Transcript Cyclops - Greek Studies

Polyphemus, Scylla and Charybdis
Of The Odyssey
By: Rachel M
The Life of a Cyclops,
Cunning Cannibal
• Giants initially banned from the earth
except for the Cyclopes
• Cyclopes were favoured by Zeus
• Zeus gave them nice land with plenty of
food to live on.
• The Cyclops created Zeus’s
thunderbolts
• They were a wild group and dangerous
to strangers.
The Life of Polyphemus, a
Cyclops
• Polyphemus, a giant with one eye.
• Parents: Poseidon God of the sea, and Thoosa, a
nymph
• Cyclops comes from a Greek word meaning
“round eye”
• He lived in a cave with goats and sheep and lots of
food.
• Odysseus wandered into his cave to find food.
(Book 9, 207-225.)
• Polyphemus returned and locked Odysseus and his
men in the cave by moving a boulder in front of
the door.(Book 9, 225)
The Life of Polyphemus, a
Cyclops
• Odysseus lost four men eaten by
Polyphemus.(Book 9, 279-286)
• Polphemus asked Odysseus his name and he
replied “Noman”(Book 9, 360-365)
• Odysseus served wine to Polyphemus making him
drunk and fall asleep. (Book 9, 343-358)
• He poked out Polyphemus’ eye with a spear made
out of a piece of wood.(Book 9, 380-393)
• Polyphemus screamed in pain. When the other
Cyclopes, his neighbors asked what happened he
shouted “Noman is killing me by some kind of
trick!” (Book 9, 394-407)
The Life of Polyphemus, a
Cyclops
• Polyphemus removed his boulder to catch any
person who tried to escape on the sheep.(Book 9,
415-417)
• Odysseus devised a scheme to escape by holding
on to the belly of the sheep as they were leaving
the cave.(Book 9, 419-462)
• After Odysseus safely got back to the ship, they
taunted Cyclops they had tricked him.(Book 9,
473-479)
• Cyclops became enraged and told his father
Poseidon. Poseidon cursed Odysseus and his men.
(Book 9, 480-485)
Polyphemus Passage
‘Cyclops
You ask me my name, my glorious name,
And I will tell it to you.
Remember now to give me the gift just as you
promised.
Noman is my name. They call me NomanMy mother, my father and all my friends, too.’
He answered me from his pitiless heart:
‘Noman I will eat last after his friends.
Friends first, him last. That’s my gift to you’
Polyphemus (a Cyclops)
• This is what Odysseus might have seen
when he first met Polyphemus. He is
showing anger to Odysseus while he is
outside his cave.
http://www5c.biglobe.ne.jp/~amazon66/icons/item003/cyclops.jpg
Polyphemus
• The French painter Odilon Redon painted this painting titled The
Cyclops. In 1914 he used oils and vibrant colors to express
mythological paintings. The Cyclops is peering over a wooded
mountain. Unlike other pictures, the Cyclops appears to be
calm.
http://www.rpgplanet.com/lineage/images/fanart/cyclops.jpg
Odysseus Serves Polyphemus Wine
• Odysseus is serving Polyphemus wine to
get him drunk. This was illustrated by John
Flaxman of France in 1835.
http://www.modjourn.brown.edu/mjp/Image/Flaxman/Cyclops.gif
The Blinding of
Polyphemus
• Cedar Class- Information about painter and date
unknown. This picture is painted on a vase.
Odysseus is blinding Polyphemos.
http://66.90.77.92/image/P31.3Polyphemos.gif
Cyclops Becomes Enraged After
Losing His Sight
• This illustration was taken from Bulfinch’s
Mythology. After Odysseus and his men
stabbed and blinded Polyphemus in his cave
Polyphemus becomes enraged!
http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/bull29.html
The Life of Scylla,
Swallower of Sailors
• Originally a nymph
• Daughter of King Niusus and Phorcys.
• One day Glaucus, converted from a man to half
fish half man, fell in love will Scylla
• Scylla was appalled by his appearance and ran
away.
• Glaucus went to Circe, the enchantress, and
asked for Scylla’s love.
• Circe then fell in love with Glaucus, but
Glaucus rejected her.
The Life of Scylla
• Circe became angry and punished Scylla.
• She poisoned her bath which transformed her to a
sea monster.
• Scylla had 6 heads, 3 rows of teeth and had 12 feet
• Below her waist were the 6 heads of hideous dogs.
• She was unable to move except to eat anything
that passed her.
The Lesser of Two Evils
• Scylla and Charybdis both located in the strait of
Messina.
• Odysseus needs to make a choice to choose
between the two.
• Circe advised to stay closer to Scylla, because she
was the lesser of two evils. (Book 12, 111-114)
• Odysseus chooses Scylla who eats six of his men
(Book 12, 250-257)
Scylla Being Transformed into
the Six-Headed Monster
http://www.uvm.edu/%7Eclassics/slides/c026.jpeg
Scylla the Six Headed Monster
• This picture of Scylla in the water at the
Strait of Messina. It appears is to be an oil
painting of the six headed monster.
http://www.hermespalace.co.uk/Mythology3.php
Scylla and Cyclops Modern Art
http://www.transrealart.com/selection03/odyssey/source/17.html
http://www.transrealart.com/selection03/odyssey/source/18.html
• Scylla the sea monster is at the Strait of
Messina and growling at Odysseus and his
men as they pass. Her arms are ready to
take six of his men for each head as they
pass through
http://webhome.idirect.com/~donlong/monsters/IMAGES/scylla.gif
Circe Poisoning the Sea
• Circe is jealous of Glaucus’ love for
Scylla and his rejection of Circe’s
love.
• Circe proceeds to poison Scylla’s
bath and transforms her to a hideous
monster.
Circe Invidiosa
1892
Oil on canvas
J.W Waterhouse
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
http://jwwaterhouse.tripod.com/paintingsA-D/circe_invideosa.jpg
The Life of Charybdis
Churning Catastrophe
• She was the daughter of Poseiden and Gaia.
• She stole Hercules’ cattle and as her punishment,
Zeus hurled her into the sea converting her to the
monster.
• She sucked in water creating a whirlpool making it
impossible for ships to pass near her
• Her location was across from Scylla and in
between Italy and Sicily.
Charybdis
• This modern painting is trying to show the
whirlpool of Charybdis. It was made in
2001 by Shadowmoon graphics.
http://www.shadowmoongraphics.com/Posters/index3.htm
Charybdis Modern Art
• This oil on wood painting shows a swirl of blues and
greens which represents the whirlpool. In the distance is
Odysseus and his ship of men debating whether they
should go the Charybdis route. Charybdis is being lit up in
this oil painting by a glowing moon. Land is on both sides
and the black rim around the whirlpool is representing
force of its strength.
http://www.transrealart.com/selection03/odyssey/source/20.html
Geography of Scylla and Charybdis
• The Strait of Messina is located between
Italy and Sicily. It is where the monsters,
Scylla and Charybdis is in the story in the
Odyssey.
http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/images/Messina.gif
Bibliography
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Bulfinch,Tomas. Bulfinch’s Mythology. New York: Crown Inc., 1979.
This reference was a very good source, especially for Polyphemus and Scylla.
For Polyphemus it had a good explanation of what happened in his life after he
was blinded.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology-Timeless tales of Gods and Heroes. New York,
New York: Penguin Group,1940. This source was excellent. It explained
Polyphemus’ early life and the transformation of Scylla.
http://www.transrealart.com/selection03/odyssey/source/17.html
This source was very good, it had many pictures about the Odyssey
http://www5c.biglobe.ne.jp/~amazon66/icons/item003/cyclops.jpg- This
source had a very good picture.
http://66.90.77.92/image/P31.3Polyphemos.gif- Good picture of Polyphemus
being blinded.