Odysseus and The Cyclops In Homer’s epic novel, The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men stumble upon an island full of man eating cyclops, and immediately are shown how the cyclops do not respect the gods, nor their rules of xenia when a cyclops named Polyphemus grabs two of Odysseus's men, kills them, and eats them like nothing. When Odysseus and his crew first arrive at the cyclops’ island they are confused by the way the cyclops acts and tells him that he should “respect the gods” and follow the rules of xenia (9.303). The cyclops laughs in a derisive way at Odysseus’ request and assumes that Odysseus must be a “fool, stranger, or come from nowhere” (9.307). Polyphemus explains that he does not fear nor avoid the gods wrath. Odysseus continues
