Then together they
lifted the club and drove it straight into the eye of Polyphemus and
turned it around and about.
The Cyclops gave a horrible cry, and, thrusting away the brand, he
called on all his fellow-giants near and far. Odysseus and his men hid
in the uttermost corners of the cave, but they heard the resounding
steps of the Cyclopes who were roused, and their shouts as they called,
"What ails thee, Polyphemus? Art thou slain? Who has done thee any
hurt?"
"Noman!" roared the blinded Cyclops; "Noman is here to slay me by
treachery."
"Then if no man hath hurt thee," they called again, "let us sleep." And
away they went to their homes once more.
But Polyphemus lifted away the boulder from the door and sat there in
the entrance, groaning with pain and stretching forth his hands to feel
if any one were near. Then, while he sat in double darkness, with the
light of his eye gone out, Odysseus bound together the rams of the
flock, three by three, in such wise that every three should save one of
his comrades. For underneath the mid ram of each group a man clung,
grasping his shaggy fleece; and the rams on each side guarded him from
discovery. Odysseus himself chose out the greatest ram and laid hold of
his fleece and clung beneath his shaggy body, face upward.
Now, when dawn came, the rams hastened out to pasture, and Polyphemus
felt of their backs as they huddled along together; but he knew not
that every three held a man bound securely.
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