Reading Notes: Homers Odyssey Part A

Story: The Land of the Cyclopes

Source: The readings for this unit come from Homer's Odyssey, as translated into English by Tony Kline.

The Cyclops Polyphemus, by Tischbein

Main Characters:

Odysseus, Polyphemus the Cyclops

Plot Summary:

Odysseus and his men came to the land of Cyclops, a wild and extremely fertile land. They Cyclops live in caves, they have no council meeting and no law. Odysseus decided to go check out the character of the inhabitants, and along with some of his men, he went into the cave of a cyclops. When they were discovered, he pleaded for the hospitality and kindness due to strangers in the name of Zeus. However, the Cyclops could not care less about the gods and said he would not spare him or his friends. Polyphemus the Cyclops then proceeded to start eating his man, two-by-two, as Odysseus was plotting his escape. He offered the Cyclops some of the Sweet Wine he had, and the Cyclops really liked it but was not that grateful because the returned gift from the Cyclops was the was going to kill Odysseus last. Odysseus told Cyclops his name was Nobody, then when the Cyclops was drunk, he mutilated the Cyclops eye. When the other Cyclopes came to see what was happening, Polyphemus told them that Nobody did it. Odysseus was able to escape, but before leaving, he told the Cyclops his real identity. After much chasing and throwing stones at their ship, Polyphemus called upon Poseidon and cursed Odysseus.

Here is the quote from Polyphemus the Cyclops:

"Hear me, Poseidon, dark-tressed Earth-Bearer, if I am your son, if you say you are my father, let Odysseus, sacker of cities and son of Laertes, never reach his home on Ithaca: yet if he is destined to see his friends and his fine house in his own country, may he come there late and in sore distress, in another’s ship, losing all comrades, and let him find great trouble in his house.”

My Thoughts:

It is an interesting story. You can see here that the Cyclops have respect for some gods and no respect for others. I enjoyed the part where Odysseus told the Cyclops his name was Nobody, very clever on his part. I think the story teaches you about treating strangers with kindness, for if you do them wrong, they might do you wrong. There is also something to be said about boasting because if Odysseus had just left without taunting the Cyclops, he wouldn't have been cursed.