The Cyclops by Euripides

Silenus, a great lover of wine and servant of the god of wine (Bromius or Bacchus) has been captured by the Cyclops, along with a group of satyrs, which he refers to as his children.  The one-eyed, man-eating monster holds them in slavery to tend his flocks.  Cyclops drinks only milk, and eats cheese and goat flesh, when human flesh is not available.

 Odysseus and his crew are misfortunate, and while returning from the battle in Ilium, they are driven by the wind and up on the shore near the cave of the Cyclops.  Silenus agrees to sell them food and drink in exchange for the flask of wine which Odysseus is carrying.  He goes into great raptures over the aroma and taste, and is willing to risk the displeasure of the Cyclops for the wine.  However, when the Cyclops returns, he tries to pretend that Odysseus has beaten him and is stealing the provisions.

Cyclops is delighted to see Odysseus and his crew, because he hasn’t had human meat in some time and is looking forward to gorging himself on it.  After he has killed, cooked and eaten two of Odysseus’ crew members, Odysseus convinces him to taste the wine.  He manages to get the Cyclops thoroughly drunk, and when he falls asleep, Odysseus burns out his single eye with a brand from the fire.  The satyrs are supposed to help with this, but they are cowardly and come up with ridiculous excuses for not being helpful.

Odysseus and his crew escape while Cyclops blindly stumbles around looking for “Noman,” which is what Odysseus has given as his name.  The satyrs are happy to go off with Odysseus, hoping to be reunited with the god of wine.

This was probably an amusing play to watch being performed.  I’m not sure why people stumbling around in drunkenness is amusing, but it is not an uncommon gag in plays and movies.  The glories of wine are extolled throughout the play.  Silenus says it is a “joyless land” where there is no wine, and that wine brings the “oblivion of woe.”

Silenus is also a great one for changing loyalties.  At one point, he tries to convince Cyclops that if he eats Odysseus….including, his tongue…he will become “a monstrous clever talker.”

Cyclops, for his part, recognizes no god as an authority over him, declaring that his belly is “the greatest of deities.”

This is the last play by Euripides in the series I am reading, and I am glad to bid him adieu.  He simply cannot resist nasty comments about women.  In The Cyclops, he states, “Would there had never been a race of women born into the world at all, unless it were for me alone!”