Polyphemus'+neighbor

=Adelphos, Polyphemus' neighbor=

Vengeance of the Cyclops
Although we possess much brute strength and look like giant one-eyed monsters, the Cyclops are a very civilized group. As one of the few Cyclops, I work in the fields all day long, tend to my sheep, and create thunderbolts for Zeus. By the end of the day, all I want to do is lie down and enjoy the evening.

One fateful day, I was robbed of my relaxation when my normally friendly and hardworking neighbor, Polyphemus, woke me up with his yelling and screaming. I groggily ran outside, upholding the Cyclops' unwritten pact about our close bond in society, to find blood pouring out of a gaping hole in Polyphemus' eye.

I questioned him, "Who attacked you; where is he?" As these thoughts swarmed my head, Polyphemus told me "nobody" was killing him. I stood there a bit stunned for a bit as I gathered my thoughts and then began to think he was just drunk and stabbed himself in the eye with a hot olive branch; after all I could smell the heady wine. I went back to my cave to go to bed, but he was still crying like a teething baby and I could not fall asleep for the whole night.

I woke up the next day feeling extremely tired and dreaded the idea of working under the hot sun with almost no energy left after a terrible night of sleep, but suddenly I heard Polyphemus screaming down by the beach. I ran through the fields to see what the buffoon was up to and to make sure he would not hurt himself or any of the other people. He was tossing boulders and begging Poseidon to make 'their' trip home miserable. Confused and a bit scared, I slowly crept behind him as I uprooted a tree off the ground for safety in case he would attack me. He was thrashing madly and stomping on the ground. He turned to me and yelled, "Who dares disturb me in my attempts to get back at that infernal Odysseus?"

"It is I, Adelphos! Who is this Odysseus you speak of?" I responded. = = "A human drugged me last night and blinded me with a burnt olive stake! I can not see anymore, and I will be unable to complete my chores and forge Zeus' thunderbolts!" he explained. = = = = He turned and pointed towards the sea at a small boat sailing away, continuing to explain that inside was a crew of humans who had escaped from his cave that morning and set sail as he let his flock leave the cave for grazing. I ignored his last comments though and immediately thought of the tender, tasty human meat and my mouth suddenly began to water. I snapped back to reality and discerned that humans were only a rare delicacy that we Cyclops lose our minds and civilized personalities over.

= = In a short time, I began to understand that someone in fact had actually poked the brute's eye out the night before. Odysseus had also taken a number of Polyphemus' best sheep. Now, my friends and I have to work extra hours to make up Polyphemus' quota of thunderbolts for Zeus, tend to Polyphemus' remaining sheep, and also take care of poor Polyphemus.

= = All Cyclops were born with revenge instilled in our hearts. Before this cursed Odysseus came, the Cyclops lived in a small peaceful community, but now, we fear the worst from Zeus if we do not meet up with his thunderbolt necessities. The community will pray to Poseidon, Polyphemus' god, to avenge Polyphemus' eye by making Odysseus expiate for his crimes. We, as the Cyclops, will attempt to exceed the quota in hopes that Zeus will one day grant our wishes to destroy Odysseus and to one day maybe heal Polyphemus' eye. = = = =