ains out against the earth, and (shocking to relate) tore
in pieces their limbs, and devoured them, yet warm and trembling,
making a lion's meal of them, lapping the blood: for the Cyclops are
_man-eaters_, and esteem human flesh to be a delicacy far above goat's
or kid's; though by reason of their abhorred customs few men approach
their coast, except some stragglers, or now and then a ship-wrecked
mariner. At a sight so horrid Ulysses and his men were like distracted
people. He, when he had made an end of his wicked supper, drained a
draught of goat's milk down his prodigious throat, and lay down and
slept among his goats. Then Ulysses drew his sword, and half resolved
to thrust it with all his might in at the bosom of the sleeping
monster; but wiser thoughts restrained him, else they had there
without help all perished, for none but Polyphemus himself could have
removed that mass of stone which he had placed to guard the entrance.
So they were constrained to abide all that night in fear.

When day came the Cyclop awoke, and kindling a fire, made his
breakfast of two other of his unfortunate prisoners, then milked his
goats as he was accustomed, and pushing aside the vast stone, and
shutting it again when he had done, upon the prisoners, with as much
ease as a man opens and shuts a quiver's lid, he let out his flock,
and drove them before him with whistlings (as sharp as winds in
storms) to the mountains. Then Ulysses, of whose strength or cunning
the Cyclop seems to have had as little heed as of an infant's, being
left alone, with the remnant of his men which the Cyclop had not
devoured, gave manifest proof how far manly wisdom excels brutish
force. He chose a stake from among the wood which the Cyclop had piled
up for firing, in length and thickness like a mast, which he sharpened
and hardened in the fire, and selected four men, and instructed them
what they should do with this stake, and made them perfect in their
parts.

When the evening was come, the Cyclop drove home his sheep; and
as fortune directed it, either of purpose, or that his memory was
overruled by the gods to his hurt (as in the issue it proved), he
drove the males of his flock, contrary to his custom, along with the
dams into the pens. Then shutting-to the stone of the cave, he fell to
his horrible supper. When he had dispatched two more of the Grecians,
Ulysses waxed bold with the contemplation of his project, and took a
bowl of Greek wine and mer