e the crafty Ulysses, as Homer delights to call him, had
perfected his plans. He offered Polyphemus some wine, which so delighted
him that he asked the giver his name, and said he had it in mind to do
him a kindness. The crafty one told him his name was No-man. Then said
the ogre, "This shall be your reward, I will eat No-man the last of you
all." Then, heavy with the wine, he fell into a deep sleep. The tiny
weapons of the wanderers would have been of little effect against this
man-mountain, so taking a great pole, they heated it red-hot in the
fire, and all together plunged it into his one great eye, blinding him.
Up he jumped, roaring and howling horribly, and groping in the dark to
find his prisoners; but they easily avoided him. Then came other Cyclops
running at the noise from their distant caves, and called to him, "Who
has hurt thee, Polyphemus?"

He answered them, "No-man has hurt me, No-man has blinded me."

Then they said, "If no man has hurt thee, thy trouble is from the gods,
and we may not interfere. Bear it patiently, and pray to them."

In the morning Polyphemus opened the door, and sitting in it, let his
sheep pass out, feeling each one, so that the Greeks might not escape.
But the crafty one fastened himself and his remaining comrades under the
breasts of the largest sheep, and so, hidden by the wool, escaped
unnoticed. They hurried to their ship and put out to sea. And now
feeling safe, Ulysses shouted to the blind monster and taunted him,
whereon, rushing to the shore, Polyphemus lifted up a vast rock and
hurled it toward the sound he heard. It almost struck the vessel, and
its waves swept the little craft back to the land. In great haste they
shoved off again, and when they felt safe, shouted at him once more. He
followed them, hurling rocks, but now they were beyond his reach and
returned safely to their companions.

Next the wanderers reached the island of AEolus, who controls the winds.
He received them with royal hospitality, pointed out to them their
proper course to Ithaca, and when they left him, gave to Ulysses a bag
in which he had tied up all the contrary winds, that they might have a
fair one to waft them home. For nine days they sailed, and at last were
actually in sight of their destination; but the seamen fancying there
was treasure in AEolus's bag opened it while their leader slept. At once
leaped out all the wild winds, and there was a terrible tempest which
swept the vessels back