Kyriakos
09-17-2010, 09:21 AM
Some characteristics of the myth of the Cyclopes follow :)
The ninth chapter of the Odyssey is the beginning of Odysseus's narration of his journeys. It is dominated by the story of the Cyclops Polyphemus. I recently re-read it and here are some of my notes on it:
The cyclops is described in little detail. The description of the environment precedes any reference to the actual form of the creature, although the island is already named as "the island of the Cyclopes". It is interesting that the description begins with a rather thorough depiction of the geography of a nearby island, which is argued to have natural qualities to serve as a dock, but due to the Cyclopes's lack of interest or knowledge to be involved in improvement creation, or in agriculture, their lands remain wild.
In the cyclopic island life is sustained mainly from sheep-herding, and also foraging. Therefore it is a pre-agricultural society.
Although Odysseus did not see any other cyclopes (infact other cyclopes take part in the story only from their questions which are asked behind the closed boulder-door of Polyphemus's cave) his narration nevertheless begins with this summary of their way of life, which is portrayed as barbaric (here i am noting mostly that the narrative has some gaps; that pre-agricultural societies and barbaricism had obvious connections is not argued against).
Polyphemus does not have any respect for the gods, or at least Zeus. It has to be pointed out that Odysseus makes an obvious use of the law of "The hostpitable Zeus" who in was a custom for a foreigner to allude to, so as to ask the natives to show him hospitality, or to even exchange gifts with him. Polyphemus declines that law, and argues that the cyclopes are stronger than the gods and are free to do as they please without thinking of them.
The Cyclopes are said to be living in family cells. They have no organised law, and "each cyclops is the sole lord of his family". Here, again, there is no background as to how this information was acquired.
The size of the cyclops, and his one eye, are the only mentioned descriptions of him. The words "monstrous", "savage", "wicked" also are used, but they are sentimental descriptions, and not material ones.
The most striking moment in the narrative about Polyphemus has got to be the point where, after Polyphemus has asked Odysseus if they are alone or have other comrades, Odysseus cunningly distorts the truth and claims that they are alone and have no ship since they have shipwrecked, upon which reply Polyphemus instantly loses interest in asking more questions and picks up two of Odysseus's men, throws them violently onto the ground, crushing them (their brains are spilled out), and then starts devouring them, breaking their legs and arms from the rest of the body as if they were pieces of paper.
It is interesting that this has the immediate result of making Odysseus's other men cry. The general pattern of general descriptions, be it of form or of psychological state, is continious in this as well.
However the narrative has some very intricate parts as well. In my view the most impressive is the description of the plan of how to leave the cave. The goats are tied in threes, and below the central goat one comrade is tied, so that they would not be noticed by the blinded Cyclops as he is letting his herd leave the cave. Odysseus is left last, so no one can tie him, which is why he chooses to hang on to the fur of the ram.
When the ram reaches Polyphemus, he starts touching it gently and speaks to it. He is surprised that the ram now is leaving last, whereas it always used to leave first of the herd, and also always return first. He is very sad about the tragedy of his blinding, and so wonders to the ram whether it has sensed that his master is in such a poor condition, and out of sympathy to him it now has chosen to leave the cave last.
Definately the range of emotions presented by Polyphemus is wide, since they begin with self-assured cruelty, escalate to being cold blooded murderous, but then he is humbled and weakened.
Also in the end of the story, after Odysseus has yelled his real name back to Polyphemus, we are being told that the cyclops had known of a prophesy according to which he would indeed be blinded by someone named Odysseus, but that he always thought that this Odysseus would have been a fierce giant, and not an "insignificant weakling". This prophesy undercurrent however gives more importance to Odysseus ploy to not name himself when Polyphemus had asked him inside the cave, since had he done so we should guess that the result would have been immediate death. On the contrary, after Odysseus names himself as "no one", or "noman", Polyphemus replies that his gift to him (for having given him some of his wine) would be to eat him last.
A final element in the life of Polyphemus, which is critical to the plot of the Odyssey, is that he is the son of Neptune. After Odysseus has revealed his idenity, and mocked him about his claim that perhaps Neptune would cure his eye, Odysseus himself effectively commits hubris, and Polyphemus now raises his hands to the sky and asks of his father to prevent Odysseus from ever returning to his home, or that even if this cannot be eternally prevented that at least all of his men should perish and that he would have to face other difficulties upon reaching Ithaka.
It must be noted that the violence against Polyphemus was not what is argued to have caused Odysseus's punishment. Chapter nine beings with the sacking of the land of the Cicons, with a massacre of one of their towns being narrated in disspationate way by Odysseus. The Cicons, however, are not part of the mythological order of creatures, but are just another kingdom, which has organised towns and armies, and even retaliates with its own army against that of Odyseeus's, causing the latter to retreat after bearing some losses. On the contrary whereas it was Polyphemus himself who started the violence, by devouring six of Odysseus's men, the act of mocking him (and indirectly mocking Poseidon) was more detrimental.
http://mgr2.free.fr/images/monstres/cyclope.jpg
I should also add that the myth of the Cyclopes must be the first european horror story. So treachery, contempt, violence and theft are already existant in this genre from the very start :)
The ninth chapter of the Odyssey is the beginning of Odysseus's narration of his journeys. It is dominated by the story of the Cyclops Polyphemus. I recently re-read it and here are some of my notes on it:
The cyclops is described in little detail. The description of the environment precedes any reference to the actual form of the creature, although the island is already named as "the island of the Cyclopes". It is interesting that the description begins with a rather thorough depiction of the geography of a nearby island, which is argued to have natural qualities to serve as a dock, but due to the Cyclopes's lack of interest or knowledge to be involved in improvement creation, or in agriculture, their lands remain wild.
In the cyclopic island life is sustained mainly from sheep-herding, and also foraging. Therefore it is a pre-agricultural society.
Although Odysseus did not see any other cyclopes (infact other cyclopes take part in the story only from their questions which are asked behind the closed boulder-door of Polyphemus's cave) his narration nevertheless begins with this summary of their way of life, which is portrayed as barbaric (here i am noting mostly that the narrative has some gaps; that pre-agricultural societies and barbaricism had obvious connections is not argued against).
Polyphemus does not have any respect for the gods, or at least Zeus. It has to be pointed out that Odysseus makes an obvious use of the law of "The hostpitable Zeus" who in was a custom for a foreigner to allude to, so as to ask the natives to show him hospitality, or to even exchange gifts with him. Polyphemus declines that law, and argues that the cyclopes are stronger than the gods and are free to do as they please without thinking of them.
The Cyclopes are said to be living in family cells. They have no organised law, and "each cyclops is the sole lord of his family". Here, again, there is no background as to how this information was acquired.
The size of the cyclops, and his one eye, are the only mentioned descriptions of him. The words "monstrous", "savage", "wicked" also are used, but they are sentimental descriptions, and not material ones.
The most striking moment in the narrative about Polyphemus has got to be the point where, after Polyphemus has asked Odysseus if they are alone or have other comrades, Odysseus cunningly distorts the truth and claims that they are alone and have no ship since they have shipwrecked, upon which reply Polyphemus instantly loses interest in asking more questions and picks up two of Odysseus's men, throws them violently onto the ground, crushing them (their brains are spilled out), and then starts devouring them, breaking their legs and arms from the rest of the body as if they were pieces of paper.
It is interesting that this has the immediate result of making Odysseus's other men cry. The general pattern of general descriptions, be it of form or of psychological state, is continious in this as well.
However the narrative has some very intricate parts as well. In my view the most impressive is the description of the plan of how to leave the cave. The goats are tied in threes, and below the central goat one comrade is tied, so that they would not be noticed by the blinded Cyclops as he is letting his herd leave the cave. Odysseus is left last, so no one can tie him, which is why he chooses to hang on to the fur of the ram.
When the ram reaches Polyphemus, he starts touching it gently and speaks to it. He is surprised that the ram now is leaving last, whereas it always used to leave first of the herd, and also always return first. He is very sad about the tragedy of his blinding, and so wonders to the ram whether it has sensed that his master is in such a poor condition, and out of sympathy to him it now has chosen to leave the cave last.
Definately the range of emotions presented by Polyphemus is wide, since they begin with self-assured cruelty, escalate to being cold blooded murderous, but then he is humbled and weakened.
Also in the end of the story, after Odysseus has yelled his real name back to Polyphemus, we are being told that the cyclops had known of a prophesy according to which he would indeed be blinded by someone named Odysseus, but that he always thought that this Odysseus would have been a fierce giant, and not an "insignificant weakling". This prophesy undercurrent however gives more importance to Odysseus ploy to not name himself when Polyphemus had asked him inside the cave, since had he done so we should guess that the result would have been immediate death. On the contrary, after Odysseus names himself as "no one", or "noman", Polyphemus replies that his gift to him (for having given him some of his wine) would be to eat him last.
A final element in the life of Polyphemus, which is critical to the plot of the Odyssey, is that he is the son of Neptune. After Odysseus has revealed his idenity, and mocked him about his claim that perhaps Neptune would cure his eye, Odysseus himself effectively commits hubris, and Polyphemus now raises his hands to the sky and asks of his father to prevent Odysseus from ever returning to his home, or that even if this cannot be eternally prevented that at least all of his men should perish and that he would have to face other difficulties upon reaching Ithaka.
It must be noted that the violence against Polyphemus was not what is argued to have caused Odysseus's punishment. Chapter nine beings with the sacking of the land of the Cicons, with a massacre of one of their towns being narrated in disspationate way by Odysseus. The Cicons, however, are not part of the mythological order of creatures, but are just another kingdom, which has organised towns and armies, and even retaliates with its own army against that of Odyseeus's, causing the latter to retreat after bearing some losses. On the contrary whereas it was Polyphemus himself who started the violence, by devouring six of Odysseus's men, the act of mocking him (and indirectly mocking Poseidon) was more detrimental.
http://mgr2.free.fr/images/monstres/cyclope.jpg
I should also add that the myth of the Cyclopes must be the first european horror story. So treachery, contempt, violence and theft are already existant in this genre from the very start :)