WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.450 [Sounds of the sea] 00:00:15.450 --> 00:00:21.120 Episode 3: My Name is Nobody 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:28.090 [Sounds of the sea] 00:00:28.090 --> 00:00:32.760 We were trapped in the Cyclops’ cave. 00:00:32.760 --> 00:00:35.380 All through that night I paced, 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:37.100 trying to fight off panic, 00:00:37.100 --> 00:00:41.020 trying to think of some way of outwitting this cunning brute. 00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:43.280 The next morning he woke up, 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:45.450 ate another two of my men, 00:00:45.450 --> 00:00:48.090 crunching through their bones, 00:00:48.090 --> 00:00:50.200 smacking his lips, 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:53.390 rolling his great eye as he did so. 00:00:53.390 --> 00:00:56.240 Then he milked the female sheep and goats, 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.340 he pushed the boulder from the cave entrance. 00:00:58.340 --> 00:01:01.280 For a few moments daylight came streaming in, 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:03.710 then he herded his animals outside. 00:01:03.710 --> 00:01:07.340 And once he and they were out in the day, 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:12.970 he put the rock back so that we could not escape. 00:01:12.970 --> 00:01:16.000 We searched the cave from top to bottom. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.200 We found a tree trunk that the Cyclops was drying to use as a walking stick. 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:23.440 With our swords we sharpened one end of the trunk, 00:01:23.440 --> 00:01:27.760 so that it came to a point like a stake, like a fence-post, 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:31.390 and then we hid it under a dung-hill. 00:01:31.390 --> 00:01:36.730 That evening the ghastly shepherd returned with his flock. 00:01:36.730 --> 00:01:38.900 We heard the rumble of the rock, 00:01:38.900 --> 00:01:40.410 in came the beasts. 00:01:40.410 --> 00:01:41.710 He followed them in, 00:01:41.710 --> 00:01:44.410 then he turned and rolled the rock back into its place, 00:01:44.410 --> 00:01:49.020 sealing the cave entrance as surely as a stopper seals the top of a wineskin. 00:01:49.020 --> 00:01:52.250 And he peered at us and grinned: 00:01:52.250 --> 00:01:56.350 “Have you had an enjoyable day?” 00:01:56.350 --> 00:01:58.610 We stepped forward: 00:01:58.610 --> 00:02:02.940 “We little two-eyes have made something you one-eyes have not. 00:02:02.940 --> 00:02:04.850 I have it here in this wineskin. 00:02:04.850 --> 00:02:06.780 If I give it as a gift to you, 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:09.950 would you give me something in return?” 00:02:09.950 --> 00:02:16.200 “Give me your gift and then I will give you my answer.” 00:02:16.200 --> 00:02:20.080 I threw the goatskin of strong wine to his feet. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:22.620 He looked at it, he looked at me. 00:02:22.620 --> 00:02:23.680 Then he lifted it up, 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:28.680 he took the stopper from it and squeezed a puddle into his palm and sucked. 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:32.050 A grin spread across his face, 00:02:32.050 --> 00:02:34.380 terrible to behold it was. 00:02:34.380 --> 00:02:39.130 And then he squeezed the wineskin so that all the wine gushed into his open mouth, 00:02:39.130 --> 00:02:41.180 he threw down the empty skin and said, 00:02:41.180 --> 00:02:43.470 “What is your name?” 00:02:43.470 --> 00:02:45.590 “My name?” I said. 00:02:45.590 --> 00:02:47.180 “My name is Nobody.” 00:02:47.180 --> 00:02:49.640 “Well then, Nobody, I thank you for your gift. 00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:50.800 It tasted good. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:53.940 In return I will give you something precious indeed. 00:02:53.940 --> 00:02:56.970 I will give you a little more life. 00:02:56.970 --> 00:02:58.260 I promise – 00:02:58.260 --> 00:03:01.200 you will be the last one that I eat.” 00:03:01.200 --> 00:03:03.190 And he grabbed another one of my men then, 00:03:03.190 --> 00:03:04.300 lifted him up, 00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:05.360 bit through his neck, 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:08.450 crunched through his skull as though it was an eggshell, 00:03:08.450 --> 00:03:13.360 but as he chewed his cheeks reddened. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:15.990 He began to sway and stumble. 00:03:15.990 --> 00:03:18.490 He put out his hand to steady himself, 00:03:18.490 --> 00:03:20.340 then he lay down on the ground, 00:03:20.340 --> 00:03:22.750 his cheek pressed against the sand, 00:03:22.750 --> 00:03:25.590 his eye shut, his mouth open, 00:03:25.590 --> 00:03:29.780 his lips dripping mingled blood and wine, 00:03:29.780 --> 00:03:33.370 and he began to snore. 00:03:33.370 --> 00:03:36.410 We took the tree trunk from where we’d hidden it. 00:03:36.410 --> 00:03:41.550 We put the point of it into the fire until it glowed white hot, 00:03:41.550 --> 00:03:44.670 and then we lifted the tree trunk, 00:03:44.670 --> 00:03:48.490 the point facing forwards, onto our shoulders and, 00:03:48.490 --> 00:03:49.950 urging each other on, 00:03:49.950 --> 00:03:55.320 we ran at the Cyclops and plunged the white hot point into his eye. 00:03:55.320 --> 00:03:57.290 The Cyclops gave an awful yell, 00:03:57.290 --> 00:04:00.040 he reared up, he pulled the wood from his head with a sucking sound, 00:04:00.040 --> 00:04:01.510 he threw it to the ground. 00:04:01.510 --> 00:04:06.820 The scream of the Cyclops summoned other Cyclopes in other caves in that hill. 00:04:06.820 --> 00:04:07.890 They came running, 00:04:07.890 --> 00:04:10.810 they shouted through the rock in the cave mouth. 00:04:10.810 --> 00:04:12.880 “Polyphemus, what’s the matter?” 00:04:12.880 --> 00:04:14.340 He shouted back, 00:04:14.340 --> 00:04:16.030 “I have been blinded!” 00:04:16.030 --> 00:04:17.900 “Who has blinded you?” they shouted. 00:04:17.900 --> 00:04:18.810 He answered, 00:04:18.810 --> 00:04:21.420 “Nobody, Nobody has blinded me!” 00:04:21.420 --> 00:04:24.250 “If nobody has blinded you there is nothing we can do to help. 00:04:24.250 --> 00:04:27.960 Pray to the gods and goddesses and your sight will be restored to you.” 00:04:27.960 --> 00:04:34.060 And the Cyclopes went back to their caves and their dreams. 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:40.670 All that night we played a horrible game of blind man’s buff with Polyphemus. 00:04:40.670 --> 00:04:43.530 He was feeling his way along the walls of the cave, 00:04:43.530 --> 00:04:46.270 reaching out into the darkness around him, 00:04:46.270 --> 00:04:48.200 uttering terrible threats, 00:04:48.200 --> 00:04:50.590 the blood dripping from his chin. 00:04:50.590 --> 00:04:52.910 We were ducking underneath his sweeping hands, 00:04:52.910 --> 00:04:55.180 gathering wherever we could. 00:04:55.180 --> 00:04:59.510 When at last the bleating of the animals alerted the Cyclops to the coming of the day, 00:04:59.510 --> 00:05:03.070 he felt his way along the walls until he felt the boulder, 00:05:03.070 --> 00:05:04.270 in the cave mouth. 00:05:04.270 --> 00:05:09.390 He pushed it out and then he turned and squatted so that his back stuck out of the cave, 00:05:09.390 --> 00:05:11.360 so that he was facing into the cave. 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.770 He felt the ground until he felt the fences that held in his sheep and goats, 00:05:15.770 --> 00:05:17.710 and he pulled them apart. 00:05:17.710 --> 00:05:19.550 Just as they were trained to do, 00:05:19.550 --> 00:05:23.370 the sheep and goats trotted out of the cave to graze, 00:05:23.370 --> 00:05:25.480 but of course they had to make their way under him. 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:30.670 As they did so he would run his fingers across their sides and their backs. 00:05:30.670 --> 00:05:38.700 You see he was hoping we would try and escape among the beasts and he would be able to feel us and grab us and pull us limb from limb. 00:05:38.700 --> 00:05:41.930 But I had guessed that he would do this. 00:05:41.930 --> 00:05:49.240 And during the night I and my friends had found whatever rope or vines we could and we had tied the sheep together, 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:52.760 one beside the other in groups of three. 00:05:52.760 --> 00:05:56.800 And then each of my men had slid on his back under the belly of the second – 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:57.600 the middle – 00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:59.020 of the three sheep. 00:05:59.020 --> 00:06:02.220 And I had tied the man under the animal, 00:06:02.220 --> 00:06:07.850 so that now the Cyclops would run his fingers over the woolly flanks, 00:06:07.850 --> 00:06:09.950 the woolly backs of three sheep, 00:06:09.950 --> 00:06:12.460 and then he would release them, not knowing, 00:06:12.460 --> 00:06:18.080 under them one of my men was being dragged to freedom. 00:06:18.080 --> 00:06:21.370 In this way all my companions escaped, 00:06:21.370 --> 00:06:22.630 only I remained. 00:06:22.630 --> 00:06:25.550 I had held back a curly horned ram. 00:06:25.550 --> 00:06:27.130 Now I slid underneath its belly, 00:06:27.130 --> 00:06:29.700 I reached up, I grabbed the wool on its back and I shook it. 00:06:29.700 --> 00:06:31.180 It took my instruction. 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:32.930 It trotted towards the Cyclops. 00:06:32.930 --> 00:06:36.590 The Cyclops’ sweeping hands touched the horns on the ram’s head, 00:06:36.590 --> 00:06:38.880 his fingers closed round the ram’s head, 00:06:38.880 --> 00:06:42.210 and the ram stopped. 00:06:42.210 --> 00:06:44.120 “I know you,” 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:45.880 said the Cyclops. 00:06:45.880 --> 00:06:47.970 “You are the leader of the herd. 00:06:47.970 --> 00:06:52.910 The first to leave the cave each morning and munch the juicy grass and yet today, 00:06:52.910 --> 00:06:54.970 when all the others have gone, 00:06:54.970 --> 00:06:57.640 you are still here. 00:06:57.640 --> 00:07:00.750 Why?” 00:07:00.750 --> 00:07:07.440 Under that ram my heart was beating so loud I was sure the Cyclops could hear it. 00:07:07.440 --> 00:07:10.660 But then I heard the Cyclops say, 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:12.600 “I know why. 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:14.980 Yes. 00:07:14.980 --> 00:07:18.780 Somehow you sense I suffer, don’t you? 00:07:18.780 --> 00:07:22.740 You stay here to keep me company. 00:07:22.740 --> 00:07:25.610 Little ram, there is nothing you can do. 00:07:25.610 --> 00:07:27.420 I am blind now. 00:07:27.420 --> 00:07:31.290 I will never again see the sunshine. 00:07:31.290 --> 00:07:35.560 Ram, you must go and graze with your companions.” 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:43.520 And he released the beast and it trotted out and within moments I was blinking in the bright light, 00:07:43.520 --> 00:07:47.480 I was gulping in fresh air after the stink of the cave. 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:48.830 I was free. 00:07:48.830 --> 00:07:51.320 I untied my men from underneath the animals, 00:07:51.320 --> 00:07:55.070 we loaded the sheep aboard the ship and we made our way out of the bay. 00:07:55.070 --> 00:07:59.860 I looked back at this island that so recently had seemed to me a paradise and I could see the hill. 00:07:59.860 --> 00:08:00.990 I could see the cave. 00:08:00.990 --> 00:08:08.920 I could see the Cyclops was still squatting facing into the cave waiting for us to make our move. 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:11.790 And I couldn’t stop myself. 00:08:11.790 --> 00:08:13.780 I had to gloat. 00:08:13.780 --> 00:08:16.650 I put my hands to my mouth and shouted 00:08:16.650 --> 00:08:18.360 “No eyes!”. 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:19.890 The Cyclops stumbled out of the cave, 00:08:19.890 --> 00:08:22.900 he felt the ground in front of himself until he had in his hands the boulder. 00:08:22.900 --> 00:08:24.810 He hurled it towards the sound of me. 00:08:24.810 --> 00:08:26.730 It struck the ocean near the prow, 00:08:26.730 --> 00:08:28.300 a wave rose up and drenched me. 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:29.120 I laughed. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:30.920 My men, they hissed, they shook their heads, 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:32.860 but like a craftsman, 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:37.000 I had to leave my name on my handiwork. 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:41.430 “Polyphemus, it was not Nobody who blinded you. 00:08:41.430 --> 00:08:45.790 Remember this name for the rest of your life of stumbling darkness. 00:08:45.790 --> 00:08:48.280 It was Odysseus who blinded you! 00:08:48.280 --> 00:08:51.430 Odysseus, king of rocky Ithaca, 00:08:51.430 --> 00:08:54.520 ram among sheep.” 00:08:54.520 --> 00:08:56.090 “Father Poseidon,” 00:08:56.090 --> 00:08:57.590 shouted the Cyclops, 00:08:57.590 --> 00:08:58.970 “did you hear his name? 00:08:58.970 --> 00:09:01.270 It was Odysseus who blinded your son! 00:09:01.270 --> 00:09:07.280 Blight his voyage with trial and calamity so that if at last he reaches his homeland, 00:09:07.280 --> 00:09:08.460 let it be alone, 00:09:08.460 --> 00:09:11.170 and unknown and under a strange sail, 00:09:11.170 --> 00:09:17.640 and let him find danger waiting where there should be a welcome!” 00:09:17.640 --> 00:10:01.480 [Closing music]