Odysseus and his men wait in the cyclops cave, as Odysseus is curious as to who the cyclops is. As Polyphemus brings in his sheep, he spots the men in the cave.
Odysseus waited for the cyclops Polyphemus inside the cave with some of his crewmen.
Polyphemus had rolled a large boulder in front of the entrance to the cave, which was too heavy for Odysseus and his crew to move.
Odysseus plans to blind Polyphemus by stabbing him in the eye while he is drunk and sleeping in his cave. This is part of Odysseus' strategy to escape from the Cyclops' cave with his men.
Polyphemus places a huge rock over the entrance to his cave.
Odysseus did not kill Polyphemus outright, because then he and his men would be trapped in the cave, blocked by the large boulder at the entrance of the cave.
Polyphemus responds to Odysseus with anger and violence after Odysseus blinds him. He curses Odysseus and his men, calling for vengeance from his father Poseidon. Polyphemus then blocks the exit of the cave, trapping Odysseus and his crew inside.
Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, who hated Odysseus. Polyphemus knew nothing of Odysseus until he found Odysseus and his men in Polyphemus' cave, although he was once told by the sage Telemus that he would be blinded someday by a man named Odysseus.
Odysseus does not leave the cave of Polyphemus when his men ask because he wants to see if the cyclops will offer them hospitality, as is the custom in Greek culture. He also wants to test the strength of the cyclops, believing that only he has the power to move the boulder blocking the entrance. Additionally, Odysseus hopes to outwit and defeat Polyphemus rather than flee.
Only 6 of the original 12 men return with Odysseus from Polyphemus' cave.
The cave that Odysseus and his men found when they landed on the Island of the Cyclopes belongs to Polyphemus. Odysseus decided to stay in the cave until its owner returned. When Polyphemus returned and saw the intruders, he ate Odysseus' men.
The Cyclops, Polyphemus, is inside the cave when Odysseus and his men enter.