Cyclops

Introduction

In Greek literature and mythology, the one-eyed giant known as the Cyclops is associated with a variety of deeds and histories. In Homer’s The Odyssey, the Cyclopes were cannibals who lived an uncivilised life in Sicily, and in another story, Odysseus escapes from his death by blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus.

In Hesiod, the cyclopes Arges, Brontes and Steropes were the three sons of Gaea and Uranus, and they created the Thunderbolts of Zeus. Later authors claimed that they were workmen of Hephaestus who were killed by Apollo for making the lightning bolt that hit his son Asclepius. The walls of ancient cities, such as those in Tiryns, were said to have been built by the Cyclopes. In modern archaeology, the term cyclopean is used to describe the construction of walls that are not square.

In the fifth-century BC play by Euripides, a group of satyrs provides comic relief as Odysseus and Polyphemus encounter each other. Virgil also associates the Homeric and Hesiodic Cyclopes with the Aeolian Islands and Sicily.

Physical Traits

They were often portrayed as giants with a single eye in the middle of their forehead. They had brutish strength which was seen in their extremely muscular bodies and physicality.

Family

Hesiod (c. 700 BCE), writing in his Theogony, tells us that the Cyclopes were the children of Earth (Gaia) and Sky (Ouranos/Uranus), making them the generation before the Olympian gods.

Other Names

A group of cyclops is referred to as cyclopes.

Powers and Abilities

The Greeks believed that there was a race of cyclopes living in a distant land that did not have law and order. In Homer’s The Iliad, the creatures are described as savage and pastoral. These types of creatures represent foreign societies that did not exhibit the same level of civility. They are giants in their own way and possess extraordinary strength. Many depictions of the cyclops tend to emphasise their slowness both physically and mentally.

The Cyclopes have various talents, and they are also known for manufacturing the lightning bolt Zeus used to throw a weapon known as the Thunderbolt. The cyclopes made the helmet of Hades which made the wearer invisible, the trident of Poseidon & the silver bow of Artemis They were also known for building the enormous fortification walls that still stand in Mycenaean sites. They were considered to be master craftsmen and builders but it was almost impossible to get them to agree to anything.

Modern Day Influence

In 1914, Othenio Abel, a paleontologist, proposed that the one-eyed Cyclopes may have originated from the cave skulls of ancient elephants. He noted that the large central nasal cavity may have been interpreted as a single eye-socket, which would explain the Polyphemus’ origin. These types of animals were known to live in coastal areas of Greece and Italy.

A rare birth defect known as Cyclopia can lead to a child having a single eye. Although this condition is linked to the one-eyed Cyclopes, the actual eye is below the nose. This is different from the depictions of the creatures in ancient Greece.

Apart from this, cyclopes have featured in numerous movies, novels, comics, cartoons and video games either as a negative character or one that is lonely and misunderstood. A cyclops also happens to be the logo of this website as well.