“What are you doing in my home?” Polyphemus asked them gruffly.
Odysseus
replied as respectfully as he could, “Gentle monster, we’re the Greek warriors
returning home after capturing Troy. We decided to rest for a while on this
island before continuing our journey. We’re your guests and hope you treat us
well.”
Polyphemus
was not impressed. He snorted and seized two sailors by their feet, dashed
their heads on the floor and devoured them. Odysseus calmed himself down. ‘I
can kill this monster in a minute. But this is not the right time to seek
vengeance. For, only Polyphemus can remove the rock that blocks the cave’s
entrance,’ he thought. He passed the night plotting a plan to escape, while
Polyphemus snored peacefully.
Two more
sailors became the giant’s breakfast the next morning. He then drove the flock
of sheep out of the cavern and carefully shut it behind him. ‘I’ve an entire
day to plan my moves against this giant. Unless I act quickly I might lose all
my men,’ thought Odysseus and got into action. He sharpened an olive log and
hardened it in the fire. Then he hid it in the huge mound of dung inside the
cave and waited for Polyphemus to return.
The giant
came back in the evening and had two more men for dinner. Odysseus was
disgusted and felt sorry for the unfortunate men. He waited for the right
opportunity and presented the giant with a huge jar of the heady wine presented
to him by the priest Maro in Ciconina Ismarus. The giant gulped it down with
pleasure and asked for more. He had never tasted anything stronger than
buttermilk.
“What’s
your name?” he questioned Odysseus.
Everybody
calls me Oudeis for short,” replied Odysseus. Oudeis means ‘nobody’.
“Thanks for
the fine drink. And I think I owe a favour to you,” said Polyphemus. Odysseus
was excited until he heard him fully.
“I’ll eat
you last,” added Polyphemus and soon fell into a drunken sleep.
Odysseus
had been waiting just for this. He and his men set to work. They heated the
sharpened olive log in fire and thrust it into the giant’s eye.
Polyphemus
roared aloud in pain, which brought his neighbours running to his cave. “What
happened Polyphemus?” they asked.
“Oh, nobody
has blinded me in the eye,” he replied.
“If nobody
is to be blamed, you sure are having a delirious fever. Pray to the gods and go
to sleep. Don’t make such loud noises,” they said.
Now
Polyphemus groped his way to the mouth of the cave and removed the slab of
stone. He felt around himself expecting the Greeks to escape and to catch them.
But the mighty giant was no match for the ingenious Odysseus. Odysseus tied
each of his comrades to the belly of a sheep. And he put three sheep together
as they left the cave. He himself chose the biggest sheep of all and hung to
the underside of the belly catching hold of its curly fleece.
At dawn,
the giant let his flock out to graze. As the sheep walked out of the cave he
stroked their backs to make sure that the Greeks weren’t escaping on them.
Odysseus boarded the goats on his ship and quickly sailed off. But he was too
enthusiastic and made a terrible mistake by shouting a goodbye to Polyphemus.
“If anybody asks who blinded you, do not tell them that it was Oudeis, tell
them that it was Odysseus of Ithaca.” Polyphemus heard him and hurled a big
rock at the ship. The backwash nearly fetched the ship back to the shore.
The enraged
giant prayed to Poseidon, his divine father. “Oh father grant me that Odysseus
goes back home late in evil plight after losing all his comrades. And he’ll
find lot more troubles in his land,” Polyphemus prayed for the worst. Poseidon
listened to Polyphemus and promised to fulfil his prayers.
Odysseus
now turned to the north and reached the Isle of Aeolus. It was a beautiful
island with green hills and flower bearing plants. The sailors were amazed to
see the island that appeared to be floating on the waters and not rooted to the
seabed. Aeolus who was a warden of the winds lived there. The party anchored
their ship on the shore and entered the lovely valley. The god was pleased to
see Odysseus and his men. He entertained them heartily for an entire month.
When it was time for them to leave, Aeolus handed over a large bag of hide
secured with a silver thread to Odysseus. “The bag contains the winds that push
your ship across the sea. I’ve imprisoned all winds except the gentle west
wind, which would waft across the sea to Ithaca. But you can release the other
ones also when you want to change the course of your ship.” Odysseus thanked
Aeolus profusely and left the island.
The favourable wind took the ship towards Ithaca. Odysseus could even see the smoke rising form the chimneys of his palace. Odysseus wanted to be fresh when he reached his home. He told his companions, “let me rest for a while before we reach Ithaca,” and went to sleep.
(To be continued)
- The Adventures of Odysseus - An Introduction
- The Adventures of Odysseus - 1
- The Adventures of Odysseus - 2
- The Adventures of Odysseus - 4
