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ODYSSEUS
Did it not gurgle finely down thy throttle？
SILENUS
Aye that it did； to the ends of my fingers。
ODYSSEUS
Well； we will give thee money besides。
SILENUS
Only undo the skin； and never mind the money。
ODYSSEUS
Bring out the cheeses then and lambs。
SILENUS
I will do so； with small thought of any master。 For let me have
a single cup of that and I would turn madman； giving in exchange for
it the flocks of every Cyclops and then throwing myself into the sea
from the Leucadian rock； once I have been well drunk and smoothed
out my wrinkled brow。 For if a man rejoice not in his drinking； he
is mad； for in drinking it's possible for this to stand up straight；
and then to fondle breasts； and to caress well tended locks； and there
is dancing withal； and oblivion of woe。 Shall not I then purchase so
rare a drink； bidding the senseless Cyclops and his central eye go
hang？
（SILENUS goes into the cave。）
LEADER
Hearken； Odysseus； let us hold some converse with thee。
ODYSSEUS
Well； do so； ours is a meeting of friends。
LEADER
Did you take Troy and capture the famous Helen？
ODYSSEUS
Aye； and we destroyed the whole family of Priam。
LEADER
After capturing your blooming prize； were all of you in turn her
lovers？ for she likes variety in husbands； the traitress！ the sight of
a man with embroidered breeches on his legs and a golden chain about
his neck so fluttered her； that she left Menelaus； her excellent
little husband。 Would there had never been a race of women born into
the world at all； unles it were for me alone！
SILENUS （reappearing with food）
Lo！ I bring you fat food from the flocks； king Odysseus； the young
of bleating sheep and cheeses of curdled milk without stint。 Carry
them away with you and begone from the cave at once； after giving me a
drink of merry grape…juice in exchange。
LEADER
Alack！ yonder comes the Cyclops； what shall we do？
ODYSSEUS
Then truly are we lost； old sir！ whither must we fly？
SILENUS
Inside this rock； for there ye may conceal yourselves。
ODYSSEUS
Dangerous advice of thine； to run into the net！
SILENUS
No danger； there are ways of escape in plenty in the rock。
ODYSSEUS
No； never that； for surely Troy will groan and loudly too； if we
flee from a single man； when I have oft withstood with my shield a
countless host of Phrygians。 Nay； if die we must； we will die a
noble death； or； if we live； we will maintain our old renown at
least with credit。
（The CYCLOPS enters as SILENUS goes into the cave。 The CYCLOPS；
not noticing ODYSSEUS and his companions； addresses the CHORUS in
anger。）
CYCLOPS
A light here！ hold it up！ what is this？ what means this
idleness； your Bacchic revelry？ Here have we no Dionysus； nor clash of
brass； nor roll of drums。 Pray； how is it with my newly…born lambs
in the caves？ are they at the teat； running close to the side of their
dams？ Is the full amount of milk for cheeses milked out in baskets
of rushes？ How now？ what say you？ One of ye will soon be shedding
tears from the weight of my club； look up； not down。
LEADER
There！ my head is bent back till I see Zeus himself； I behold both
the stars and Orion。
CYCLOPS
Is my breakfast quite ready？
LEADER
'Tis laid； be thy throat only ready。
CYCLOPS
Are； the bowls too full of milk？
LEADER
Aye； so that thou canst swill off a whole hogshead； so it please
thee。
CYCLOPS
Sheep's milk or cows' milk or a mixture of both？
LEADER
Whichever thou wilt； don't swallow me； that's all。
CYCLOPS
Not I； for you would start kicking in the pit of my stomach and
kill me by your antics。 （Catching sight Of ODYSSEUS and his followers）
Ha！ what is this crowd I see near the folds？ Some pirates or robbers
have put in here。 （SILENUS comes out of the cave。 He has made
himself appear as though he had just suffered a terrible beating。）
Yes； I really see the lambs from my caves tied up there with twisted
osiers； cheese…presses scattered about； and old Silenus with his
bald pate all swollen with blows。
SILENUS
Oh！ oh！ poor wretch that I am； pounded to a fever。
CYCLOPS
By whom？ who has been pounding thy head； old sirrah？
SILENUS
These are the culprits； Cyclops； all because I refused to let them
plunder thee。
CYCLOPS
Did they not know I was a god and sprung from gods？
SILENUS
That was what I told them； but they persisted in plundering thy
goods； and； in spite of my efforts； they actually began to eat the
cheese and carry off the lambs； and they said they would tie thee in a
three…cubit pillory and tear out thy bowels by force at thy navel； and
flay thy back thoroughly with the scourge； and then； after binding
thee； fling thy carcase down among the benches of their ship to sell
to someone for heaving up stones； or else throw thee into a mill。
CYCLOPS
Oh； indeed！ Be off then and sharpen my cleavers at once； heap high
the faggots and light them； for they shall be slain forthwith and fill
this maw of mine； what time I pick my feast hot from the coals；
waiting not for carvers； and fish up the rest from the cauldron boiled
and sodden； for I have had my fill of mountain…fare and sated myself
with banquets of lions and stags； but 'tis long I have been without
human flesh。
SILENUS
Truly； master； a change like this is all the sweeter after
everyday fare； for just of late there have been no fresh arrivals of
strangers at these caves。
ODYSSEUS
Hear the strangers too in turn； Cyclops。 We had come near the cave
from our ship； wishing to procure provisions by purchase； when this
fellow sold us the lambs and handed them over for a stoup of wine to
drink himself； a voluntary act on both sides； there was no violence
employed at all。 No； there is not a particle of truth in the story
he tells； now that he has been caught selling thy property behind
thy back。
SILENUS
I？ Perdition catch thee！
ODYSSEUS
If I am lying； yes。
SILENUS （in agitation）
O Cyclops； by thy sire Poseidon； by mighty Triton and Nereus； by
Calypso and the daughters of Nereus； by the sacred billows and all the
race of fishes！ I swear to thee； most noble sir； dear little
Cyclops； master mine； it is not I who sell thy goods to strangers；
else may these children； dearly as I love them； come to an evil end。
LEADER
Keep that for thyself； with my own eyes I saw thee sell the
goods to the strangers； and if I lie； perdition catch my sire！ but
injure not the strangers。
CYCLOPS
Ye lie； for my part I put more faith in him than Rhadamanthus；
declaring him more just。 But I have some questions to ask。 Whence
sailed ye； strangers？ of what country are you？ what city was it nursed
your childhood？
ODYSSEUS
We are Ithacans by birth； and have been driven from our course
by the winds of the sea on our way from Ilium； after sacking its
citadel。
CYCLOPS
Are ye the men who visited on Ilium； that bordereth on Scamander's
wave； the rape of Helen； worst of women？
ODYSSEUS
We are； that was the fearful labour we endured。
CYCLOPS
A sorry expedition yours； to have sailed to the land of Phrygia
for the sake of one woman
ODYSSEUS
It was a god's doing； blame not any son of man。 But thee do we
implore； most noble son of Ocean's god； speaking as free…born men；
be not so cruel as to slay thy friends on their coming to thy cave；
nor regard us as food for thy jaws； an impious meal； for we
preserved thy sire； O king； in possession of his temple…seats deep
in the nooks of Hellas； and the sacred port of Taenarus and Malea's
furthest coves remain unharmed； and Sunium's rock； the
silver…veined； sacred to Zeus…born Athena； still is safe； and
Geraestus； the harbour of refuge； and we did not permit Phrygians to
put such an intolerable reproach on Hellas。 Now in these things thou
too hast a share； for thou dwellest in a corner of the land of
Hellas beneath Aetna's fire…streaming rock； and although thou turn
from arguments； still it is a custom amongst mortal men to receive
shipwrecked sailors as their suppliants and show them hospitality
and help them with raiment； not that these should fill thy jaws and
belly； their limbs transfixed with spits for piercing ox…flesh。 The
land of Priam hath emptied Hellas quite enough； drinking the blood
of many whom the spear laid low； with the ruin it has brought on
widowed wives； on aged childless dames； and hoary…headed sires； and if
thou roast and consume the remnant；…a meal thou wilt rue；…why； where
shall one turn？ Nay； be persuaded by me； Cyclops； forego thy
ravenous greed and choose piety rather than wickedness； for on many
a man ere now unrighteous gains have brought down retribution。
SILENUS
I will give thee a word of advice！ as for his flesh； leave not a
morsel of it； and if thou eat his tongue； Cyclops； thou wilt become
a monstrous clever talker。
CYCLOPS
Wealth； manikin； is the god for the wise； all else is mere
vaunting and fine words。 Plague take the headlands by the sea； on
which my father seats himself！ Why hast thou put forward these
ar