The Cyclopes
Some of the oldest ancient Greek monsters are the Cyclopes, or orbed-eyed. The most well known is Polyphemus for his part in preventing Odysseus from having a safe return home. The original three are the offspring of Uranus and Ge, Brontes (Thunder), Steropes (Lightning) and Arges (Bright). These monsters are a lot larger than humans and have the characteristic feature of having one eye in the middle of their forehead. They are known for forging thunder and lightning with their power and skill. They were imprisoned deep inside the earth by their father and released by Zeus. They allied with Zeus in the Titanomachy and forged his thunder and lightning for him. Later they became attendants to the Greek god Hephaestus, who also is very skilled in the arts of metal working. Polyphemus Probably the most well known is Polyphemus. He is the son of the sea god Poseidon and a sea nymph. He is mainly known for being the uncivilized monster that Odysseus and twelve of his men encounter. The picture above is of a vase depicting Odysseus and his men blinding Polyphemus. He breaks all of the rules of xenia, guest-host relationship, and even goes as far as eating some of the men. LinksThe Cyclopes
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