Euripides, Cyclops
David Kovacs, Ed.

Cyclops
Stranger, take charge of the wine and be my wine-pourer.

Odysseus
At least my hand has some acquaintance with the vine.

Cyclops
Come, pour then.

Odysseus
See, I'm pouring. Just be quiet.

Cyclops
That's hard advice for a man who's downed a lot.

Odysseus
handing him the cup
[570] There: take it and drain it off now. No heel taps. The toper and his wine must end together.

Cyclops
Oh my, how clever is the grapevine's wood.

Odysseus
And if you swig deep after a full meal and drink till your belly loses its thirst, it will put you to sleep. [575] But if you leave some, Dionysus will parch you up.

The Cyclops has a long drink.

Cyclops
Calloo, callay! How close I was to drowning in it! This is pleasure unalloyed. I think I see the heaven and the earth swimming around together, I see Zeus's throne [580] and the whole revered company of the gods. Shall I not kiss them? The Graces are trying to seduce me. No more! With this Ganymede here I shall go off to bed with greater glory than with the Graces. And somehow I take more pleasure in boys than in women.He puts his arm around Silenus.

Silenus
[585] What, am I Zeus's boy Ganymede, Cyclops?

Cyclops
Yes, by Zeus, whom I am abducting from Dardanus' house.

Silenus
Oh, I am done for, my sons! A terrible fate is in store for me!

Cyclops
Do you not like your lover and turn up your nose at one who's drunk?

Silenus
Oh me! My glimpse of the wine will soon prove all too bitter!Exit the Cyclops, with the reluctant Silenus, into the cave.

Odysseus
[590] Come, Dionysus' children, noble offspring, the man's within and soon, relaxed in sleep, he'll belch his meat out from his shameless maw. Inside the hall the fire-brand is ready, sending forth smoke, and there is nothing left to do but to burn out [595] the Cyclops' eye. But now you must show your manhood.

Chorus-Leader
Our hearts shall be like rock or adamant! But go into the house before my father suffers some awful disaster. From this quarter all is ready for you.

Odysseus
Hephaestus, lord of Aetna, [600] burn out the bright eye of this pest, your neighbor, and be quit of him for good! And you, Sleep, child of black Night, come with undiluted force against this god-detested beast! After his glorious deeds at Troy do not let Odysseus, himself and his men, [605] die at the hands of a man who heeds not gods or men! Otherwise, we will have to regard Chance as God and the gods as weaker than Chance.Exit Odysseus into the cave.