The Cyclopes

Of all the fantastic creatures to emerge from Greek mythology, perhaps none is more well-known than the Cyclops. With his single eye glowering out from the middle of his forehead, the Cyclops is an image that is not soon forgotten and so has been used in countless stories, films, and other subjects. Almost everyone knows the story of how Odysseus (Ulysses) and his crew encountered the Cyclops Polyphemus on their way home from Troy and how the creature imprisoned them in his cave, only to have them escape by hiding underneath sheep. But fewer know about the rest of the Cyclopes. They don t know how the creatures actually once helped in the battle to create the world, and that they were allies of Zeus and his fellow gods. How did the Cyclopes go from friend to foe? The answer may well surprise you.