1 Then Odysseus, of many wiles, answered him, and said: “Lord Alcinous, renowned above all men, truly this is a good thing, to listen to a minstrel such as this man is, like the gods in voice. 5 For myself I declare that there is no greater fulfillment of delight than when joy possesses a whole people, and banqueters in the halls listen to a minstrel as they sit in due order, and by them tables are laden with bread and meat, and the cup-bearer draws wine from the bowl 10 and bears it round and pours it into the cups. This seems to my mind the fairest thing there is. But your heart is turned to ask of my grievous woes, that I may weep and groan the more. What, then, shall I tell you first, what last? 15 for very many woes have the heavenly gods given me. First now will I tell my name, that you, too, may know it, and that I hereafter, when I have escaped from the pitiless day of doom, may be your host, though I dwell in a home that is far away. I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, who 20 am known among men for all manner of wiles, and my fame reaches to heaven. But I dwell in clear-seen Ithaca, in which is a mountain, Neriton, covered with waving forests, conspicuous from afar; and round it lie many isles close to one another, Dulichium, and Same, and wooded Zacynthus. 25 Ithaca itself lies close in to the mainland the furthest toward the gloom, but the others lie apart toward the Dawn and the sun—a rugged isle, but a good nurse of young men; and for myself no other thing can I see sweeter than one's own land. In truth Calypso, the beautiful goddess, sought to keep me by her 30 in her hollow caves, yearning that I should be her husband; and in like manner Circe would gladly have held me back in her halls, the guileful lady of Aeaea, yearning that I should be her husband; but they could never persuade the heart within my breast. So true is it that nothing is sweeter than a man's own land and his parents, 35 even though it is in a rich house that he dwells far off in a foreign land away from his parents. But come, let me tell you also of my woeful home-coming, which Zeus laid upon me as I came from Troy. “From Ilios the wind bore me and brought me to the Cicones, 40 to Ismarus. There I sacked the city and slew the men; and from the city we took their wives and great store of treasure, and divided them among us, that so far as lay in me no man might go defrauded of an equal share. Then indeed I gave command that we should flee with swift foot, but the others in their great folly did not listen. 45 But there much wine was drunk, and many sheep they slew by the shore, and sleek cattle of shambling gait. Meanwhile the Cicones went and called to other Cicones who were their neighbors, at once more numerous and braver than they—men that dwelt inland and were skilled 50 at fighting with their foes from chariots, and, if there was need, on foot. So they came in the morning, as thick as leaves or flowers spring up in their season; and then it was that an evil fate from Zeus beset us luckless men, that we might suffer very many woes. They set their battle in array and fought by the swift ships, 55 and each side hurled at the other with bronze-tipped spears. Now as long as it was morning and the sacred day was growing, so long we held our ground and beat them off, though they were more than we. But when the sun turned to the time for the unyoking of oxen, then the Cicones prevailed and routed the Achaeans, 60 and six of my well-greaved comrades perished from each ship; but the rest of us escaped death and fate. “From there we sailed on, grieved at heart, glad to have escaped from death, though we had lost our dear comrades; nor did I let my curved ships pass on 65 until we had called three times on each of those hapless comrades of ours who died on the plain, cut down by the Cicones. But against our ships Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, roused the North Wind with a wondrous tempest, and hid with clouds the land and the sea alike, and night rushed down from heaven. 70 Then the ships were driven headlong, and their sails were torn to shreds by the violence of the wind. So we lowered the sails and stowed them aboard, in fear of death, and rowed the ships hurriedly toward the land. There for two nights and two days continuously 75 we lay, eating our hearts for weariness and sorrow. But when now fair-tressed Dawn brought to its birth the third day, we set up the masts and hoisted the white sails, and took our seats, and the wind and the helmsmen steered the ships. And now I should have reached my native land wholly unscathed, 80 but the wave and the current and the North Wind beat me back as I was rounding Malea, and drove me from my course past Cythera. “From there for nine days I was borne by dreadful winds over the teeming deep; but on the tenth we set foot on the land of the Lotus-eaters, who eat a flowery food. 85 There we went on shore and drew water, and at once my comrades took their meal by the swift ships. But when we had tasted food and drink, I sent out some of my comrades to go and learn who the men were, who here ate bread upon the earth; 90 two men I chose, sending with them a third as a herald. So they went at once and mingled with the Lotus-eaters, and the Lotus-eaters did not plan death for my comrades, but gave them some of the lotus to taste. And whoever of them ate of the honey-sweet fruit of the lotus 95 had no longer any wish to bring back word or to return, but there they wished to stay among the Lotus-eaters, feeding on the lotus, and forgetful of their homeward way. These men, therefore, I brought back to the ships by force, weeping, and dragged them beneath the benches and bound them fast in the hollow ships; 100 and I ordered the rest of my trusty comrades to embark with speed on the swift ships, lest perhaps anyone should eat of the lotus and forget his homeward way. So they went on board at once and sat down upon the benches, and sitting well in order struck the grey sea with their oars. 105 “From there we sailed on, grieved at heart, and we came to the land of the Cyclopes, an overweening and lawless folk, who, trusting in the immortal gods, plant nothing with their hands nor plough; but all these things spring up for them without sowing or ploughing, 110 wheat, and barley, and vines, which bear the rich clusters of wine, and the rain of Zeus gives them increase. They have neither assemblies for council nor appointed laws, but they dwell on the peaks of lofty mountains in hollow caves, and each one is lawgiver 115 to his children and his wives, and they care nothing for one another. “Now there is a level isle that stretches aslant outside the harbor, neither close to the shore of the land of the Cyclopes, nor yet far off, a wooded isle. In it live wild goats beyond number, for the tread of men does not scare them away, 120 nor are hunters accustomed to come there, men who endure toils in the woodland as they course over the peaks of the mountains. Neither with flocks is it held, nor with ploughed lands, but unsown and untilled all the days it knows nothing of men, but feeds the bleating goats. 125 For the Cyclopes have at hand no ships with vermilion cheeks, nor are there ship-wrights in their land who might build them well-benched ships, which should perform all their wants, passing to the cities of other folk, as men often cross the sea in ships to visit one another— 130 craftsmen, who would have made of this isle also a fair settlement. For the isle is in no way poor, but would bear all things in season. In it are meadows by the shores of the grey sea, well-watered meadows and soft, where vines would never fail, and in it level ploughland, from which 135 they might reap from season to season exceedingly deep harvests, so rich is the soil beneath; and in it, too, is a harbor giving safe anchorage, where there is no need of moorings, either to throw out anchor-stones or to make fast stern cables, but one may beach one's ship and wait until the sailors' minds urge them to put out, and the breezes blow fair. 140 Now at the head of the harbor a spring of bright water flows out from beneath a cave, and round about it poplars grow. There we sailed in, and some god guided us through the murky night; for there was no light to see, but a mist lay deep about the ships and the moon 145 showed no light from heaven, but was shut in by clouds. Then no man's eyes beheld that island, nor did we see the long waves rolling on the beach, until we ran our well-benched ships on shore. And when we had beached the ships we lowered all the sails 150 and ourselves went out on the shore of the sea, and there we fell asleep and waited for the bright Dawn. “As soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, we roamed throughout the isle marvelling at it; and the nymphs, the daughters of Zeus who bears the aegis, roused 155 the mountain goats, that my comrades might have something to make their meal of. At once we took from the ships our curved bows and long javelins, and arrayed in three bands we began to shoot; and the god soon gave us game to satisfy our hearts. The ships that followed me were twelve, and to each 160 nine goats fell by lot, but for me alone they chose out ten. “So then all day long until sunset we sat feasting on abundant flesh and sweet wine. For the red wine was not yet spent from our ships, but some was still left; for abundant store 165 had we drawn in jars for each crew when we took the sacred citadel of the Cicones. And we looked across to the land of the Cyclopes, who dwelt close at hand, and noticed the smoke, and the voice of men, and of the sheep, and of the goats. But when the sun set and darkness came on, then we lay down to rest on the shore of the sea. 170 And as soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, I called my men together and spoke among them all: “‘Remain here now, all the rest of you, my trusty comrades, but I with my own ship and my own company will go and make trial of those men over there, to learn who they are, 175 whether they are cruel, and wild, and unjust, or whether they love strangers and fear the gods in their thoughts.’ “So saying, I went on board the ship and ordered my comrades themselves to embark, and to loose the stern cables. So they went on board at once and sat down upon the benches, 180 and sitting well in order struck the grey sea with their oars. But when we had reached the place, which lay close at hand, there on the land's edge close to the sea we saw a high cave, roofed over with laurels, and there many flocks, sheep and goats alike, used to sleep. Round about it 185 a high court was built with stones set deep in the earth, and with tall pines and high-crested oaks. There a monstrous man used to sleep, who shepherded his flocks alone and far off, and did not mingle with others, but lived apart, with his heart set on lawlessness. 190 For he was fashioned a wondrous monster, and was not like a man that lives by bread, but like a wooded peak of lofty mountains, which stands out to view alone, apart from the rest. “Then I ordered the rest of my trusty comrades to remain there by the ship and to guard the ship, 195 but I chose twelve of the best of my comrades and went my way. With me I had a goat-skin of the dark, sweet wine, which Maro, son of Euanthes, had given me, the priest of Apollo, the god who used to watch over Ismarus. And he had given it to me because we had protected him with his child and wife 200 out of reverence; for he dwelt in a wooded grove of Phoebus Apollo. And he gave me splendid gifts: of well-wrought gold he gave me seven talents, and he gave me a mixing-bowl all of silver; and besides these, wine, with which he filled twelve jars in all, 205 wine sweet and unmixed, a drink divine. Not one of his slaves nor of the maids in his halls knew of it, but himself and his dear wife, and one housekeeper only. And as often as they drank that honey-sweet red wine he would fill one cup and pour it into twenty measures of water, 210 and a smell would rise from the mixing-bowl marvellously sweet; then truly one would not choose to hold back. With this wine I filled and took with me a great skin, and also provisions in a bag; for my proud spirit had a foreboding that soon a man would come to me clothed in great might, 215 a savage man that knew nothing of justice or of law. “Speedily we came to the cave, nor did we find him within, but he was pasturing his fat flocks in the fields. So we entered the cave and gazed in wonder at all things there. The crates were laden with cheeses, and the pens were crowded 220 with lambs and kids. Each kind was penned separately: by themselves the firstlings, by themselves the later lambs, and by themselves again the newly weaned. And with whey were swimming all the well-wrought vessels, the milk-pails and the bowls into which he milked. Then my comrades spoke and begged me first of all 225 to take some of the cheeses and depart, and after that speedily to drive to the swift ship the kids and lambs from the pens, and to sail over the salt water. But I did not listen to them—truly it would have been far better—to the end that I might see the man himself, and whether he would give me gifts of entertainment. 230 Yet, as it fell, his appearing was not to prove a joy to my comrades. “Then we kindled a fire and offered sacrifice, and ourselves, too, took some of the cheeses and ate, and thus we sat in the cave and waited for him until he came back, herding his flocks. He bore a mighty weight of dry wood to serve him at supper time, 235 and flung it down with a crash inside the cave, but we, seized with terror, shrank back into a recess of the cave. But he drove his fat flocks into the wide cavern—all those that he milked; but the males—the rams and the goats—he left outside in the deep court. 240 Then he lifted on high and set in place the great door-stone, a mighty rock; twenty-two stout four-wheeled wagons could not lift it from the ground, such a towering mass of rock he set in the doorway. After that he sat down and milked the ewes and bleating goats 245 all in turn, and beneath each dam he placed her young. Then next he curdled half the white milk, and gathered it in wicker baskets and laid it away, and the other half he set in vessels that he might have it to take and drink, and that it might serve him for supper. 250 But when he had busily performed his tasks, then he rekindled the fire, and caught sight of us, and asked: “‘Strangers, who are you? From where do you sail over the watery ways? Is it on some business, or do you wander at random over the sea, even as pirates, who wander, 255 hazarding their lives and bringing evil to men of other lands?’ “So he spoke, and in our breasts our spirit was broken for terror of his deep voice and monstrous self; yet even so I made answer and spoke to him, saying: “‘We, you must know, are from Troy, Achaeans, driven wandering 260 by all manner of winds over the great gulf of the sea. Seeking our home, we have come by another way, by other paths; so, I think, Zeus was pleased to devise. And we declare that we are the men of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, whose fame is now mightiest under heaven, 265 so great a city did he sack, and slew many people; but we on our part, thus visiting you, have come as suppliants to your knees, in the hope that you will give us entertainment, or otherwise make some present, as is the due of strangers.⁠a No, mightiest one, reverence the gods; we are your suppliants; 270 and Zeus is the avenger of suppliants and strangers—Zeus, the strangers' god—who ever attends upon revered strangers.’ “So I spoke, and he at once made answer with pitiless heart: ‘You are a fool, stranger, or have come from afar, seeing that you tell me either to fear or to shun the gods. 275 For the Cyclopes care nothing for Zeus, who bears the aegis, nor for the blessed gods, since truly we are far better than they. Nor would I, to shun the wrath of Zeus, spare either you or your comrades, unless my own heart should command me. But tell me where you moored your well-wrought ship on your coming. 280 Was it perhaps at a remote part of the land, or close by? I would like to know.’ “So he spoke, tempting me, but he did not trap me because of my great cunning; and I made answer again in crafty words: “‘My ship Poseidon, the earth-shaker, dashed to pieces, casting her upon the rocks at the border of your land; 285 for he brought her close to the headland, and the wind drove her in from the sea. But I, with these men here, escaped utter destruction.’ “So I spoke, but from his pitiless heart he made no answer, but sprang up and put out his hands upon my comrades. Two of them at once he seized and dashed to the earth like puppies, 290 and the brain flowed out upon the ground and wetted the earth. Then he cut them limb from limb and made ready his supper, and ate them as a mountain-nurtured lion, leaving nothing—ate the entrails, and the flesh, and the marrowy bones. And we with wailing held up our hands to Zeus, 295 beholding his cruel deeds; and helplessness possessed our souls. But when the Cyclops had filled his huge maw by eating human flesh and after that drinking pure milk, he lay down within the cave, stretched out among the sheep. And I formed a plan in my great heart 300 to steal near him, and draw my sharp sword from beside my thigh and strike him in the breast, where the midriff holds the liver, feeling for the place with my hand. But a second thought checked me, for right there should we, too, have perished in utter ruin. For we should not have been able 305 to thrust back with our hands from the high door the mighty stone which he had set there. So then, with wailing, we waited for the bright Dawn. “As soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, he rekindled the fire and milked his fine flocks all in turn, and beneath each dam placed her young. 310 Then, when he had busily performed his tasks, again he seized two men at once and made ready his meal. And when he had made his meal he drove his fat flocks out of the cave, easily moving away the great door-stone; and then he put it in place again, as one might set the lid upon a quiver. 315 Then with loud whistling the Cyclops turned his fat flocks toward the mountain, and I was left there, devising evil in the deep of my heart, if in any way I might take vengeance on him, and Athena grant me glory. “Now this seemed to my mind the best plan. There lay beside a sheep-pen a great club of the Cyclops, 320 a staff of green olive-wood, which he had cut to carry with him when dry; and as we looked at it we thought it as large as is the mast of a black ship of twenty oars, a merchantman, broad of beam, which crosses over the great gulf; so huge it was in length and in breadth to look upon. 325 To this I came, and cut off from it about a fathom's length and handed it to my comrades, telling them to dress it down; and they made it smooth, and I, standing by, sharpened it at the point, and then at once took it and hardened it in the blazing fire. Then I laid it carefully away, hiding it beneath the dung, 330 which lay in great heaps throughout the cave. And I told my comrades to cast lots among them, which of them should have the daring with me to lift the stake and grind it into his eye when sweet sleep should come upon him. And the lot fell upon those whom I myself would have wished to choose; 335 four they were, and I was numbered with them as the fifth. In the evening then he came, herding his flocks of fine fleece, and at once drove into the wide cave his fat flocks one and all, and did not leave one outside in the deep court, either from some foreboding or because a god so commanded him. 340 Then he lifted on high and set in place the great door-stone, and sitting down he milked the ewes and bleating goats all in turn, and beneath each dam he placed her young. But when he had busily performed his tasks, again he seized two men at once and made ready his supper. 345 Then I drew near and spoke to the Cyclops, holding in my hands an ivy bowl of the dark wine: “‘Cyclops, take and drink wine after your meal of human flesh, that you may know what manner of drink this is which our ship contained. It was to you that I was bringing it as a drink offering, in the hope that, touched with pity, 350 you might send me on my way home; but you rage in a way that is past all bearing. Cruel man, how shall any one of all the multitudes of men ever come to you again hereafter, seeing that you have committed lawlessness?’ “So I spoke, and he took the cup and drained it, and was wondrously pleased as he drank the sweet draught, and asked me for it again a second time: 355 “‘Give it to me again with a ready heart, and tell me your name at once, that I may give you a stranger's gift at which you may be glad. For among the Cyclopes the earth, the giver of grain, bears the rich clusters of wine, and the rain of Zeus gives them increase; but this is a streamlet of ambrosia and nectar.’ 360 “So he spoke, and again I handed him the flaming wine. Three times I brought and gave it to him, and three times he drained it in his folly. But when the wine had stolen about the wits of the Cyclops, then I spoke to him with gentle words: “‘Cyclops, you ask me my glorious name, and I 365 will tell it to you; and give me a stranger's gift, even as you promised. Noman is my name, Noman they call me—my mother and my father, and all my comrades as well.’ “So I spoke, and he at once answered me with pitiless heart: ‘Noman will I eat last among his comrades, 370 and the others before him; this shall be your gift.’ “He spoke, and reeling fell upon his back, and lay there with his thick neck bent aslant, and sleep, that conquers all, laid hold on him. And from his gullet came out wine and bits of human flesh, and he vomited in his drunken sleep. 375 Then indeed I thrust in the stake under the deep ashes until it should grow hot, and heartened all my comrades with cheering words, that I might see no man flinch through fear. But when soon that stake of olive-wood was about to catch fire, green though it was, and began to glow terribly, 380 then indeed I drew near, bringing the stake from the fire, and my comrades stood round me and a god breathed into us great courage. They took the stake of olive-wood, sharp at the point, and thrust it into his eye, while I, throwing my weight upon it from above, whirled it round, as when a man bores a ship's timber 385 with a drill, while those below keep it spinning with the thong, which they lay hold of by either end, and the drill runs around unceasingly. Even so we took the fiery-pointed stake and whirled it around in his eye, and the blood flowed around the heated thing. And his eyelids wholly and his brows round about did the flame singe 390 as the eyeball burned, and its roots crackled in the fire. And as when a smith dips a great axe or an adze in cold water amid loud hissing to temper it—for from this comes the strength of iron—even so did his eye hiss round the stake of olive-wood. 395 Terribly then did he cry aloud, and the rock rang around; and we, seized with terror, shrank back, while he wrenched from his eye the stake, all befouled with blood, and flung it from him, wildly waving his arms. Then he called aloud to the Cyclopes, who 400 dwelt round about him in caves among the windy heights, and they heard his cry and came thronging from every side, and standing around the cave asked him what ailed him: “‘What great distress is yours, Polyphemus, that you cry out thus through the immortal night, and make us sleepless? 405 Can it be that some mortal man is driving off your flocks against your will, or slaying you yourself by guile or by might?’ “‘Then from the cave the mighty Polyphemus answered them: ‘My friends, it is Noman that is slaying me by guile and not by force.’ “And they made answer and addressed him with winged words: 410 ‘If, then, no man does violence to you in your loneliness, sickness which comes from great Zeus you may in no way escape. No, pray to our father, the lord Poseidon.’ “So they spoke and went their way; and my heart laughed within me that my name and cunning device had so beguiled. 415 But the Cyclops, groaning and laboring in anguish, groped with his hands and took away the stone from the door, and himself sat in the doorway with arms outstretched in the hope of catching anyone who sought to go out with the sheep—so witless, indeed, he thought in his heart to find me. 420 But I took counsel how all might be the very best, if I might perhaps find some way of escape from death for my comrades and for myself. And I wove all manner of wiles and counsel, as a man will in a matter of life and death; for great was the evil that was near us. And this seemed to my mind the best plan. 425 Rams there were, well-fed and thick of fleece, fine beasts and large, with wool dark as the violet. These I silently bound together with twisted withes on which the Cyclops, that monster with his heart set on lawlessness, used to sleep. Three at a time I took. The one in the middle in each case bore a man, 430 and the other two went, one on either side, saving my comrades. Thus every three sheep bore a man. But as for me—there was a ram, far the best of all the flock; him I grasped by the back, and curled beneath his shaggy belly, lay there face upwards 435 with steadfast heart, clinging fast with my hands to his wondrous fleece. So then, with wailing, we waited for the bright dawn. “As soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, then the males of the flock hastened out to pasture and the females bleated unmilked about the pens, 440 for their udders were bursting. And their master, distressed with grievous pains, felt along the backs of all the sheep as they stood up before him, but in his folly he did not notice this, that my men were bound beneath the breasts of his fleecy sheep. Last of all the flock the ram went out, 445 burdened with the weight of his fleece and my cunning self. And mighty Polyphemus, as he felt along his back, spoke to him, saying: “‘Good ram, why is it that you go out thus through the cave the last of the flock? You have never before been accustomed to lag behind the sheep, but were always far the first to feed on the tender bloom of the grass, 450 moving with long strides, and always the first to reach the streams of the river, and the first to long to return to the fold at evening. But now you are last of all. Surely you are sorrowing for the eye of your master, which an evil man blinded along with his miserable fellows, when he had overpowered my wits with wine, 455 Noman, who, I tell you, has not yet escaped destruction. If only you could feel as I do, and could get the power of speech to tell me where he skulks away from my wrath, then should his brains be dashed on the ground here and there throughout the cave, when I had struck him, and my heart 460 should be lightened of the woes which good-for-nothing Noman has brought me.’ “So saying, he sent the ram away from him. And when we had gone a little way from the cave and the court, I first loosed myself from under the ram and set my comrades free. Speedily then we drove off those long-shanked sheep, rich with fat, 465 turning very often to look about until we came to the ship. And welcome to our dear comrades was the sight of us who had escaped death, but for the others they wept and wailed; yet I would not allow them to weep, but with a frown forbade each man. Rather I ordered them 470 to fling on board with speed the many sheep of fine fleece, and sail over the salt water. So they went on board at once and sat down upon the benches, and sitting well in order struck the grey sea with their oars. But when I was as far away as a man's voice carries when he shouts, then I spoke to the Cyclops with mocking words: 475 “‘Cyclops, that man, it seems, was no weakling, whose comrades you had a mind to devour by brutal strength in your hollow cave. Very surely were your evil deeds to fall on your own head, you cruel wretch, who did not shrink from eating your guests in your own house. Therefore has Zeus taken vengeance on you, and the other gods.’ 480 “So I spoke, and he grew the angrier at heart, and broke off the peak of a high mountain and hurled it at us, and cast it in front of the dark-prowed ship. And the sea surged beneath the stone as it fell, 485 and the backward flow, like a flood from the deep, bore the ship swiftly landwards and drove it upon the shore. But I seized a long pole in my hands and shoved the ship off and along the shore, 490 and with a nod of my head I roused my comrades, and ordered them to fall to their oars that we might escape out of our evil plight. And they bent to their oars and rowed. But when, as we traveled over the sea, we were twice as far distant, then I wished to call to the Cyclops, though round about me my comrades, one after another, sought to check me with gentle words: “‘Reckless one, why will you provoke to wrath a savage man, 495 who just now hurled his missile into the deep and drove our ship back to the land, and truly we thought that we had perished there? And had he heard one of us uttering a sound or speaking, he would have hurled a jagged rock and crushed our heads and the timbers of our ship, so mightily does he throw.’ 500 “So they spoke, but they could not persuade my great-hearted spirit; and I answered him again with angry heart: “‘Cyclops, if any one of mortal men shall ask you about the shameful blinding of your eye, say that Odysseus, the sacker of cities, blinded it, 505 the son of Laertes, whose home is in Ithaca.’ “So I spoke, and he groaned and said in answer:‘See now, truly a prophecy uttered long ago has come upon me. There lived here a soothsayer, a good man and tall, Telemus, son of Eurymus, who excelled all men in soothsaying, 510 and grew old as a prophet among the Cyclopes. He told me that all these things should be brought to pass in days to come, that by the hands of Odysseus I should lose my sight. But I always looked for some tall and handsome man to come here, clothed in great might, 515 but now one that is puny, a man of no account and a weakling, has blinded me of my eye when he had overpowered me with wine. Yet come here, Odysseus, that I may set before you gifts of entertainment, and may speed your sending from here, that the glorious Earth-shaker may grant it to you. For I am his son, and he declares himself my father; 520 and he himself will heal me, if it is his good pleasure, but none other either of the blessed gods or of mortal men.’ “So he spoke, and I answered him and said:‘Would that I were able to rob you of soul and life, and to send you to the house of Hades, 525 as surely as not even the Earth-shaker shall heal your eye.’ “So I spoke, and he then prayed to the lord Poseidon, stretching out both his hands to the starry heaven: ‘Hear me, Poseidon, earth-enfolder, you dark-haired god, if indeed I am your son and you declare yourself my father; 530 grant that Odysseus, the sacker of cities, may never reach his home, the son of Laertes, whose home is in Ithaca; but if it is his fate to see his friends and to reach his well-built house and his native land, late may he come and in a sorry state, after losing all his comrades, 535 in a ship that is another's; and may he find woes in his house.’ “So he spoke in prayer, and the dark-haired god heard him. But the Cyclops lifted on high again a far greater stone, and swung and hurled it, putting into the throw measureless strength. He cast it 540 a little behind the dark-prowed ship, and barely missed the end of the steering-oar. And the sea surged beneath the stone as it fell, and the wave bore the ship onward and drove it to the shore. “Now when we had come to the island, where our other well-benched ships lay all together, and round about them our comrades, 545 always expecting us, sat weeping, then, on coming there, we beached our ship on the sands, and ourselves went out upon the shore of the sea. Then we took out of the hollow ship the flocks of the Cyclops, and divided them, that so far as in me lay no man might go defrauded of an equal share. 550 But the ram my well-greaved comrades gave to me alone, when the flocks were divided, as a gift apart; and on the shore I sacrificed him to Zeus, son of Cronos, god of the dark clouds, who is lord of all, and burned the thigh-pieces. But he did not heed my sacrifice, but was planning how all 555 my well-benched ships might perish and my trusty comrades. “So, then, all day long until sunset we sat feasting on abundant flesh and sweet wine; but when the sun set and darkness came on, then we lay down to rest on the shore of the sea. 560 And as soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, I roused my comrades, and ordered them themselves to embark and to loose the stern cables. So they went on board at once and sat down upon the benches, and sitting well in order struck the grey sea with their oars. 565 “From there we sailed on, grieved at heart, glad to have escaped death, though we had lost our dear comrades.