Odysseus and his men blinding the cyclops Polyphemus with a sharpened stake. Etching by Taylor, ca. 1790.

An episode in Homer's Odyssey. Polyphemus was the son of the god Poseidon, and one of the race of cyclopes, giant one-eyed shepherds who inhabited the island later identified as Sicily. When Odysseus and twelve of his men made landfall there, they entered Polyphemus's cave and were captured by the giant who ate two of the men. The next morning he devoured two more, and another two for his evening meal. Odysseus gave the giant strong wine to drink; and when the giant fell asleep they put out his eye with a sharpened stake