But Odysseus of the many counsels knew that the giant asked the question only to bring evil on the men who stayed by the ship, and so he answered:  “My ship was broken in pieces by the storm and cast up on the rocks on the shore, but I, with these my men, escaped from death.”

Not one word said Polyphemus in reply, but sprang up, clutched hold of two of the men, and dashed their brains out on the stone floor.  Then he cut them up, and made ready his supper, eating the two men, bones and all, as if he had been a starving lion, and taking great draughts of the milk from the giant pails.  When his meal was done, he stretched himself on the ground beside his sheep and goats, and slept.

In helpless horror Odysseus and his men had watched the dreadful sight, but when the monster slept they began to make plans for their escape.  At first Odysseus thought it might be best to take his sharp sword and stab Polyphemus in the breast.  But then he knew that even were he thus to slay the giant, he and his men must die.  For strength was not left them to roll away the rock from the cave’s mouth, and so they must perish like rats in a trap.

All night they thought what they should do, but could think of nought that would avail, and so they could only moan in their bitterness of heart and wait for the dawn.  When dawn’s rosy fingers touched the sky, Polyphemus awoke.  He kindled a fire, and milked his flocks, and gave each ewe her lamb.  When this work was done he snatched yet other two men, dashed their brains out, and made of them his morning meal.  After the meal, he lifted the stone from the door, drove the flocks out, and set the stone back again.  Then, with a loud shout, he turned his sheep and goats towards the hills and left Odysseus and his remaining eight men imprisoned in the cave, plotting and planning how to get away, and how to avenge the death of their comrades.

At last Odysseus thought of a plan.  By the sheepfold there lay a huge club of green olive wood that Polyphemus had cut and was keeping until it should be dry enough to use as a staff.  So huge was it that Odysseus and his men likened it to the mast of a great merchant vessel.  From this club Odysseus cut a large piece and gave it to his men to fine down and make even.  While they did this, Odysseus himself sharpened it to a point and hardened the point in the fire.  When it was ready, they hid it amongst the rubbish on the floor of the cave.  Then Odysseus made his men draw lots who should help him to lift this bar and drive it into the eye of the giant as he slept, and the lot fell upon the four men that Odysseus would himself have chosen.

In the evening Polyphemus came down from the hills with his flocks and drove them all inside the cave.  Then he lifted the great doorstone and blocked the doorway, milked the ewes and goats, and gave each lamb and kid to its mother.  This done, he seized other two of the men, dashed out their brains, and made ready his supper.