III.—POLYPHEMUS.
1. When Troy was captured, Ulysses, the King of Ithaca, set sail for his native country. With favorable winds he should have reached home in a few months, but he met with so many adventures that it was ten years before he saw the shores of his beloved Ithaca. At one time he and his companions landed upon an unknown shore in search of food. Ulysses took with him a jar of wine as a present should he meet with any inhabitants. Presently they came to a large cave, and entered it. There they found lambs and kids in their pens, and a table spread with cheese, fruits, and bowls of milk. But soon the master of the cave, Polyphemus, returned, and Ulysses saw that they were in the land of the Cyclops, a race of immense giants. The name means "round eye," and these giants were so called because they had but one eye, and that was placed in the middle of the forehead.
2. Polyphemus drove into the cave the sheep and the goats to be milked, and then placed a huge rock at the mouth of the cave to serve as a door. While attending to his supper he chanced to spy the Greeks, who were hidden in one corner. He growled out to them, demanding to know who they were, and where from. Ulysses replied, stating that they were returning from the siege of Troy, and that they had landed in search of provisions. At this Polyphemus gave no answer, but seizing a couple of Greeks, he killed and ate them up on the spot. He then went to sleep, and his snoring sounded like thunder in the ears of the terrified Greeks all the livelong night. In the morning the giant arose, ate two more men, and went out with his flocks, having carefully secured the door so that the remainder could not get away.
3. Then Ulysses contrived a plan to punish the giant, and get away from his clutches. He found a great bar of wood which the giant had cut for a staff. This his men sharpened at one end and hardened at the fire. Then a number were selected to use it, and they awaited events. In the evening Polyphemus returned, and having eaten his two men he lay down to sleep. But Ulysses presented him with some of the wine from the jar which the giant eagerly drank, and called for more. In a short time he was quite drunk, and then he asked Ulysses his name, and he replied: "My name is Noman."
Polyphemus.
4. When the giant was fairly asleep, the sailors seized the sharpened stick, and, aiming it directly at his single eye, they rushed forward with all their might. The eye was put out, and the giant was left blind. He felt around the cave trying to catch his tormentors, but they contrived to get out of his way. He then howled so loud that his neighbors came to see what was the matter, when he said, "I am hurt, Noman did it!" Then they said, "If no man did it, we can not help you." So they went home, leaving him groaning.
5. In the morning Polyphemus rolled away the stone to let out his sheep and goats, and the Greeks contrived to get out with them without being discovered. Once out, they lost no time in driving the flocks down to the shore, and then with their vessels well provisioned they set sail once more for their native land.