Puzzle Description:

the cyclops Polyphemus, being stabbed in the eye by Odysseus (who called himself No One)

#1: Bill Eisenmann (Bullet) on Oct 19, 2022 [SPOILER]

OWWWWW!

I didn't know that about Odysseus. What was his rationale for calling himself that?

Polyphemus asked his name, after catching O. in P.'s cave. Odysseus said that he was No One (sometimes translated to Nobody). Later, O. stabs P in his only eye, so he can't see. P. feels around for the human, but O. has cleverly draped a sheepskin over his back. Later, when the other cyclopes asked P. "Who did this??" P. answered, "No One blinded me and stole my sheep!"

Might be the first sovereign citizen.

The version I read said Odysseus called himself no-man and then described that event as "machinominations" -- that is, the word "machinations" with "no-man" tucked inside. Decades later, the word "machinominations" is almost the only thing I remember from the Odyssey. I really liked that word and thought the translator did a nice job with it.

Fun! I've seen him called several different names, based on the translation of the ancient Greek Outis. :)

Goto next topic

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