Then the giant leapt up, and tore away the stake, and cried aloud, so that all the Cyclopes who dwelt on the mountain side heard him and came about his cave, asking him, “What aileth thee, Polyphemus, that thou makest this uproar in the peaceful night, driving away sleep?  Is any one robbing thee of thy sheep, or seeking to slay thee by craft or force?”

And the giant answered, “No Man slays me by craft.”

“Nay, but,” they said, “if no man does thee wrong, we cannot help thee.  The sickness which great Zeus may send, who can avoid?  Pray to our father, Poseidon, for help.”

Then they departed; and Ulysses was glad at heart for the good success of his device, when he said that he was No Man.

But the Cyclops rolled away the great stone from the door of the cave, and sat in the midst stretching out his hands, to feel whether perchance the men within the cave would seek to go out among the sheep.

Long did Ulysses think how he and his comrades should best escape.  At last he lighted upon a good device, and much he thanked Zeus for that this once the giant had driven the rams with the other sheep into the cave.  For, these being great and strong, he fastened his comrades under the bellies of the beasts, tying them with osier twigs, of which the giant made his bed.  One ram he took, and fastened a man beneath it, and two others he set, one on either side.  So he did with the six, for but six were left out of the twelve who had ventured with him from the ship.  And there was one mighty ram, far larger than all the others, and to this Ulysses clung, grasping the fleece tight with both his hands.  So they waited for the morning.  And when the morning came, the rams rushed forth to the pasture; but the giant sat in the door and felt the back of each as it went by, nor thought to try what might be underneath.  Last of all went the great ram.  And the Cyclops knew him as he passed and said: 

“How is this, thou, who art the leader of the flock?  Thou art not wont thus to lag behind.  Thou hast always been the first to run to the pastures and streams in the morning, and the first to come back to the fold when evening fell; and now thou art last of all.  Perhaps thou art troubled about thy master’s eye, which some wretch—­No Man, they call him—­has destroyed, having first mastered me with wine.  He has not escaped, I ween.  I would that thou couldst speak, and tell me where he is lurking.  Of a truth I would dash out his brains upon the ground, and avenge me of this No Man.”

So speaking, he let him pass out of the cave.  But when they were out of reach of the giant, Ulysses loosed his hold of the ram, and then unbound his comrades.  And they hastened to their ship, not forgetting to drive before them a good store of the Cyclops’ fat sheep.  Right glad were those that had abode by the ship to see them.  Nor did they lament for those that had died, though they were fain to do so, for Ulysses forbade, fearing lest the noise of their