The story picks up in a massive cave where Odysseus' crew finds a large flock of sheep enough to feed the entire crew. Polites and Eurylochus are impressed while Odysseus remains suspicious as to why the Lotus Eaters would pass up on all this food. Suddenly, a cyclops named Polyphemus enters and proceeds to threaten the crew with death because Odysseus had happened to kill Polyphemus' favorite sheep before the rest of the crew entered the cave. Odysseus proposes a trade instead, bargaining for the crew's lives in exchange for the finest wine and offers the Cyclops a sip. Polyphemus takes the wine and asks for Odysseus's name. Odysseus states that his name is "Nobody." Polyphemus thanks him and tells Odysseus that, for his gift, he will be the last man to die.
Polyphemus attacks the crew, who fight back viciously. The battle seems to be going in Odysseus' favor until Polyphemus reaches for a dark part of a cave and kills Polites with his club, leaving Odysseus frozen in shock and unresponsive to his crew's pleas for orders. Polyphemus ends up killing 6 more men before suddenly collapsing onto the ground.
Upon recovering from his shock, Odysseus reveals to Eurylochus that he slipped some of the Lotus Fruit into Polyphemus' wine. Swearing that the death of his comrades will not be in vain, Odysseus commands his soldiers to use their swords to carve the club into a spear to stab the Cyclops in the eye. Polyphemus' cry of pain catches the attention of the other Cyclopes nearby. The crew hides as the other cyclopes ask Polyphemus who hurt him, but when he replies "Nobody," the cyclopes disregard Polyphemus' cries since apparently nobody hurt him, and leave, allowing Odysseus and his crew to make their escape. Athena commands Odysseus that he has to finish off Polyphemus before he leaves, but Odysseus refuses, choosing mercy over vengeance. The crew departs as they make their escape after Odysseus curses Polyphemus for not choosing mercy and reveals his true name in an act of hubris.
Athena pulls Odysseus into Quick Thought and scolds him for his reckless behavior and for being driven by emotion over his fallen friends, before proclaiming that she will no longer be Odysseus' mentor. Odysseus snaps back at the Goddess of Wisdom, pointing out how she disregarded his trauma and hurt from the war, and is no longer proud to call her his friend. Athena then calls him out for seeking companionship instead of glory, while Odysseus states that she only helped him for her own sake, and points out how she is still alone in the end. Hurt by his words, Athena coldly rebukes him for being "just a man", and finally deserts Odysseus for good. |
