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The Supernatural Hosts

When you are invited into someone's home, you expect to be offered a seat and a drink, not to become the main course. In the ancient Greek world, hospitality was a sacred duty governed by the gods.
However, in the Odyssey, supernatural beings test the limits of this cultural norm. Characters like Polyphemus and Circe possess dual natures, oscillating between terrifying monsters and surprising moments of civilisation or care.

Polyphemus: The Barbaric Monster

The Cyclops Polyphemus is initially described as a "monster and a wonder." He resembles a "wooded peak" and lives in "lawless solitude," completely isolated from the established norms of a Greek polis.
His most monstrous trait is his practice of anthropophagy. Over three meals, he brutally consumes six of Odysseus' men, eating them "like a mountain lion" and devouring their "entrails, flesh, and marrow-filled bones."
Furthermore, Polyphemus explicitly rejects the sacred rules of xenia. When Odysseus asks for hospitality in the name of Zeus, the Cyclops mocks him, stating that his kind "pay no attention to Zeus."
He even twists the concept of hospitality into a sadistic joke. He promises a "guest-gift" to Odysseus: the dark promise that he will eat Outis last.

Polyphemus: The Civilised Shepherd and Victim

Despite his barbarism, Polyphemus demonstrates surprising elements of civilisation within his domestic sphere. He is a highly skilled and meticulous shepherd who milks his ewes and "bleating goats" in a careful order, ensuring every mother has its young.
He runs an incredibly "clean dairy" with baskets of cheese and pails of whey. The cave itself is methodically organised, with pens divided strictly by the age of the animals (firstlings, middlings, and the newly born).
You can also evaluate Polyphemus as a victim of a brutal home invasion. The Greeks enter uninvited, eat his food, and later use a heated "olive-wood stake" to blind him in his sleep.
This horrific blinding is described using graphic similes of a "shipwright's drill" and a blacksmith's hissing axe. The pathos of this moment is heightened when the blind Cyclops tenderly addresses his "favourite ram," asking why it is the last to leave the cave.

Students often argue that Polyphemus is entirely uncivilised, but examiners expect you to acknowledge the paradox of his meticulous, highly organised farming habits for top marks.

In 15-mark 'Evaluate' questions, explicitly contrast the two characters: point out that Circe only physically transforms her guests, making her far less monstrous than the cannibalistic Polyphemus.

Use OCR-specific terminology by referring to Polyphemus' lack of a 'polis' and his lack of agriculture as evidence of his 'barbarism'.

Remember that Circe's benevolence is proven by the specific, actionable advice she gives about Scylla, Charybdis, and the Sirens, which directly saves the crew's lives.

An ancient Greek city-state or community governed by established laws and social norms.

The eating of human flesh; cannibalism. A key indicator of a character's barbarism.

The ancient Greek custom of guest-friendship and hospitality, involving the exchange of gifts, protection, and food.

The Greek word for "Nobody," used as a pun by Odysseus to trick Polyphemus and prevent his neighbours from helping.

A character's lineage connecting them to the gods, granting them supernatural protection or influence.

Excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence, often leading to a character's downfall.

A Homeric epithet meaning "knowing many drugs" or "skilled in medicines," used to describe Circe.

A sweet mixture of honey, barley meal, cheese, and Pramnian wine used as a base for Circe's potions.

Magic drugs or potions used for physical transformation or altering a person's memories.

The overarching theme of "homecoming" or the journey back to a native land.

A magical black-rooted, white-flowered herb given by Hermes to protect Odysseus from Circe's magic.

Cunning, "wily" intelligence, or trickery used by Odysseus to overcome his physically stronger enemies.