The interaction between Odysseus and the Cyclops reveals that Odysseus is not afraid of the Cyclops. Despite the danger posed by the Cyclops, Odysseus boldly taunts him after escaping, showing his confidence and willingness to confront the monster, even in a precarious situation. This bravado contrasts with the fear and tension displayed earlier in the story, emphasizing Odysseus's courage and cunning.
of sheep before replacing it to keep Odysseus and his men confined inside.
"We will blind the monster. Then, we’ll use his own sheep to aid us in our escape,” Odysseus explained to his crew. “I have noticed that the males are fully grown and have thick black wool. We can tie three of them together. Then, we can hide a man can hide under the belly of the middle animal. This way, he’ll be able to pass by the Cyclops unnoticed.”
Once the monster had fallen asleep, Odysseus blinded the Cyclops. The beast cried out in pain but then drifted back into slumber as the soldiers had shared their strong mead with him that night.
Odysseus and the men worked all night to make sure there were three sheep for each man. Once his crew was hidden, Odysseus leapt onto the remaining sheep—a ram that was finer than all the others. Then, he wiggled his way underneath the animal, concealing himself in the dark wool hanging below the ram’s belly.
As dawn approached, the men were fearful that the plan would not succeed, but they knew they must carry on if they hoped to escape the Cyclops’s lair. When the sun rose above the horizon, the Cyclops awoke and opened the cave entrance for his flock. Despite his pain, the Cyclops felt the back of each animal as it stood up and left the cave. He was not aware that the men were hidden beneath their bellies.
As the last sheep went out, the fine ram concealing Odysseus, the Cyclops grabbed hold of the animal.
“My good ram, why are you last today? You never let the others go ahead of you,” the Cyclops mused aloud. “You’re usually the one leading the rest—whether it is to go out and eat in the morning, or it is to come home at night.”
Odysseus held his breath; would they be discovered? But to his relief, the monster let the ram go out to the pasture with the other sheep. Finally, when they were far enough from the cave, Odysseus let go of the ram’s belly and helped his men to do the same. They drove the sheep to their awaiting ship, and once all men and animals were on board, the soldiers cried in relief at their narrow escape.
Odysseus signaled for them to hush. He realized that they were still in range of the Cyclops’s hearing. The men understood and quickly began to row the ship to out to sea.
But Odysseus could not resist taunting the Cyclops from the deck of the ship. “Cyclops,” Odysseus shouted, “you did wrong by trapping us, and now the gods have punished you.”
The Cyclops grew furious. In his rage, he ripped off the top of a mountain and hurled it toward the sound of Odysseus’s voice. The piece of the earth plunged into the water just in front of the ship. This caused a wave that carried the ship back toward the Cyclops's land.
Odysseus picked up a long stick and quickly drove it into the sea to stop the motion of the ship. He nodded his head toward the men, indicating that they must row for their lives, which they did.
Odysseus was so angry he could not resist insulting the Cyclops further. “Monster,” he yelled, “if anyone asks you how you lost your sight, you can tell them that it was I, the valiant warrior Odysseus.”
The Cyclops grabbed a giant piece of land, even larger than the first, and threw it with all his might. This time, the wave it caused drove the ship toward the island, where the rest of the soldiers were anxiously waiting Odysseus’s return.
Question
In the story adapted from Book IX of The Odyssey, what does the interaction between Odysseus and the Cyclops reveal?
Responses
Odysseus respects the Cyclops.
Odysseus respects the Cyclops.
The Cyclops secretly fears Odysseus.
The Cyclops secretly fears Odysseus.
Odysseus is not afraid of the Cyclops.
Odysseus is not afraid of the Cyclops.
The Cyclops wishes he had been kinder to Odysseus.
The Cyclops wishes he had been kinder to Odysseus.
1 answer