Polyphemus

Polyphemus was the best known of the Cyclops, the giant one-eyed sons of Poseidon and Thoosa. During his wanderings, Odysseus and his crew landed on the island of the Cyclops, where Polyphemus was living a pastoral life as a shepherd, in search of supplies. Polyphemus trapped the intruders in his cave and began to devour them, two by two. The wily Odysseus gave Polyphemus strong wine and, when he had passed out, drove a huge stake into his single eye, blinding him. Odysseus and his men then escaped, tied to the undersides of Polyphemus' sheep. However, Poseidon cursed Odysseus for his treatment of his son, sending storms and contrary winds to inhibit his homeward journey. Polyphemus also appeared in the story of Acis and Galatea when, as a jealous suitor of the sea nymph Galatea, he killed his rival Acis with a rock.