Cyclopes

Cyclopes are not a single people with one biography, but several related mythological images. In Hesiod they help Zeus obtain thunder and lightning, while in the Odyssey Polyphemus appears as a wild giant shepherd opposed by Odysseus' cunning.

Polyphemus and Odysseus

The episode with Polyphemus is built on the clash between strength and intelligence. Odysseus calls himself Nobody, blinds the giant and escapes under the bellies of rams, but then reveals his name and brings Poseidon's anger upon himself.

Additional sources and visual checks

Cyclopes should be separated into Homer's Polyphemus, divine craftsmen and later literary variants. Since there is no strong local image set, the article is strengthened through textual sources rather than random pictures.

For source checks: - Perseus Digital Library - LIMC online - Beazley Archive

Related topics

• Odyssey
• Greco-Roman Mythology

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