Look as I stab

Nightfall brought the cyclops back, herding his woolly sheep and he quickly drove the sleek flock into the vaulted cavern, rams and all (going along with his usually nightly routine).

After finishing up his chores, he snatched up two more of my men, Xeno and Gladio.

I went right up to the cyclops after his meal, enticing, "Here, Cyclops, try this wine - to top off the banquet of human flesh you've bolted down!"

I handed him bowl after bowl of wine. (I knew that wine would come in handy.)

Continuing with my plan I stated, "So, you ask me the name I'm known by, Cyclops? Nobody - that's my name. Nobody - so my mother and father call me, all my friends."

He remarked, "Nobody? I'll eat Nobody last of all his friends - I'll eat the others first! That's my gift to you!"

With that, he toppled over, sprawled full-length, flat on his back and lay there, his massive neck slumping to one side, and sleep that conquers all overwhelmed him now as wine came spurting, flooding up from his gullet with chunks of human flesh - he vomited, blind drunk.

Now, at last, I thrust our stake in a bed of ember to get it red-hot and rallied my comrades, "Courage - no panic, no one hang back now!"

Hoisting the club high the stabbing point facing the Cyclops eye, we thrust it forward. We bored it round and round until blood came boiling up.

He loosed a hideous roar, the rock walls echoed round and we scuttled back in terror. The cyclops wretched the spike form his eye and out came a red geyser of blood.



Hearing his cries, his neighboring Cyclops lumbered up and asked, "What in the world is wrong Polyphemus?"

 "Nobody friends. Nobody's killing me now by fraud and not by force." Polyphemus said.

"If you're alone, you'd better pray to your father, Lord Poseidon." shot back his neighbors.

They lumbered off, but laughter filled my heart to think how nobody's name had duped them one and all.

Sometimes I amaze myself as to how smart I am. :)

Escaping Near Death

I was already planning for our escape...

What was the best way out? How could I find escape from death for my crew, myself as well?

I saw the flock again.



I saw the sturdy, handsome beasts sporting dark weight of wool. I lashed them abreast, quietly to not wake the giant, twisting the willow-twigs the Cyclops slept on. I took them three by three; each ram in the middle bore one man while the other two rams acted as a shield. After assuring all of my men were set, I took three rams of my own. We waited, desperately, for Dawn's first light...

Once the giant woke up, he stumbled around, trying to feel his way around. He barely found the flock and the door. Stroking the ram (last I was under) gently, the powerful Polyphemus murmured, "Dear old ram, why last of the flock to quit the cave? You used to never lag behind the rest. Oh if only you thought like me, had words like me to tell me where that scoundrel is cringing from my rage! I'd smash him against the ground, I'd spill his brains across my cave!"

And with that threat, as I almost pissed my pants from fright, he let my ram go free outside.

Taunting The Thick-Headed Cyclops

As soon as we were relinquished from the cave, my comrades and I bolted back to the ship.

When getting there, we saw a welcoming sight of our loyal comrades but all the rest broke down and wailed realizing we had lost some of our best over the past days. I cut their sobs short, we had to leave immediately before out thick-headed friend realized we were gone. We swung aboard, they sat to the oars in rank; and in rhythm churned the water white with stroke on stroke. But once offshore as far as a man's shout can carry. I called back to the Cyclops, stinging taunts, "So, Cyclops, no weak coward it was whose crew you bent to devour there in your vaulted cave - you with your brute force! Your filthy crimes came down on your own head, you shameless cannibal!"

That made the rage of the monster boil over. Ripping off the peak of a towering crag, he launched it toward our ship. The wave it created was as massive as a tsunami wave. He launched rock after rock, and the waves were overwhelming. I urged my crew to plow ahead as fast as possible. We seemed to never be outside of the monsters range. I began to taunt the Cyclops even more, but for some reason my crew barked back at me. They told me not to be headstrong and that we cannot take any more attacks.

(No one can tell me what to do! I am going to do exactly what I want to! I am the captain!)

Just to make my point know I proclaimed, "Cyclops - you ask who blinded you?! It was me, Odysseus, raider of cities. Tell all of my actions, let them fear me!"

As I continued taunting, the Cyclops, he groaned back in response, "Oh no, no - that prophecy years ago... it all comes home to me with a vengeance now!"

Honestly, I could not give two damns about his dumb prophecy. We urged on but I had a weird feeling in my gut, that something I had done today would cost me, big time...

The Queen and I

Why am I so damn loved by women?

Queen Circe is so crazed about me. After getting ship wrecked, yet again, due to the annoyance that is Poseidon, I found myself on the island of Aeaea. I drifted around for a few days but later found the palace. Little did I know how I should have never set foot in there.

I told her of my journey so far and she was empathetic. At first her intention were good, giving me food, a place to rest my head, and gifts. But, even though I felt like a king there, nothing is as sweet as a man's own country, his own parents, even though he's settled down in some luxurious house, off in a foreign land and far from those who bore him.

I told her that she could never win my heart but that only aggravated her. She would not let me out of her sight. I could not even use the bathroom without one of her men near me!!

I knew I had to get out. So, I planned my elaborate escape. In the middle of the night, I fled the castle and stole some old fisherman's boat. I was off, never to see that bewitched woman again.

Free, Free at last!!!!

I have been on this damned island of Calypso for so long. All I want is to return home to my lovely, sweet, beautiful Penelope. Oh how I miss her. It has been way too long since I last laid eyes on her but, I stay strong, fighting for her. Someday I will see you again my dear.

In the nights, true, I'd slept with her in the arching cave - I had no choice - unwilling lover alongside lover all too willing ...

As I balled my eyes out in my normal residing quarter, Calypso found me on the headland, sitting, still, weeping, my eyes never dry, my sweet life flowing away with tears I wept for my foiled journey home, since the nymph no longer pleased.

She called to me, "No need, my unlucky one, to grieve here any longer, no don't waste your life away."

I thought for a moment and realized it must have been a trap, Calypso had some alternative plan like always. So, cleverly I spoke, "I won't set foot on a raft until you show good faith, until you consent to swear to a binding oath!"

She swiftly complied to my order (what a pleasant surprise).

My emotions were everywhere. Should I be happy? Scared? Tiresome? Should I really trust Calypso, for all I know she could break this oath?

I calmed myself down and decided to cling on to my only sense of humanity left. I clenched on my hope. My hope that one day I would return home. My hope that one day I would see Penelope. Calypso was my only possible way to do so.

To set the deal, I lured Calypso back into my cavern, and we lost each other in love. I knew only this action would make Calypso truly adhere to the oath. This was my farewell action. Hopefully she does not go back on her word, I would be devastated.

I've been working on my sailboat, all the live long day

I have a new found source of energy: hope.

As soon as Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more, I quickly dressed myself in cloak and shirt while Calypso slipped into a loose gown.

You know, if I was not with Penelope, I would probably stay here for the rest of my days. Calypso would be a real joy to see, if she were not psycho. None the less, Penelope is my love and nothing will keep me from her, not even Poseidon!!

Next, we planned my great voyage home. She gave me a heavy bronze ax, one only strong men like me could carry.

After our planning, the nymph lead me to the island's outer edge where multitudes of trees grew tall, sky-high, like nothing I had ever seen before. So, I got to work.

I cut twenty in all and trimmed them will my ax, split them deftly straight down the middle to make planks.

Meanwhile, Calypso was retrieving a drill and I bore through all my planks to wedge them snugly.

All wax set and by the fourth day, all work was complete. I even got to take it out for a test ride! The sail was pitched, everything was ready to go. I could not believe that my journey was going to continue after all I had gone through. The struggle is real.

I can see clearly now that Calypso's gone

On the fifth day, the merciful goddess launched me from her dreadful island.

Calypso gave me the special treatment before I left. She bathed me, clothed me in fragrant clothing, and stored rations in my boat. These rations composed of two skins one dark wine, another with fresh water, and Calypso's choices of meats to keep my strength up for the long sail back home.

Zeus was on my side, the winds blew strong tonight. I wedged my eyes open, forever scanning the stars. Here is a picture of this wonderful sight:

I never realized how beautiful and mysterious the sky could be. Some many different stars, I wonder if we could ever visit one. What would it be like up there? Is it ever possible to get off of Earth?

Don't you think it is amazing how a collection of stars can look like a bear or a hunter or even Heracles' belt?