Last of all came the kingly
ram that was dearest to his rude heart, and he bore the King of Ithaca.
Once free of the cave, Odysseus and his fellows loosed their hold and
took flight, driving the rams in haste to the ship, where, without
delay, they greeted their comrades and went aboard.
But as they pushed from shore, Odysseus could not refrain from hailing
the Cyclops with taunts, and at the sound of that voice Polyphemus came
forth from his cave and hurled a great rock after the ship. It missed
and upheaved the water like an earthquake. Again Odysseus called,
saying: "Cyclops, if any shall ask who blinded thine eye, say that it
was Odysseus, son of Laertes of Ithaca."
Then Polyphemus groaned and cried: "An Oracle foretold it, but I waited
for some man of might who should overcome me by his valor,--not a
weakling! And now"--he lifted his hands and prayed,--"Father Poseidon,
my father, look upon Odysseus, the son of Laertes of Ithaca, and grant
me this revenge,--let him never see Ithaca again! Yet, if he must, may
he come late, without a friend, after long wandering, to find evil
abiding by his hearth!"
So he spoke and hurled another rock after them, but the ship
outstripped it, and sped by to the island where the other good ships
waited for Odysseus. Together they put out from land and hastened on
their homeward voyage.
But Poseidon, who is lord of the sea, had heard the prayer of his son,
and that homeward voyage was to wear through ten years more, with storm
and irksome calms and misadventure.
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