of Apollo at Ismarus had given me. Because we kept him and his wife
and child from harm when we sacked the city, reverencing the god,
therefore did he give it me. Three things did he give me,--seven talents
of gold, and a mixing-bowl of silver, and of wine twelve jars. So precious
was it that none in his house knew of it saving himself and his wife and
one dame that kept the house. When they drank of it they mixed twenty
measures of water with one of wine, and the smell that went up from it was
wondrous sweet. No man could easily refrain from drinking it. With this
wine I filled a great skin and bore it with me; also I bare corn in a
wallet, for my heart within me boded that I should need it.

So we entered the cave, and judged that it was the dwelling of some rich
and skillful shepherd. For within there were pens for the young of the
sheep and of the goats, divided all according to their age, and there were
baskets full of cheeses, and full milkpails ranged along the wall. But the
Cyclops himself was away in the pastures. Then my companions besought me
that I would depart, taking with me, if I would, a store of cheeses and
sundry of the lambs and of the kids. But I would not, for I wished to see,
after my wont, what manner of host this strange shepherd might be, and, if
it might be, to take a gift from his hand, such as is the due of
strangers. Verily, his coming was not to be a joy to my company.

It was evening when the Cyclops came home,--a mighty giant, very tall of
stature, and when we saw him we fled into the sacred place of the cave in
great fear. On his shoulder he bore a vast bundle of pine logs for his
fire, and threw them down outside the cave with a great crash, and drove
the flocks within, and closed the entrance with a huge rock, which twenty
wagons and more could not bear. Then he milked the ewes and all the
she-goats, and half of the milk he curdled for cheese, and half he set
ready for himself, when he should sup. Next he kindled a fire with the
pine logs, and the flame lighted up all the cave, showing to him both me
and my comrades.

"Who are ye?" cried Polyphemus, for that was the giant's name. "Are ye
traders, or, haply, pirates?"

I shuddered at the dreadful voice and shape, but bare me bravely, and
answered, "We are no pirates, mighty sir, but Greeks sailing back from
Troy, and subjects of the great King Agamemnon, whose fame is spread from
one end of heaven to the other. And we are come to beg