As the brave king Odysseus sets foot in the large cave, the light source is suddenly distorted and an enormous boulder in rolled in front of the entrance. As the torch light reaches the top of the cave, a grotesque image is revealed. A man shaped creature standing higher than the mast of a boat sporting only one eye the size of three men. Gradually, his gaze falls upon the clever king, striking fear into the heart of his men [1].
It isn't hard to sympathize with their fear because anybody in their position would have to be on the brink of insanity. With many forms of this beast being found through out history, it has become one of the most recognized mythological creatures of all.
Origin: The story of the cyclops originated in ancient Greek, dating back before 700 B.C. [2]. One of the first written accounts was in Homer's tragic poem, The Odyssey.
Appearance: The cyclops usually has many features that human men have, except that they are multiplied in size by the hundreds. Sometimes, they are pictured to be covered in hair from head to toe. They one redeeming feature that remains constant in the one eye set in the center of the monsters face, earning it the name of cyclops.
Influences on Modern Day: The cyclops is featured in almost every fantasy novel that is worth reading. It is also featured on many of todays video games as well. There mustn't be a soul out in the cold war that has survived without knowing or hearing of the cyclops.
[1] Homer. "The Odyssey". Approx. 700 B.C.
[2] Wikipedia: Cyclops
