The Cyclops (567-625)

Well, at any rate the grape is no stranger to my hand.

Come, pour it in.

In it goes! keep silence, that is all.

A difficult task when a man is deep in his cups.

Here, take and drink it off; leave none.

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Thou must be silent[*] and only give in when the liquor does.

God wot! it is a clever stock that bears the grape.

Aye, and if thou but swallow plenty of it after a plentiful meal, moistening thy belly till its thirst is gone, it will throw thee into slumber;

but if thou leave aught behind, the Bacchic god will parch thee for it.

Ha! ha! what a trouble it was getting out! This is pleasure unalloyed; earth and sky seem whirling round together; I see the throne of Zeus

and all the godhead’s majesty. Kiss thee! no! There are the Graces trying to tempt me. I shall rest well enough with my Ganymede here; yea, by the Graces, right fairly.

What! Cyclops, am I Ganymede, Zeus’s minion?

(attempting to carry him into the cave.) To be sure, Ganymede whom I am carrying off from the halls of Dardanus.

I am undone, my children; outrageous treatment waits me.

Dost find fault with thy lover? dost scorn him in his cups?

Woe is me! most bitter shall I find the wine ere long. [Exit Silenus, dragged away by Cyclops.

Up now, children of Dionysus, sons of a noble sire, soon will yon creature in the cave, relaxed in slumber as ye see him, spew from his shameless maw the meat. Already the brand inside his lair is vomiting a cloud of smoke; and the only reason we prepared it was to burn

the Cyclops’ eye; so mind thou quit thee like a man.

I will have a spirit as of rock or adamant; but go inside, before my father suffers any shameful treatment; for here thou hast things ready.

O Hephaestus, lord of Aetna, rid thyself for once and all of a troublesome neighbour

by burning his bright eye out. Come, Sleep, as well, offspring of sable Night, come with all thy power on the monster god-detested; and never after Troy’s most glorious toils destroy Odysseus and his crew

by the hands of one who recketh naught of God or man; else must we reckon Chance a goddess, and Heaven’s wall inferior to hers. [Odysseus re-enters the cave.