Editing Cyclopes (section)

===Homer===
[[File:Odysseus and cyclops (orcus) Tomb of Orcus.jpg|thumb|Fresco of [[Odysseus]] and the Cyclops in the [[Tomb of Orcus]], [[Tarquinia]], 4th century BC]]
[[File:Guido Reni - Polyphemus - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|The blinded Polyphemus seeks vengeance on Odysseus: [[Guido Reni]]'s painting in the [[Capitoline Museums]].]]

In Book 9 of the ''[[Odyssey]]'', Odysseus describes to his hosts the [[Phaeacians]] his encounter with the Cyclops [[Polyphemus]].<ref>According to Mondi, p. 17, it is the general consensus that Homer's Polyphemus story is drawn from an older folk tradition "attested throughout Europe as well as parts of northern Africa and the Near East" of "the escape from a blinded ogre".</ref> Having just left the land of the [[Lotus-eaters]], Odysseus says "Thence we sailed on, grieved at heart, and we came to the land of the Cyclopes".<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D9%3Acard%3D82 9.105&ndash;106]. Heubeck and Hoekstra, p. 19 on lines 105&ndash;566; "After the Lotus-eaters Odysseus comes to the Cyclopes presumably on the same day." As Fowler 2013, [https://books.google.com/books?id=scd8AQAAQBAJ&pg=PA53 p. 53] describes it, the  Homeric Cyclopes "inhabit a world outside space and time; the adventure comes in the geographically indeterminate part of the poem, and its inhabitants have been on their island presumably for ever."</ref>
Homer had already (Book 6) described the Cyclopes as "men overweening in pride who plundered [their neighbors the Phaeacians] continually",<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:6.1-6.47 6.4&ndash;8].</ref> driving the Phaeacians from their home. In Book 9, Homer gives a more detailed description of the Cyclopes as:
{{Blockquote|an overweening and lawless folk, who, trusting in the immortal gods, plant nothing with their hands nor plough; but all these things spring up for them without sowing or ploughing, wheat, and barley, and vines, which bear the rich clusters of wine, and the rain of Zeus gives them increase. Neither assemblies for council have they, nor appointed laws, but they dwell on the peaks of lofty mountains in hollow caves, and each one is lawgiver to his children and his wives, and they reck nothing one of another.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D9%3Acard%3D82 9.105&ndash;115].</ref>}}

According to Homer, the Cyclopes have no ships, nor ship-wrights, nor other craftsman, and know nothing of agriculture.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:9.116-9.160 9.125&ndash;135].</ref> They have no regard for Zeus or the other gods, for the Cyclopes hold themselves to be "better far than they".<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:9.231-9.280 9.275&ndash;278].</ref>

Homer says that "godlike" Polyphemus, the son of [[Poseidon]] and the nymph [[Thoosa]], the daughter of [[Phorcys]], is the "greatest among all the Cyclopes".<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'', [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:1.44-1.79 1.68&ndash;73]. Heubeck, Hainsworth and West, p. 69 on line 71-3, notes that "Thoosa seems to be an ''ad hoc'' invention".</ref> Homer describes Polyphemus as a shepherd who:
{{Blockquote|mingled not with others, but lived apart, with his heart set on lawlessness. For he was fashioned a wondrous monster, and was not like a man that lives by bread, but like a wooded peak of lofty mountains, which stands out to view alone, apart from the rest,<ref>[[Homer]] ''[[Odyssey]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:9.161-9.192 9.187&ndash;192].</ref> ... [and as] a savage man that knew naught of justice or of law.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.perseus-eng1:9.193-9.230 9.215].</ref>}}

Although Homer does not say explicitly that Polyphemus is one-eyed, for the account of his blinding to make sense he must be.<ref>West 1966 on line 139, "the story of [Polyphemus'] blinding presupposes that he is one-eyed like Hesiod's Cyclopes, though this is not explicitly stated"; Heubeck and Hoekstra, p. 20 on lines 106-15: "the account of the blinding presupposes a one-eyed Cyclopes, even though the poet, surely intentionally ... omits any direct reference to this detail."</ref> If Homer meant for the other Cyclopes to be assumed (as they usually are) to be like Polyphemus, then they too will be one-eyed sons of Poseidon; however Homer says nothing explicit about either the parentage or appearance of the other Cyclopes.<ref>Gantz, pp. 12&ndash;13 says that the Homeric Cyclopes are: "sons of Poseidon (actually Homer ''says'' only that Polyphemos is a son of Poseidon), who ... share with their Hesiodic namesakes just the feature of the single eye (if in fact they are so equipped and not just Polyphemos: the general description at ''Od'' 9.106-15 says nothing on the subject)." See also Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA66 p. 66], [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA611 p. 611 n. 10]; Heubeck, Hainsworth, and West, [https://books.google.com/books?id=tMsJyWjIfV0C&pg=PA84 p. 84 on line 69]. However for example, Hansen, p. 144; Grimal, p. 119; Tripp, p. 181; and [[Herbert Jennings Rose|Rose]], p. 304; all simply describe the Homeric Cyclopes as one-eyed, without further qualification.</ref>