After the temptation of the Lotus island, Ulysses and his crew sailed toward new lands. They soon arrived at a mysterious, hilly island. Seeing smoke rising in the distance, Ulysses took twelve of his best men to investigate.
They entered a massive cave filled with crates of cheese and pens overflowing with lambs and goats. It was clearly the home of a wealthy, yet solitary, giant.
While they were eating the giant’s food, the ground began to tremble. A massive figure entered, carrying a tree trunk for firewood. It was a Cyclops—a one-eyed giant named Polyphemus. He saw the men, and his face twisted with anger. Without a word, he grabbed two of the sailors and ate them. Then, he blocked the cave entrance with a massive stone that no man could move. They were trapped.
The next morning, the Cyclops ate two more men. Ulysses knew that if he fought the giant with a sword, they would all die. He needed to use his greatest weapon: his cunning.
Ulysses offered the giant a skin of strong, unmixed wine. The Cyclops had never tasted anything so delicious. "What is your name?" the giant slurred, dizzy from the drink.
"My name is Nobody," Ulysses "replied.
Soon, the giant fell into a deep, drunken sleep. Ulysses and his men sharpened a large wooden stake, heated it in the fire, and drove it into the giant's single eye. Polyphemus let out a roar of agony that shook the entire island. Other Cyclopes ran to the cave, shouting, "Who is hurting you?"
"Nobody is hurting me!" the giant screamed. Thinking he was alone, the other giants left.
The next morning, the Cyclops moved the stone to let his sheep out. Ulysses tied his men under the bellies of the thick-wooled rams. When the giant felt the backs of the sheep, he felt only fur, not the men hiding underneath.
They escaped to their ship, but as they pulled away, Ulysses—proud and angry—could not stay silent.
"I am Ulysses, King of Ithaca!" he shouted back.
It was a mistake that would haunt his journey for years to come.