odysseus

Odysseus plan to defeat Polyphemus is pretty sound and successful. He chops a six-foot section out of the Polyphemus' large club, then hews it to make a sharp, pointed end, and finally holds it in the fire to toughen it. At night, Polyphemus returns and eats two more men. Odysseus offers him some of his wine; Polyphemus asks for more and for his name, promising him a gift. Odysseus says his name is "Nobody," and Polyphemus says his gift will be eating him next. But Polyphemus falls asleep, drunk, and Odysseus and four men reheat their spike in the fire and ram it in Polyphemus' one eye. They blind him and he howls for his fellow Cyclopes, who come to the outside of his cave and ask him if a man has tricked him. "Nobody," says Polyphemus, has ruined him. The other Cyclopes believe he means "nobody" has ruined him, and they leave him, telling him to pray to his father, Poseidon.