wild cries, as he called to his flocks, and their loud bleatings as he
drove them out to pasture; then the sounds grew fainter and fainter,
and silence settled on the vast, shadowy cave.

Forthwith Odysseus began to devise means to escape from that murderous
den, and avenge the slaughter of his friends. As he peered about in
the twilight, he caught sight of a mighty stake of green olive-wood,
tall and stout as the mast of a twenty-oared galley,[1] which had been
cut by the Cyclops for a staff, and laid aside to season. Odysseus cut
off about a fathom's length, and with the help of his comrades made it
round and smooth, and tapered it off at one end to a point. Then he
hardened the sharp end in the fire, and when it was ready he hid the
rude weapon away under a pile of refuse. Of the twelve who had
followed him from the ship, there only remained eight; four of these
were chosen by lot to aid him in his plan of vengeance; and Odysseus
noted with satisfaction that they were the stoutest and bravest of the
company. All being now ready, they sat down to wait for the return of
Polyphemus.

[Footnote 1: Imitated, with characteristic amplification, by Milton,
"Paradise Lost," i. 292 (Satan's spear).]

The setting sun was pouring his level rays through the chinks of the
doorway when they heard the ponderous tread of the Cyclops
approaching. This time he drove the whole of his flocks into the cave,
leaving the courtyard empty. Having milked the herd, he laid hands on
two of Odysseus' comrades, and slaughtered and devoured them as
before. The moment had now come for Odysseus to carry out his design.
So he filled a wooden bowl with unmixed wine, and drawing near to
Polyphemus addressed him thus:

"Take, Polyphemus, and drink of this wine, now that thou hast eaten of
human flesh. I warrant that thou hast never tasted such a choice
vintage as this, and I brought it as a gift to thy divinity, that thou
mightest have pity, and let me go in peace. Little did I dream to find
thee so cruel and so wild. Who in all the world will ever draw near to
thee again, after the hideous deeds which thou hast wrought?"

Polyphemus took the cup and drained it to the bottom. Then he rolled
his great eye with ecstasy, as the last drop trickled down his
monstrous gullet, and holding out the cup said with a sort of growling
good humour: "Give me to drink again, and make haste and tell me thy
name, that I may bestow on thee a gift of hospitality to g