The Cyclops

This article discusses the find of a rare albino cyclops shark.  The shark, literally, has one eye in the middle of its head.  As one comment said, "it looks like Mike Wazowski." 

What is most interesting, however, is that the article also mentions that other animals - and people - are sometimes born with the same rare condition.  The genetic abnormality that causes it also appears to cause numerous other problems, including brain abnormalities, but the fact remains that something long-thought by most to be completely false is possible.

Homer writes of a group of such people in his poem, The Odyssey.  They are a family of large individuals who all appear to have a fairly low intelligence level.  Polyphemus, the Cyclops with whom Odysseus becomes entangled, falls for a fairly elementary deception - when asked what his name is, Odysseus responds "Noman."  After having his eye gouged out by the hero of the poem, Cyclops' brothers call out to him, "Who has done this?"  Polyphemus' response is, "Noman is taking me by force!"

We know that the Cyclops is large enough to grab two men up in his hands, but we also know that he is small enough to herd and milk goats.  This is not, then, a creature who towers twenty feet over people, but is, perhaps, something a little smaller - nine, ten, maybe even twelve feet.  While such a height is definitely outside the normal development of humans, it is not outside the realm of possibility.  The late Andre the Giant was a mere 7'4" tall, and he could easily detain an average-sized man with one hand.

If, and we know this is true, a living creature can be born with one eye, then is it not possible that such a person could survive?  From what we gather from Homer, the Cyclops was genetically abnormal and mentally unstable, two characteristics that are known to accompany cyclopian conditions.
 
Now, let's take a weird turn and address the fact that the Turkish epic, Dede Korkut, tells a story of a large, cannibalistic cyclops, who lived in mountain caves.  But wait!  There's more!  In Albania, Hajnjeri would regularly invade villages to eat people, and in a remote section of France, the Basque people believed in a vicious, one-eyed giant who lived in the mountains with them, and regularly attempted to steal some of them away for his own consumption.  What is interesting about the Basque people is that they were isolated from all other human contact for centuries -in other words, they had never read Homer. 

But wait, if the Cyclops existed, then are we also to believe that Circe and her abilities existed?  Did Calypso truly have an enchanted island?  Did the crew really turn into pigs?  I'm not suggesting this.  What I am suggesting is that, even if parts of Homer's poem are false, we cannot immediately rule out the rest of it. 

And that is a lesson we can take with us no matter which ancient story we are reading.