The Cyclopes' Version of the Story – Based On the Events of Book Nine
Cave Overlooking the Sea
The Field
Cyclopes Island
Dear Father,
How are you? I am not as well as I was when you last saw me. You may notice that the handwriting of this letter is different than that of my other letters. The reason is that I have one of my neighbors, Kerameikos writing this as I dictate. The reason is that I am blind. And it is all because of a good for nothing mortal, by the name of Odysseus.
It all started when I brought home the sheep and goats from the nearby fields. I went into my cave and separated the sheep and goats before milking them. Then afterwards, when I had just finished all my jobs, I lit a fire. It was then that I discovered that I was not alone in my cave. Cowering in one of the corners I saw a small group of men, 13 in all. I was immediately angered by this, how dare they come into my house when I was not there! I did not want to welcome into my house, you know what we Cyclopes are like with hospitality, I immediately began asking them questions. I saw, with satisfaction, the realization becoming apparent on each of the strangers faces. Then, the smallest man out of their party stepped forward and began to speak. He said that he and his men were on the island because their boat had crashed on the rocks and they were the only surviving members of their company. All the others had drowned. I must admit that I was surprised that such a small man was the leader but I dismissed the thought. When he had finished speaking, I told him that I would not give him any hospitality and then took two of his men and bashed their heads against the wall. As you know I am a cannibal so I ate them. They tasted so good that I ate everything, bones and all. While I was enjoying my meal, the mortals had started wailing and offering up prayers to Zeus. It was nearly enough to make me laugh. While they were doing this I washed down my meal with unwatered milk straight from my goats.
The next morning when I woke up I milked the sheep and goats again, and then I ate two more of the men. I thought that I should really limit myself to one as they would be gone soon at the rate that I was eating them at. I then herded my goats out into the fields where they spent all day grazing.
When I brought them back to my cave though, for some reason I brought all the goats into the cave, I'm not sure why though. However that would prove to be a big mistake. Anyway, after I had done my chores and eaten two more men, the small leader of the group approached me with a large olive wood bowl filled with a quantity of dark, sweet smelling wine. I drank it all down and it was delicious. The man kept filling the bowl up for me, so in the end I asked him what his name was. He said that his name was Nobody. I told him that I would eat him last as he was giving me all this wine. Soon afterwards I passed out from all the wine he had given me. I later found out that he had been giving me un-watered wine, which is why I passed out.
The next thing I knew, there was a searing pain in my eye, and I could smell burning flesh, and hear the sound of my eye and skin burning along with the sound of my blood bubbling up around the thing stuck in my eye. I but my hand up and pulled what appeared to be a huge, thick javelin or spear out of my eye. It was difficult as there was so much blood coated around the thing that it kept slipping out if my fingers. I screamed as loud as I could and my neighbors, the other Cyclopes, came running to the cave asking me "What is wrong Polyphemeus? Why are you screaming?" But when I replied 'Nobody. Nobody is attacking me' they just laughed and walked off again. However I managed to get it out and then I sat in front of the cave entrance in the vain hope that if the men tried to escape, then I would be there to catch them. But they didn't try so by morning I was furious. I turned out my sheep and goats not bothering to milk the females. As each member of the heard passed me I ran my hand over their backs to make sure that the mortals were not among them. Then, puzzlingly my prize ram was the last one out of the cave. I came to the conclusion that he must feel sorry for me and at last turned him out into the fields. Then pleased that those mortals were still trapped in my cave. Suddenly I heard shouting and recognized the voice, as that belonging to the small man who I thought was still trapped in my cave. I grew so angry at his mocking words that I hurled a huge piece of rock in the direction that I thought the voice was coming from. I was satisfied when I heard frantic shouting and splashing of oars as the boat was probably pulled back to the island. Then I heard the little man shouting again and his words turned my blood to ice. He said that his name was not Nobody, but Odysseus.
As you know father, the prophet of our island predicted that I would loose my sight to a man named Odysseus. I hurled another boulder at them but they got away. I also realized what a fool he had made of me with his false name.
So father, I would like you to take revenge on Odysseus, king of Ithaca for doing this to me, your own son.
Yours faithfully,
Polyphemeus