e
wall. But the Cyclops himself was away in the pastures. Then the
companions of Ulysses besought him that he would depart, taking with
him, if he would, a store of cheeses and sundry of the lambs and of the
kids. But he would not, for he wished to see, after his wont, what
manner of host this strange shepherd might be. And truly he saw it to
his cost!

It was evening when the Cyclops came home, a mighty giant, twenty feet
in height or more. 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 Ulysses
and his comrades.

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

For in those days it was not counted shame to be called a pirate.

Ulysses shuddered at the dreadful voice and shape, but bore him 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
hospitality of thee in the name of Zeus, who rewards or punishes hosts
and guests according as they be faithful the one to the other, or no."

"Nay," said the giant, "it is but idle talk to tell me of Zeus and the
other gods. We Cyclopes take no account of gods, holding ourselves to be
much better and stronger than they. But come, tell me where have you
left your ship?"

But Ulysses saw his thought when he asked about the ship, how he was
minded to break it and take from them all hope of flight. Therefore he
answered him craftily:

"Ship have we none, for that which was ours King Poseidon brake, driving
it on a jutting rock on this coast, and we whom thou seest are all that
are escaped from the waves."

Polyphemus answered nothing, but without more ado caught up two of the
men, as a man might catch up the whelps of a dog, and dashed them on the
ground, and tore them limb from limb and devoured them, with huge
draughts of milk between, leaving not a morsel, not even the very
bones. But the others, when they saw the dreadful deed, could only weep