The reason I'm worried isn't just because we're in Sicily - or about to leave it really - at the moment. It's because of what happened Sicily.
We reached the country of the lawless outrageous Cyclopes. In some ways they kind of amaze me because they neither plow with their hands, nor plant anything. They just trust in the gods. They have no institutions or anything. It's... well, it's uncivilised really, isn't it? I was a bit shocked when I found out.
We met a Cyclopes called Polyphemos. I wish we hadn't.
It started out so innocently! We discovered his cave and decided that it would be a good idea to stay there, so as to meet the inhabitant and to exchange gifts. But when Polyphemos arrived home that evening with his herd of sheep he rolled a large boulder across the door of the cave so that we could not escape!
When he discovered our presence, he immediately devoured two of my men! I was shocked and outraged and deeply saddened by the loss. We knew instantly that soon he would devour us all, and so we devised a plan.
It began when Polyphemos asked my name. I told him "Outis" or "Nobody". The Cyclopes was not an intelligent being! He accepted the name I gave without question, and swore that he would eat me last.
The next day we worked to sharpen a great bludgeon of green olive wood until it had a point. I would guess it was about the size for the mast of a cargo-carrying broad black ship of twenty oars which crosses the open sea.
He ate two more men when he returned home once more, but now we had a cunning plan.
We fed the Cyclopes with wine! And he, an uncivilised beast!, drank it all and was drunk and went sleepily off to bed.
I shoved the beam underneath a deep bed of cinders, waiting for it to heat. When finally it was hot almost to the point of catching fire, some great divinity breathed courage into us! We drove it into his eye and twirled it around and around, and the sound it made was not unlike that of a blacksmith plunging an ax blade or plane into cold water.
Polyphemos screamed and screamed, and all the other Cyclopes gathered near to find out what was wrong. But luckily we had outsmarted him by giving me name as Outis, and he screamed to the other Cyclopes "Nobody is killing me!"
The next morning we tied ourselves to Polyphemos' sheep, and we were able to escape back to our ship.
Unfortunately I may have made another little mistake at that point - I was just so incapable of suppressing my rage at the loss of my men (Penelope would be furious that I hadn't kept my temper!) I yelled out my true identity, and I am sure that Polyphemos will pray to his father Poseidon for vengeance.
Oh well, at least we're on our way again, hopefully heading home to Ithica.
--Odysseus
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