
Polyphemus was the youngest one-eyed giant (Cyclops) son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology. Polyphemus was given a cave on Sicily which he stocked with goats and cheese, while his older brothers lived in larger caves. In 1182 BC, during Odysseus' return home from the Trojan War, he and his Greek warriors landed on Sicily and ate Polyphemus' cheese after discovering his vacant cave, only for Polyphemus to return to his cave and grow angry that the Greeks were eating his food. After covering the entrance with a boulder, Polyphemus ate two of the Greek warriors, scoffing at the usual custom of hospitality. The next morning, Polyphemus killed and ate two more Greeks, and he then left the cave to graze with his sheep. Polyphemus returned that evening and ate two more men, and the clever Odysseus got Polyphemus drunk and gave his name as "Outis", meaning "nobody". Polyphemus promised to eat "nobody" last of all as a guest gift, and, after Polyphemus fell asleep, Odysseus hardened a sharpened wooden stake and drove it into Polyphemus' eye. Polyphemus attempted to cry for help from his fellow giants, yelling that "nobody" had hurt him, causing the other giants to think Polyphemus crazy and recommend prayer as a cure. The next morning, Odysseus and his men tied themselves to the undersides of the blind Cyclops' sheep so that he could not feel them out as he left to graze with his sheep, and, as he sailed off with his men, Odysseus boastfully revealed his real name, causing Polyphemus to pray to his father for help, and for Poseidon to hurl large rocks at Odysseus' ship in revenge.