Monster Character WiKi

     Polyphemus is a cyclops born from the union of the Greek god Poseidon and Thoosa the sea nymph. He belongs to a brutish, barbaric race who live in caves, eat humans, and have no respect or for the gods as they believed that Cyclopes were superior to just about everything.  As a cyclops, Polyphemus has only one eye in the middle of his forehead. However, according to legend, this was not always the case. The Cyclopes used to have two eyes until they gave up one in order to see the future. Unfortunately, the only thing they were able to see was the day of their own deaths.

            Polyphemus has appeared in a number of Greek works. He is most known for his appearance in Homer’s epic, Odyssey. He is also present in book XIII of Ovid’s Metamorphoses in lines 738 through 897. 

 

Polyphemus in the Odyssey

     Polyphemus is one of the more terrifying monsters that Odysseus and his crew encounter on their voyage. Some could argue that it was Polyphemus that caused the tragic ending of the epic.

Polyphemus first encountered Odysseus and his companions trespassing in his cave. He proceeded to trap them by sealing the cave’s entrance with a large boulder. Over the course of their imprisonment, several of Odysseus’ companions were eaten by the cyclops. It was only after Odysseus tricked the Cyclops into getting drunk off of the strong wine he had brought with him, that any attempt to escape could be made. Polyphemus, now thoroughly drunk, is convinced by Odysseus that the man’s name is “Nobody”. 

     While Polyphemus is passed out, Odysseus and companions drive a wooden stake, made while Polyphemus had gone to tend his herd, into the cyclops’ only eye. When Polyphemus’ neighboring Cyclopes heard his pained screaming, they came to ask him what was wrong. Polyphemus, who was unaware of Odysseus’ true name, told them that “Nobody” had hurt him. His neighbors left, thinking him sick and crazed.

     Polyphemus attempted to catch the humans in his cave by moving the boulder blocking the entrance and attempting to feel the men escaping on the backs of his herd. However, Odysseus had his men hide under the bellies of the large animals and they were able to successfully escape. It was when they had reached the safety of the sea that Odysseus, in an act of arrogance, mocked the Polyphemus and told him his real name. Angered by this, Polyphemus prayed to his father, Poseidon, asking him to bring misfortune and suffering to the man that had done this to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polyphemus in Ovid’s Metamorphoses

     Poor Polyphemus, whose first and only experience of love was unrequited. When the Greek god Eros put Polyphemus under his influence, the cyclops entered into unrequited romance with the nymph Galatea. The change that love provoked in him was incredible. His fierce nature was tamed, and he started caring for his appearance by combing his hairs with rakes and shaving his beard with a reaping hook. The savage cyclops even began writing poetry and singing songs to Galatea with a panpipe he had made.

     

     “The Song of Polyphemus” was a poem that the cyclops sang to Galatea, in which he both praised her for her beauty and insulted her for her dislike of him. He asked for her to give him a chance, and while he was not traditionally charming or handsome, he believed himself to be quite attractive – especially with the great sea god Poseidon being his father. Unfortunately for Polyphemus, Galatea only had eyes for her lover, Acis. She told Polyphemus that her hate for him and her love for Acis were equally great. Of course, the lovesick cyclops was quite upset by that; but he became absolutely enraged when he found the two lovers together. While Galatea had successfully escaped into the ocean, Acis wasn’t as fortunate and had been crushed by the boulder that Polyphemus had thrown at him. In order to save her lover, Galatea helped her lover come into his latent powers and he became a river god. So, in the end, Polyphemus not only lost his chance at love but also had his revenge taken from him as Acis continued to exist as a river god. Even worse, this all happened only shortly before Odysseus showed up in Polyphemus’ cave and blinded him. Poor cyclops.