Polifemo01

POLIFEMO (POLYPHEMUS). Homer speaks in Odyssey, when

Odysseus landed in Sicily, land of the Cyclops, was captured

along with his companions precisely by Polyphemus, son of Po-

seidon. Trapped in his cave which was closed by a huge boul-

der, Ulysses, offered a sweet and strong wine to the giant who

had already devoured six of his men. Polyphemus was greatful

for the wine and promised Ulysses a gift, provided he told his

name. Ulysses replied cunningly,my name is Nobody and the

giant then promised that he would eat lastly Nobody. After that

he fell deeply asleep, giving way to Ulysses and his comrades

to plant an olive stick in his one central eye. The desperate cries

of the Cyclops made the other giants ask him what was going

on and Polyphemus replied that Nobody was trying to kill him,

so they left thinking he was drunk. In the morning, the now blind

Polyphemus, brought out his flock from the cave, the Greeks

escaped by clinging to the fleece of a sheep who vainly probed

the Cyclops on his back.

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