it"gìving each ewe her suckling; thickened his milk, ihen, into curds and wñey, 14s sieved out the curds to drip in withy baskets,. 144-145 thíckened . . . baskets: qnd poured the whey to stand in bowls The milk is curdled (thickened) by juice, cooling until he drank it for his supper. adding fig and the whey is drained off through wicker (withy) When all these chores were done, he poked the fire, baskets. heaping on brushwood. In the glare he suw.rs. i50 'Strangers,' he saíd, 'who are you? And where from? What brings you here by sea ways-a fair trafhc? Or are you wandering rogues, who cast your lives like dice, and ravage other folk by sea?,o 151-153 What brings . . . by sea: We felt a pressure on our hearts, ín dread What brings you here from the sea-honest trade? 0r are you 155 of that deep rumble and that mighty man. wandering scoundrels who carelessly But all the same I spoke up in reply: risk your lives and steal from olhers? '\Áy'e are fromTroy,Achaeans,o blown off course 157 Achaeans (a kë'ans): Creeks. by shifting gales on the Great South Sea; homeward bound, but taking routes and ways 160 uncommon; so the will of Zeus would have it. We served under AgamemnorL son sf {1¡suse- 161 (ag'a mem,non), the whole worid knows what city son ofAtreus (ã'trê at: king of he laid waste, what armies he destroyed. , in southern Creece, who led the war against Troy. It was our luck to come here; here we stand, I6s beholden for your help, or any gifts

Dpic and Epic Hero Epics include o mixture of the everydoy ond the supernatural. How does the Cyclops embady both af these stotes?

Journeys whot is odysseus suggesting obout misfot'tunes thot occur on a journey?'

I THE ODYSSEY, PART 1 845 you give-as custom is to honor sfrangers. We would entreat you, great Siq, have a care for the gods'courtesy; Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest.'o 167-169 We would... guest: Odysseus earnestly asks or begs 170 He answered this (entreat) for the Cydops's hospitality from his brute chest' unmoved: and warns him that Zeus punishes ,you anyone who mistreats a harmless are a ninny,o guest. 172 ninny: fool. or else you come from the other end of nowhere, teliing me, mind the gods! We Cyclopes r7s care not a whistle for your thunderingZeus or all the gods in bliss; we have more Íorceby far. I would not let you go for fear of Zess- you or ¡rour friends-unless I had a whim to. Tell me, where was it, now you left your ship- 180 around the point, or down the shore,I wonder?' He thought he'd find out, but I saw through this, and answered with a ready lie: 'lVIy ship? Poseidon Lord, who sets the earth a-trernble, 18s broke it up on the rocks at your land's end. A wind from seaward served him, drove us there. We are survivors, these good men and I.' Neither reply nor pity came from him, but in one stride he clutched at my companions r90 and caught two in his hands like squirming puppies to beat their brains out, spattering the floor. Then he dismembered them and made his meal, gaping and crunching like a mountain lion- everything: innards, flesh, and' marrow bones. tss We cried aloud,lifting our hands to Zeus, powerless,looking on at this, appailed;' 196 appalled: horrified; shocked; but Cyclops went on filling up his belly terrified. with manflesh and great gulps of whey, then lay dor¡¡n like a mast among his sheep. 200 My heart beat high now at the chance of action, and drawing the sharp sword from my hip I went along his flank to stab him where the midriff holds the liver. I had touched the spot when sudden fear stayed me: if I kiiled him zls we perished there as well, for we could never

Analyze Figurative Language The poet uses {wo similes in this grisly description of the Cyclopsb dínner. Whot are they?

846 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH

i move fu, pB,Ð$Ê,;,p.;rlå doorway slab aside. So we were left to groan and wait for morning. \Mhen the young Dawn with fingertips of rose Iít uþ the world, the Cyclops built a fire ztl and milked his handsome ewes, ail in due order, putting the sucklings to the mothers. Then,

his chores being all dispatched,o he caught 212 dispatched: finished. another braceo of men to make his breakfas! 213 brace: pair. and whisked away his great door slab zrs to let his sheep go through-but he, behind,

reset the stone as one would cap a quiver.o 21.]6 cap a quiver: put the cap on a There was a din of whistling as the byclops case for holding anows. rounded his flock to higher ground, then stillness. And now I pondered how to hurt him worst,

220 if búAthenao granted what I prayed for. 220 Athena: Odysseus prays for Flere are the means I thought would serve my turn: the support of Athena, his pairon goddess who guides and protects a club, or stafÍ,lay there along the fold- him. Among other things, Athena is an olive tree, feiled green and left to season a wanior goddess who directly helps her chosen heroes. for Cyclops's hand. And it was like a mast zzs a lugger of twenfy oars, broad in the beam- o a deep-sea-going craft-might carry: 221-226 Here are. . . carry: so long, so big around, it seemed. Now I Odysseus spies the lrunk of an olive tree, which the Cyclops cut down chopped out a six foot section of this pole (felled) when the wood was green and set it down before my men, who scraped it; and left to dry (season) before and when they had carving it into a club or staff. 2s0 it smootþ I hewedo again Odysseus compares its size to that to make a stake with pointed end. I held this of a mast on a seafaring ship in the fire's heart and turned it, toughening it, (lugger) that is wide in the middle (broad in the beam). then hid it, well back in the cavern, under 230 hewed: chopped or hacked. one of the dung piles in profusion there. 235 Now came the time to toss for it: who ventured along with me? whose hand could bear to thrust and grind that spike in Cyclops's eye, when mild sleep had mastered him? As luck would have it, the men I would have chosen won the toss- 240 four strong mery and I made five as captain. At evening came the shepherd with his flock, his woolly flock. The rams as well, this time, entered the cave: by some sheep-herding whim- or a god's bidding-none were left outside.

Journeys Whot hint is Odysseus dropping here abaut the future of htis journey?

i pB,p,j.pSpSlp, (pon'dar nt) adj . having great weight or bulk; heavy

THE ODYSSEY, PART I 847 245 He hefted his great boulder into place and saf him down to milk the bleating ewes in proper order, put the lambs to suck, and swiftly ran through all his evening chores. Then he caught two more men and feasted on them. 250 My moment was athand, and I went forward

holding an ivy bowl of my dark drink,o 251 dark drink: This is the liquor looking up, saying: Odysseus described in lines 94-102. 'Cyclops, try some wine. Here's liquor to wash down your scraps of men. 2ss Taste it, and see the kind of drink we carried under our planks. I meant it for an offering if you would help us home. But you are mad, unbearable, a bloody monster! After this, will any other traveler come to see you?' 260 He seized and drained the bowl, and it went down so fiery and smooth he called for more: 'Give me anotheX, thank you kindly. Tellme, how are you called? I'll make a gilt will please you. Even Cyclopes know the wine-grapes grow z6s out of grassland and loam in heaven's rain, but here's a bit of nectar and !'o 266 nedar and ambrosia: the foods of the gods, causing Three bowls I brought him, and he poured them down. . The Cyclops suggests I saw the fuddle and flush" cover over him, that any wine is a gift from heaven, then I sang out in cordial tones: but this one is like the gods' own drink. 270 'Cyclops, 268 fuddle and flush: the reddish ask confused mental state and you my honorable name? Remember complexion caused by drinking the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. alcohol. My name is Nohbdy: mother, fatheg and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy.' 27s And he said: 'Nohbdy's my meat, then, after I eat his friends. Others come first. There's a noble gift,now.' Even as he spoke, he reeled and tumbled backward, , his great head lolling to one side; and sleep 280 took him like any creature. Drunk, hiccuping, he dribbled streams of liquor and bits of men. Now, by the gods, I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered *y men along with battle talk 2Bs to keep their courage up: no quitting now. The pike of olive,o green though it had been, 286 pike of olive: the sharPened reddened and glowed as if about to catch. stake made from the olive tree' I drew it from the coals and my four fellows

848 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH ond Polyphemog 1560. Alessandro Allori. Fresco- Collection of Banca Toscana (Palazzo Salviati), Florence, ltaly.

gave me ahand,lugging it near the Cyclops .zg0 as more than nafural force nerved them; straight forward they sprinted,lifted it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye, and I leaned on it tu.rning i,'t as a shipwright turns a drill in pl'anking; having men below to swing 2s5 the two-handled strap that spins it in the groove. So with ourbrando we bored that great eye socket 296 brand: the piece of burning while blood ran out around the red hot bar. hot wood. Eyelid and lash were seared; the pierced ball hissed broiling, and the roots popped. In a smithy

one sees a white-hot axehead or an adze" 301 adze: an axeliketool with a plunged and wrung in a cold fub, screeching steam- curved blade. the way they make soft iron haleo and hard-: 303 hale: strong. just so that eyeball hissed around the spike. 30s The Cyclops bellowed and the rock roared round him, and we fell back in fear. Clawing his face

Analyie Figurative To whot. action' daes Èlþñter wirlpdrç the blinding of the Cyclgps? might he hove chosen this eømporiso.n?

THE ODYSSEY, PART 1 849 he tugged the bloody spike out of his eye, threw It away, and his wild hands went groptng; then he set up a howl for Cyclopes 310 who lived in caves on windy peaks nearby. Some heard him; and they came by diverso ways 311 divers: several different; various. to clump around outside and call: . 'What ails you, Polyphemus?o VVhy do you cry so sore 3L4 Polyphemus (pol'i fê'mag: s1s in the starry night? You will not let us sleep. the blinded Cyclops3 name. Sure no man's driving off your flock? No man has tricked you, ruinedyou?' Out of the cave the mammoth Poþhemus roared in answer: 820 'Nohbdy, Nohbdy's tricked me, Nohbdy's ruined me!' To this rough shout they made a sageo repiy: 321 sage: wise. 'Ah well, if nobody has played you foul there in your lonely bed, we are no use in pain gíveñ bf great Zeus. Let it be your Íather, s25 Poseidon Lord, to whom youpray.' So saYing they traile d, away.And I was filled with laughter to see how like a charm the name deceived them. Now Cyclops, wheezing as the pain came on him, gg0 fumbled to wrench awày the great doorstone and squatted in the breacho with arms thrown wide 331 breach: a gap or oPening. for any silly beast or man who bolteds- 332 bolted; broke away. hoping somehow I might be such a fool. But I kept thinking how to win the game: 335 death sat there huge; how couid we slip away? I drew on all my wits, and ran through tactics, reasoning as a man will for dear life, until a trick came-and it pleased me well. The Cyclops'rams were handsome, fat, with heavy 340 fleeces' a dark violet' Three abreast I tied them silently together, lwining cords of willow from the 's" bed; 343 ogre: monster; fearsome then slung a man under each middle one

Epic and Epic Hero Why díd Odysseus tell the Cyclops his name was Nahbdy? How well has Odysseus's plen worked?

Analyze Figurative Language Why do you think the poet chose to Person- ify deoth in this possage?

850 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH odysseus. Jacob Jordaens. oil on canvas, 6l x 97 cm. pushkin Museum, Moscôw. V*q, lÅ" A"l Jacob Jordaens's paintings often portrayed scenes from mythological, gi¡l¡cat, historical or stories. what might the cycrops be thinking and feeling in thls sceie?

to ride there safely, shielded left and right. So three sheep could convey each man- I took the woolliest raÏn, the choicest of the flock" and hung myself under his'kinky belIy, pulled up tight, with fingers twisted deep in sheepskin ringlets for an iron grþ. So, breathinghard, we waited until morning. IAIhen Dawn spread out her fingertþs of rose the rams began to sti1, moving for pãsture, and peals of bleating echoed round the pens where dams with udders full called for ã milking. Blinded, and sick with pain from his head wounã, the rnaster stroked eachram, then let it pass, but my rnen riding on the pectoral fleeceo 358 pectoral fleece: the wool on the giant's blind hands blundering never found. the rams'chests. Last of them allmy ram, the leadeq, came, weighted by wool and me with my meditations. The Cyclops patted him, and then he said:

THE ODYSSEY, PART 1 85I odysseus and Polyphem, i 9t o. Æter L. du Bois-Reymond. Color print. Collection of Karl Becker, Sagen des klassischen Altertums, Berlin (Verlag Jugendhort),

'Sweet cousin ram, why lag behind the rest in the night cave? You never linger so, 365 b:ut graze before them all, and go aÍar to crop sweet grass, and take your stately way leading along the streams, until at evening you run to be the first one in the fold. \A/hy, now so far behind? Can you be grieving 970 over your Master's eye? That carrion" rogue 370 carr¡on: rotten, filthy. and his accurst companions burnt it out when he had conquered all my wits with wine. Nohbdy will not get out alive, I swear. Oh, had you brain and voice to tell ,yl 375 where he may be now, dodging allrny l:u. Bashed by this hand and bashed on this rock wall his brains would strew the floor, and *,Sould.have rest &om ttrre oufrage Nohbdy worked upofi m.e.'

@ arr¿ np¡c Hero Whøt ølinotíons does thë Cyclaq exprags in #tt* þã$øWTtontøst hic dtarocter with thot of AdyseuS.

852 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH He sent us into the open, then. Close by, 380 I dropped and rolled clear of the ram,sbelly, going this way and that to untie the men. With many glances back, we rounded up his fat, stiff:legged sheep to take aboard., and drove them down to where the good ship lay. gB5 We saw, as we came near, our fellowi, faces shining; then we saw them turn to grief tallying those who had not fled from death. I hushed them,'jerking head and eyebrows up, and in a low voice told them: 'Loadthis herd; move fast, s90 andput the ship's head toward the breakers.'o 390 put. . . breakers: turn the They all pitched in at loading, then embarkedo ship around, toward the open sea 391 embarked: got and struck their oars into the sea. Far out, on board. as far off shore as shouted words would carry, I sent a few back to the adversary: sgs 'O Cyclops! Would you feast on my companions? Puny, amI, in a Caveman's hands? How do you like the beating that we gave you, you damned cannibal? Eater of guests under your roof! Zeus and the gods have paid you!, 400 The blind thing in his doubled fury broke a hilltop in his hands and heaved it after us. Ahead of our black prow it struck and sank whelmed in a spuming geyse4 a giantwave that washed the ship stern foremost back to shore, 40s I got the longest boathook out and stood fending us. off with furious nods to all to put their backs into a racing stroke- Íow, tow, or perish. So the long oars bent kicking the foam sternward, making head 4r0 until we drew awayt and fwice as far." 402-4L0 Ahead . . . twice as far: Now when I cupped my hands I heard the crew The sinking hilltop creates a wave at in low voices protesting: the ship's front end (prow) that washes the boat backwards (stern Captain! foremost) to the shore. IMhy bait the beast agatn?Let him ulor,"tiGodsake' 41s 'That tidal wave he made on the first throw all but beached us.' stove us in!' ,Give him our bearing with your ur"*01åb-ut he'll get the range and lob a boulder.,o 4\5-419 Thattidal. .. boulder: The men complain, reasonably enough, that Polyphemus nearly smashed the shíp (All but stove us Epic and Epic Hero Why does Odysseus behave in this woy? in) and th¡t Odysseus's shouting will give away their position (bearing).

I THE ODYSSEy, pA,Ír.r 1 855 420 'Aye He'll smash our timbers and our heads together!' I would not heed them in my glorying spirit, but let my anger flare and yelled: 'Cyclops, 425 if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, teil hirn Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: f-aettes' son, whose hor¡r-e's on Ithaca!' ' At this he gave a mighty sob and rumbled: 4g0 'Now comes the weirdo upon me, spoken of old' 430 the weird: the strange fate. A wizar d, grand and wondrous, lived here-,o 431 Telemus (tel'a mas) a son of Eurymus;o great length of days 432 Eurymus (yoo ri'ma$ he had inwizardry among the Cyclopes, and these things he foretold for time to come: 43s my great eye lost, and af Odysseus' hands. Always I had in mind some giant, armed in giant force, would come against me here. But this, but you-small, pitiful and twiggy- you put me down with wine r loublinded me. 440 Come back, Odysseus, and I'11treat you well, praying the god of earthquakeo to befriend you- 441 god of earthquake: Poseidon his son I am, for he by his avowal fathered me, and, if he will, he may heal me of this black wound-he and no other 44s of all the happy gods or mortal men.' Few words I shouted in reply to hi.m: 'If I could take your life I would and take your time awayt and hurl you down to hell! The god of earthquake could not heal you there!' 4s0 At this he stretched his hands out in his darkness toward the sky of stars, and prayed Poseidon: 'O hear me,lord, blue girdler of the islands, if I am thine indeed, and thou art father: grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, never 45s see his home: Laertes'son, I meary who kept his hall on lthaca. Should destiny intend that he shall see his roof again among his family in his father land, larbe that day, and dark the years between.

1f Epic and Epic Hero How would you charocterize Odysseus's iudgment? I

854 UNIT 5 EPIC AND MYTH 460 Let him lose all companions, and return 452-46'1. O hear. .. home: ln strange sail to days ancient cultures, curses were neither under bitter at home.'o made nor taken lightly. Homer's In these words he prayed, and the god heard him. audience would have believed in their power. ln his turse upon Now he laid hands upon a bigger stone 0dysseus, Polyphemus begs and wheeled around, titanic for the cast,o Poseídon to make his enemy suffer, to let it fly in the black-prowed vessel's track. using every detail he knows about 46s Odysseus to make sure the godb But it fell short, just aft' the steering oar, puníshment will be directed toward and whelming seas rose giant above the stone the right person. 464 titanicforthe cast: drawing to bear us onward toward the island.o upon his great size and strengh in There preparation for the throw 466 aft: behind. 470 as we ran in we saw the squadron waiting, 468 the island: the deserted island the trimo shipd drawn up side by side, and all where the other eleven ships and their crews have remained while our troubleðfriends whã waiteá, looking seaward. Odysseus and his handpicked men We beached her, grinding keel in the soft sand, explored the Cyclops's mainland. and waded in, ourselves, on the sandy beach. 47'1, lrim: in good condition and ready to sail. 47s Then we unloaded all the Cyclops's flock to make divisiory share and share alike, only my fighters voted that my ram, thre púze oÍ aII, should go to me. I slew him by the seaside and burnt his long thighbones 480 to Zeus beyond the stormcloud, 'o son, 480 Cronus (krõ'nas): Heaven who rules the world. B:utZeus disdained'my offering; and Earth, the first gods, had been dethroned by their son Cronus, who destruction for my ships he had in store was in turn overthrown by his son and death for those who sailed them, my companions. Zeus. 481 disdained: rejected. Now aIL day long untilthe sun went down .485 we made our feast on mutton and sweet wine, ti! after suåset in the gathering dark we went tobleqp above wash ripples. 't the of ' Idnn.rt the young Dawn wit\ ffurgertips of rose touched the world, I doused the mery gave orders 4s0'' to man the ships, cast off the mooringlit and filing in to sit beside the rowlocks "r; oarsmen in line dipped oars in the gray sea.

So we moved out, sad in the vast offing,o 493 vast offing: the visible expanse r having our precious lives, but not our friends." crv of open sea.

Journeys What does thís possage suggest about Odysseus\ retum journey to lthoco?

Analyze Figurative Language Where hove you encountered this figure of speech before? Why night the poet have repeated it7

THE ODYSSEY, PART i gSS