posture, scattering his puny tormentors, who fled in wild haste, and
hid themselves in the angle of a projecting rock. Polyphemus rose
slowly to his feet, tore the stake from the empty eye-socket, and
flung it from him, still uttering his fearful cries. His brethren
heard him, and quitting their caverns, came flocking round his gate,
to see what had befallen. "What ails thee, Polyphemus," they asked,
"that thou makest this dreadful din, murdering our sleep? Is anyone
stealing thy sheep or thy goats? Or seeks anyone to slay thee by force
or by guile?"

"Friends," answered the afflicted giant, "Noman is slaying me by
guile, neither by force."

"Go to," replied his brethren, "if no man is using thee despitefully,
why callest thou to us? Thou art stricken, it seems, with some sore
disease: pray, then, to thy father Poseidon, and cumber us no more."
So away they went, growling at their broken sleep, and left their
blinded brother to roar alone.

Meanwhile Odysseus had been hard at work, taking measures to escape
with his comrades from the cave. Among the flocks of Polyphemus were
several big rams, with fleeces of remarkable thickness and beauty. Of
these he took three at a time, and lashed them together, side by side,
with osiers, which served Polyphemus for a bed. Each middle ram bore
one of the men firmly bound with osiers under his belly; while the two
outside rams served to conceal that living burden. Last of all
Odysseus provided for his own safety. There was one monster ram, the
leader of the flock, with a grand fleece which trailed on the ground,
like the leaves of the weeping ash. Him Odysseus reserved for himself,
and creeping under his belly hauled himself up until he was entirely