worse things than these!'

"Then the Cyclops in his wrath brake off the top of a great hill,
a mighty rock, and hurled it where he had heard the voice. Right
in front of the ship's bow it fell, and a great wave rose as it
sank, and washed the ship back to the shore. But I seized a long
pole with both hands, and pushed the ship from the land, and bade
my comrades ply their oars, nodding with my head, for I would not
speak, lest the Cyclops should know where we were. Then they rowed
with all their might and main.

"And when we had gotten twice as far as before, I made as if I
would speak again; but my comrades sought to hinder me, saying:
'Nay, my lord, anger not the giant any more. Surely we thought
before that we were lost, when he threw the great rock, and washed
our ship back to the shore. And if he hear thee now, he may still
crush our ship and us.'

"But I would not be persuaded, but stood up and said: 'Hear,
Cyclops! If any man ask who blinded thee, say that it was the
warrior Ulysses, son of Laertes, dwelling in Ithaca.'

"And the Cyclops answered with a groan: 'Of a truth, the old
prophecies are fulfilled; for long ago there came to this land a
prophet who foretold to me that Ulysses would rob me of my sight.
But I looked for a great and strong man, who should subdue me by
force, and now a weakling has done the deed, having cheated me
with wine.'

"Then the Cyclops lifted up his hands to Poseidon and prayed: