three would bear each a man, but the other twain went on either side, saving my fellows.  Thus every three sheep bare their man.  But as for me I laid hold of the back of a young ram who was far the best and the goodliest of all the flock, and curled beneath his shaggy belly there I lay, and so clung face upward, grasping the wondrous fleece with a steadfast heart.  So for that time making moan we awaited the bright Dawn.

’So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, then did the rams of the flock hasten forth to pasture, but the ewes bleated unmilked about the pens, for their udders were swollen to bursting.  Then their lord, sore stricken with pain, felt along the backs of all the sheep as they stood up before him, and guessed not in his folly how that my men were bound beneath the breasts of his thick-fleeced flocks.  Last of all the sheep came forth the ram, cumbered with his wool, and the weight of me and my cunning.  And the strong Polyphemus laid his hands on him and spake to him saying: 

’"Dear ram, wherefore, I pray thee, art thou the last of all the flocks to go forth from the cave, who of old wast not wont to lag behind the sheep, but wert ever the foremost to pluck the tender blossom of the pasture, faring with long strides, and wert still the first to come to the streams of the rivers, and first did long to return to the homestead in the evening?  But now art thou the very last.  Surely thou art sorrowing for the eye of thy lord, which an evil man blinded, with his accursed fellows, when he had subdued my wits with wine, even Noman, whom I say hath not yet escaped destruction.  Ah, if thou couldst feel as I, and be endued with speech, to tell me where he shifts about to shun my wrath; then should he be smitten, and his brains be dashed against the floor here and there about the cave, and my heart be lightened of the sorrows which Noman, nothing worth, hath brought me!”

’Therewith he sent the ram forth from him, and when we had gone but a little way from the cave and from the yard, first I loosed myself from under the ram and then I set my fellows free.  And swiftly we drave on those stiff-shanked sheep, so rich in fat, and often turned to look about, till we came to the ship.  And a glad sight to our fellows were we that had fled from death, but the others they would have bemoaned with tears; howbeit I suffered it not, but with frowning brows forbade each man to weep.  Rather I bade them to cast on board the many sheep with goodly fleece, and to sail over the salt sea water.  So they embarked forthwith, and sate upon the benches, and sitting orderly smote the grey sea water with their oars.  But when I had not gone so far, but that a man’s shout might be heard, then I spoke unto the Cyclops taunting him: 

’"Cyclops, so thou wert not to eat the company of a weakling by main might in thy hollow cave!  Thine evil deeds were very sure to find thee out, thou cruel man, who hadst no shame to eat thy guests within thy gates, wherefore Zeus hath requited thee, and the other gods.”