THE CYCLOPS
the soft bloom of a lovely girl 500
with gleaming hair, sweet with oil!
who cries: "Who'll open me the door?"
Cyclops
Mamama. Am I crammed with wine!
How I love the fun of a feast!
The hold of my little dory 505
is stuSed right up to the gunwales!
This marvelous meal reminds me:
I should go feast in the soft spring
with my brothers, the Cyclopes.
Here, here, my friend, hand me the flask. 510
Second semichorus
O the flash of a handsome Eye!
Handsome himself comes from his house.
Handsome the groom, Handsome the lover!
A soft bride burns for this groom; 515
she burns in the cool of the cave!
And soon we shall wreathe his head
with a wreath of reddest flowers!
Odysseus
Listen, Cyclops. I've spent a lot of time
with this drink of Bacchus I gave you. 520
Cyclops
What sort of god is this Bacchus held to be?
Odysseus
Best of all in blessing the lives of men.
Cyclops
(Belching.)
At least he makes very tasty belching.
Odysseus
That's the kind of god he is: hurts no one,
275