Myths That Every Child Should Know

y had borne themselves haughtily and cruelly in the day of their victory. Therefore they did not all find a safe and happy return. For one was shipwrecked, and anot

long years of absence, were driven far and wide about the world before they saw their nat

m-twelve he had brought to Troy-and in each there were some fifty men, being scarce half of those that had sailed in them in the old days, so ma

oxen, and jars of fragrant wine, and might have escaped unhurt, but that they stayed to hold revel on the shore. For the Ciconians gathered their neighbours, being m

looks out upon the southern sea. But contrary currents baffled them, so that they could not round it, and the north wind blew so strongly that they must fain drive before it. And on the tenth day they came to the land where the lotus grows-a wondrous fruit, of which whosoever eats cares not to see country or wife or children again. Now the Lotus eaters, for so they ca

and in the island a harbour where a ship may be safe from all winds, and at the head of the harbour a stream falling from the rock, and whispering alders all about it. Into this the ships passed safely, and were hauled up on the beach, and the crews slept

verse with each other, for they were a rude and savage folk, but ruled each his own household, not caring for others. Now very close to the shore was one of these caves, very huge and deep, with laurels round about the mouth, and in front a fold with walls built of rough stone, and shaded by tall oaks and pines. So Ulysses chose out of the crew the twelve

ere were baskets full of cheeses, and full milkpails ranged along the 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

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

or that was the giant's name. "Ar

was not counted shame

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

gods. We Cyclopes take no account of gods, holding ourselves to be much bet

ip, how he was minded to break it, and take from them

brake, driving it on a jutting rock on this coast, and w

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

bered that, should he slay him, he and his comrades would yet perish miserably. For who should move away the great rock that lay against the door of the cave? So they waited till the morning. And the monster woke

s purposed to use, when the smoke should have dried it, as a walking staff. Of this he cut off a fathom's length, and his comrades sharpened it and hardened it in the fire, and then hid it away. At evening the giant came back, and drove his s

hings we had in our ship. But no one hereafter will come to thee with such

stranger, and I will give thee a gift such as a host should give. In good truth this is a rare liquor. We

ice he gave it to him, and thrice he drank, not knowin

, Cyclops. Lo! my name is No Man. And now that tho

ll be that I will eat the

till it was ready, green as it was, to burst into flame, and they thrust it into the monster's eye; for he had but one eye, and that in the midst of his forehead, with the eyebrow below it. And Ulysses lea

side heard him and came about his cave, asking him, "What aileth thee, Polyphemus, that thou makest this uproar in the

wered, "No Man sl

annot help thee. The sickness which great Zeus may send

d at heart for the good success of his

e, and sat in the midst stretching out his hands, to feel whether pe

twigs, of which the giant made his bed. One ram he took, and fastened a man beneath it, and two others he set, one on either side. So he did with the six, for but six were left out of the twelve who had ventured with him from the ship. And there was one mighty ram, far larger than all the others, and to this Ulysses clung, graspi

e back to the fold when evening fell; and now thou art last of all. Perhaps thou art troubled about thy master's eye, which some wretch-No Man, they call him-has destroyed, having first mastered

hat had abode by the ship to see them. Nor did they lament for those that had died, though they were fain to do so, for Ulysses forbade, fearing lest the noise of their weeping should betray them to the giant, where they were. Then they all climbed into the ship, and sitting well in order o

thy den. Justly art thou punished, monster, that devourest thy guests in

nd a great wave rose as it sank, and washed the ship back to the shore. But Ulysses seized a long pole with both hands and pushed the ship from the land, and bade his c

ing, "Nay, my lord, anger not the giant any more. Surely we thought before we were lost, when he threw the great rock, and washed ou

Hear, Cyclops! If any man ask who blinded thee, say that it

Ulysses would rob me of my sight. But I looked for a great man and a strong, who should subdue me by force, and now a weakling has done the deed, having cheated me with wine. But come thou hither, Ulysses, and

e down to the abode of the dead, where thou would

d up his hands to

ever reach his home! or, if the Fates have ordered that he should reach it, may h

comrades, who indeed had waited long for them, in sore fear lest they had perished. Then Ulysses divided among his company all the sheep which they had taken from the Cyclops. And all, with one consent, gave him for his share the