Euripides' CYCLOPS Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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44 pages - You are on Page 23

And I, poor wretch, drew near with streaming eyes and waited
on the Cyclops; but the others kept cowering like frightened birds
in crannies of the rock, and the blood forsook their skin. Anon, when
he had gorged himself upon my comrades' flesh and had fallen on his
back, breathing heavily, there came a sudden inspiration to me. I
filled a cup of this Maronian wine and offered him a draught, saying,
"Cyclops, son of Ocean's god, see here what heavenly drink the grapes
of Hellas yield, glad gift of Dionysus." He, glutted with his shameless
meal, took and drained it at one draught, and, lifting up his hand,
he thanked me thus "Dearest to me of all my guests! fair the drink
thou givest me to crown so fair a feast." Now when I saw his delight,
I gave him another cup, knowing the wine would make him rue it, and
he would soon be paying the penalty. Then he set to singing; but I
kept filling bumper after bumper and heating him with drink. So there
he is singing discordantly amid the weeping of my fellow-sailors,
and the cave re-echoes; but I have made my way out quietly and would
fain save thee and myself, if thou wilt. Tell me then, is it your
wish, or is it not, to fly from this unsocial wretch and take up your
abode with Naiad nymphs in the halls of the Bacchic god? Thy father
within approves this scheme; but there! he is powerless, getting all
he can out of his liquor; his wings are snared by the cup as if he
had flown against bird-lime, and he is fuddled; but thou art young
and lusty; so save thyself with my help and regain thy old friend
Dionysus, so little like the Cyclops.

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