ODYSSEUS
  Did　it　not　gurgle　finely　down　thy　throttle？
  SILENUS
  Aye　that　it　did；　to　the　ends　of　my　fingers。
  ODYSSEUS
  Well；　we　will　give　thee　money　besides。
  SILENUS
  Only　undo　the　skin；　and　never　mind　the　money。
  ODYSSEUS
  Bring　out　the　cheeses　then　and　lambs。
  SILENUS
  I　will　do　so；　with　small　thought　of　any　master。　For　let　me　have
  a　single　cup　of　that　and　I　would　turn　madman；　giving　in　exchange　for
  it　the　flocks　of　every　Cyclops　and　then　throwing　myself　into　the　sea
  from　the　Leucadian　rock；　once　I　have　been　well　drunk　and　smoothed
  out　my　wrinkled　brow。　For　if　a　man　rejoice　not　in　his　drinking；　he
  is　mad；　for　in　drinking　it's　possible　for　this　to　stand　up　straight；
  and　then　to　fondle　breasts；　and　to　caress　well　tended　locks；　and　there
  is　dancing　withal；　and　oblivion　of　woe。　Shall　not　I　then　purchase　so
  rare　a　drink；　bidding　the　senseless　Cyclops　and　his　central　eye　go
  hang？
  （SILENUS　goes　into　the　cave。）
  LEADER
  Hearken；　Odysseus；　let　us　hold　some　converse　with　thee。
  ODYSSEUS
  Well；　do　so；　ours　is　a　meeting　of　friends。
  LEADER
  Did　you　take　Troy　and　capture　the　famous　Helen？
  ODYSSEUS
  Aye；　and　we　destroyed　the　whole　family　of　Priam。
  LEADER
  After　capturing　your　blooming　prize；　were　all　of　you　in　turn　her
  lovers？　for　she　likes　variety　in　husbands；　the　traitress！　the　sight　of
  a　man　with　embroidered　breeches　on　his　legs　and　a　golden　chain　about
  his　neck　so　fluttered　her；　that　she　left　Menelaus；　her　excellent
  little　husband。　Would　there　had　never　been　a　race　of　women　born　into
  the　world　at　all；　unles　it　were　for　me　alone！
  SILENUS　（reappearing　with　food）
  Lo！　I　bring　you　fat　food　from　the　flocks；　king　Odysseus；　the　young
  of　bleating　sheep　and　cheeses　of　curdled　milk　without　stint。　Carry
  them　away　with　you　and　begone　from　the　cave　at　once；　after　giving　me　a
  drink　of　merry　grape…juice　in　exchange。
  LEADER
  Alack！　yonder　comes　the　Cyclops；　what　shall　we　do？
  ODYSSEUS
  Then　truly　are　we　lost；　old　sir！　whither　must　we　fly？
  SILENUS
  Inside　this　rock；　for　there　ye　may　conceal　yourselves。
  ODYSSEUS
  Dangerous　advice　of　thine；　to　run　into　the　net！
  SILENUS
  No　danger；　there　are　ways　of　escape　in　plenty　in　the　rock。
  ODYSSEUS
  No；　never　that；　for　surely　Troy　will　groan　and　loudly　too；　if　we
  flee　from　a　single　man；　when　I　have　oft　withstood　with　my　shield　a
  countless　host　of　Phrygians。　Nay；　if　die　we　must；　we　will　die　a
  noble　death；　or；　if　we　live；　we　will　maintain　our　old　renown　at
  least　with　credit。
  （The　CYCLOPS　enters　as　SILENUS　goes　into　the　cave。　The　CYCLOPS；
  not　noticing　ODYSSEUS　and　his　companions；　addresses　the　CHORUS　in
  anger。）
  CYCLOPS
  A　light　here！　hold　it　up！　what　is　this？　what　means　this
  idleness；　your　Bacchic　revelry？　Here　have　we　no　Dionysus；　nor　clash　of
  brass；　nor　roll　of　drums。　Pray；　how　is　it　with　my　newly…born　lambs
  in　the　caves？　are　they　at　the　teat；　running　close　to　the　side　of　their
  dams？　Is　the　full　amount　of　milk　for　cheeses　milked　out　in　baskets
  of　rushes？　How　now？　what　say　you？　One　of　ye　will　soon　be　shedding
  tears　from　the　weight　of　my　club；　look　up；　not　down。
  LEADER
  There！　my　head　is　bent　back　till　I　see　Zeus　himself；　I　behold　both
  the　stars　and　Orion。
  CYCLOPS
  Is　my　breakfast　quite　ready？
  LEADER
  'Tis　laid；　be　thy　throat　only　ready。
  CYCLOPS
  Are；　the　bowls　too　full　of　milk？
  LEADER
  Aye；　so　that　thou　canst　swill　off　a　whole　hogshead；　so　it　please
  thee。
  CYCLOPS
  Sheep's　milk　or　cows'　milk　or　a　mixture　of　both？
  LEADER
  Whichever　thou　wilt；　don't　swallow　me；　that's　all。
  CYCLOPS
  Not　I；　for　you　would　start　kicking　in　the　pit　of　my　stomach　and
  kill　me　by　your　antics。　（Catching　sight　Of　ODYSSEUS　and　his　followers）
  Ha！　what　is　this　crowd　I　see　near　the　folds？　Some　pirates　or　robbers
  have　put　in　here。　（SILENUS　comes　out　of　the　cave。　He　has　made
  himself　appear　as　though　he　had　just　suffered　a　terrible　beating。）
  Yes；　I　really　see　the　lambs　from　my　caves　tied　up　there　with　twisted
  osiers；　cheese…presses　scattered　about；　and　old　Silenus　with　his
  bald　pate　all　swollen　with　blows。
  SILENUS
  Oh！　oh！　poor　wretch　that　I　am；　pounded　to　a　fever。
  CYCLOPS
  By　whom？　who　has　been　pounding　thy　head；　old　sirrah？
  SILENUS
  These　are　the　culprits；　Cyclops；　all　because　I　refused　to　let　them
  plunder　thee。
  CYCLOPS
  Did　they　not　know　I　was　a　god　and　sprung　from　gods？
  SILENUS
  That　was　what　I　told　them；　but　they　persisted　in　plundering　thy
  goods；　and；　in　spite　of　my　efforts；　they　actually　began　to　eat　the
  cheese　and　carry　off　the　lambs；　and　they　said　they　would　tie　thee　in　a
  three…cubit　pillory　and　tear　out　thy　bowels　by　force　at　thy　navel；　and
  flay　thy　back　thoroughly　with　the　scourge；　and　then；　after　binding
  thee；　fling　thy　carcase　down　among　the　benches　of　their　ship　to　sell
  to　someone　for　heaving　up　stones；　or　else　throw　thee　into　a　mill。
  CYCLOPS
  Oh；　indeed！　Be　off　then　and　sharpen　my　cleavers　at　once；　heap　high
  the　faggots　and　light　them；　for　they　shall　be　slain　forthwith　and　fill
  this　maw　of　mine；　what　time　I　pick　my　feast　hot　from　the　coals；
  waiting　not　for　carvers；　and　fish　up　the　rest　from　the　cauldron　boiled
  and　sodden；　for　I　have　had　my　fill　of　mountain…fare　and　sated　myself
  with　banquets　of　lions　and　stags；　but　'tis　long　I　have　been　without
  human　flesh。
  SILENUS
  Truly；　master；　a　change　like　this　is　all　the　sweeter　after
  everyday　fare；　for　just　of　late　there　have　been　no　fresh　arrivals　of
  strangers　at　these　caves。
  ODYSSEUS
  Hear　the　strangers　too　in　turn；　Cyclops。　We　had　come　near　the　cave
  from　our　ship；　wishing　to　procure　provisions　by　purchase；　when　this
  fellow　sold　us　the　lambs　and　handed　them　over　for　a　stoup　of　wine　to
  drink　himself；　a　voluntary　act　on　both　sides；　there　was　no　violence
  employed　at　all。　No；　there　is　not　a　particle　of　truth　in　the　story
  he　tells；　now　that　he　has　been　caught　selling　thy　property　behind
  thy　back。
  SILENUS
  I？　Perdition　catch　thee！
  ODYSSEUS
  If　I　am　lying；　yes。
  SILENUS　（in　agitation）
  O　Cyclops；　by　thy　sire　Poseidon；　by　mighty　Triton　and　Nereus；　by
  Calypso　and　the　daughters　of　Nereus；　by　the　sacred　billows　and　all　the
  race　of　fishes！　I　swear　to　thee；　most　noble　sir；　dear　little
  Cyclops；　master　mine；　it　is　not　I　who　sell　thy　goods　to　strangers；
  else　may　these　children；　dearly　as　I　love　them；　come　to　an　evil　end。
  LEADER
  Keep　that　for　thyself；　with　my　own　eyes　I　saw　thee　sell　the
  goods　to　the　strangers；　and　if　I　lie；　perdition　catch　my　sire！　but
  injure　not　the　strangers。
  CYCLOPS
  Ye　lie；　for　my　part　I　put　more　faith　in　him　than　Rhadamanthus；
  declaring　him　more　just。　But　I　have　some　questions　to　ask。　Whence
  sailed　ye；　strangers？　of　what　country　are　you？　what　city　was　it　nursed
  your　childhood？
  ODYSSEUS
  We　are　Ithacans　by　birth；　and　have　been　driven　from　our　course
  by　the　winds　of　the　sea　on　our　way　from　Ilium；　after　sacking　its
  citadel。
  CYCLOPS
  Are　ye　the　men　who　visited　on　Ilium；　that　bordereth　on　Scamander's
  wave；　the　rape　of　Helen；　worst　of　women？
  ODYSSEUS
  We　are；　that　was　the　fearful　labour　we　endured。
  CYCLOPS
  A　sorry　expedition　yours；　to　have　sailed　to　the　land　of　Phrygia
  for　the　sake　of　one　woman
  ODYSSEUS
  It　was　a　god's　doing；　blame　not　any　son　of　man。　But　thee　do　we
  implore；　most　noble　son　of　Ocean's　god；　speaking　as　free…born　men；
  be　not　so　cruel　as　to　slay　thy　friends　on　their　coming　to　thy　cave；
  nor　regard　us　as　food　for　thy　jaws；　an　impious　meal；　for　we
  preserved　thy　sire；　O　king；　in　possession　of　his　temple…seats　deep
  in　the　nooks　of　Hellas；　and　the　sacred　port　of　Taenarus　and　Malea's
  furthest　coves　remain　unharmed；　and　Sunium's　rock；　the
  silver…veined；　sacred　to　Zeus…born　Athena；　still　is　safe；　and
  Geraestus；　the　harbour　of　refuge；　and　we　did　not　permit　Phrygians　to
  put　such　an　intolerable　reproach　on　Hellas。　Now　in　these　things　thou
  too　hast　a　share；　for　thou　dwellest　in　a　corner　of　the　land　of
  Hellas　beneath　Aetna's　fire…streaming　rock；　and　although　thou　turn
  from　arguments；　still　it　is　a　custom　amongst　mortal　men　to　receive
  shipwrecked　sailors　as　their　suppliants　and　show　them　hospitality
  and　help　them　with　raiment；　not　that　these　should　fill　thy　jaws　and
  belly；　their　limbs　transfixed　with　spits　for　piercing　ox…flesh。　The
  land　of　Priam　hath　emptied　Hellas　quite　enough；　drinking　the　blood
  of　many　whom　the　spear　laid　low；　with　the　ruin　it　has　brought　on
  widowed　wives；　on　aged　childless　dames；　and　hoary…headed　sires；　and　if
  thou　roast　and　consume　the　remnant；…a　meal　thou　wilt　rue；…why；　where
  shall　one　turn？　Nay；　be　persuaded　by　me；　Cyclops；　forego　thy
  ravenous　greed　and　choose　piety　rather　than　wickedness；　for　on　many
  a　man　ere　now　unrighteous　gains　have　brought　down　retribution。
  SILENUS
  I　will　give　thee　a　word　of　advice！　as　for　his　flesh；　leave　not　a
  morsel　of　it；　and　if　thou　eat　his　tongue；　Cyclops；　thou　wilt　become
  a　monstrous　clever　talker。
  CYCLOPS
  Wealth；　manikin；　is　the　god　for　the　wise；　all　else　is　mere
  vaunting　and　fine　words。　Plague　take　the　headlands　by　the　sea；　on
  which　my　father　seats　himself！　Why　hast　thou　put　forward　these
  ar