The Cyclops Polyphemus’ haunting final words in The Odyssey are more important than you think

*Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Odyssey*

One of the most horror-coded moments in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is undoubtedly when Odysseus (Matt Damon) and his men encounter the Cyclops Polyphemus.

In the film, the army head to Cyclops’ island in a bid to find provisions, and they do – there’s a cave full of cheese. Although the men are wary, Odysseus expects the owner to welcome them thanks to Zeus’s Law, a series of sacred obligations which include helping strangers. 

But soon enough they realise their concerns were correct. A giant one-eyed monster climbs into his home and eats two of the soldiers like they’re Baby Bells. They can’t escape from the cave as the Cyclops blocks the exit with a huge rock. 

And so, while it sleeps, they blind the creature and later escape when he lets his sheep out to graze. Since his hand brushes over the sheep as they leave, Odysseus and his crew strap straw to their backs to make it through undetected. 

Once they’re out, the Cyclops spits out more armour from his fallen soldiers, and so Odysseus – presumably in a rage – impulsively shoots the Cyclops again. This causes the Cyclops to lose it and chase them down the hill. 

They manage to escape by the skin of their teeth, although a couple of men who didn’t make the ship are killed. Finally, the monster walks away, but as Odysseus’ counterparts warn, he should’ve shown “mercy”. 

His actions are essentially what lead to his arduous, 10-year journey home. 

What did the Cyclops say?

Prior to their escape, after blinding the Cyclops in the cave, they learn he can talk. He’s heard calling on “Poseidon” for “vengeance”. As one Redditor translates, “He was basically saying ‘father Poseidon, they hurt me bad, avenge me!’”

You see, as Odysseus soon finds out, the Cyclops is Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon. And Poseidon is someone you don’t want to mess with. As one of the ‘Big Three’ Greek mythology gods alongside Zeus and Hades, he’s the god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses. 

By bringing his son to the brink of death, Odysseus earns the wrath of Poseidon himself. The sea god makes his journey home as difficult as possible, throwing violent storms in his path, sinking ships and repeatedly preventing him from reaching Ithaca.

The consequences are devastating. Over the course of The Odyssey, every single one of Odysseus’ remaining comrades dies. Some are devoured by the six-headed monster Scylla, while others are killed after eating the sacred cattle of Helios.

While Poseidon isn’t directly responsible for every tragedy that follows, the incident with Polyphemus sets the catastrophic events in motion. 

How this changes from Homer’s Odyssey

In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus doesn’t just shoot the Cyclops from a distance after escaping. Instead, once safely aboard his ship, he can’t resist boasting about his victory. 

Despite his men’s warnings, he shouts back his real name, revealing that he is Odysseus, son of Laertes, from Ithaca. In other words, he doxxes himself. 

It’s this moment of pride that prompts Polyphemus to pray directly to his sea daddy. Rather than simply asking for revenge, he begs his father to ensure Odysseus never returns home – or, if he must, that he arrives years late and encounters issues along the way. 

What’s the deal with the ‘Nobody’ joke?

You may have spotted talks of this online already, but one thing Nolan left out of his Odyssey is a joke that unfolds pre-attack. Odysseus tricks Polyphemus and tells him his name is “Outis” (Greek for “Nobody” or “No-man”).

So, when he’s blinded, he shouts out to his neighbouring Cyclops pals. But since he’s shouting, “Nobody is attacking me,” they think it’s all chill and don’t come to help. 

It’s one of the oldest and most famous examples of wordplay in Western literature, so when Nolan decided to leave it out, people had questions. 

The filmmaker explained why in a conversation with The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, saying, “It’s a pun. Puns in translation are tough. I tried. It was not possible to work it in.”

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Featured image credit: Universal Pictures