Now Odysseus tells his own story. And it begins with a cave, and a giant with one eye.
The Odyssey · B1
Book Nine: The Cyclops
Told to, on his own, too many, make him do, got drunk, called, who blinded, each other, as soon as, managed to: B1 grammar for the most famous trick in the Odyssey.
👁️ Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are Odysseus.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
MARCOS
Nobody! Nobody!
The story
After Homer’s Odyssey
Odysseus and twelve men went into a huge cave. The Cyclops Polyphemus lived there on his own. He came home, rolled a great stone across the door, and ate two of the men. There were too many of them to fight him.
Odysseus gave him strong wine, and he got drunk. “What are you called?” he asked. “My name is Nobody.” While he slept, they blinded him with a burning stake. “Nobody is hurting me!” he shouted, so the other Cyclopes told him to be quiet.
In the morning, the men hid under the sheep, tied to each other in threes. As soon as the Cyclops let the flock out, they managed to escape. As they sailed away, Odysseus shouted his real name. That was a mistake.
Told to; make him; managed to
DEMETRIA
The Cyclopes told him to be quiet. You can’t make him drink. They managed to escape.
SOPHIA
tell + person + to + verb. make + person + base verb. manage to + verb = succeed after difficulty.
On his own; too many; each other
PHILO
He lived on his own. There were too many sheep. They were tied to each other.
SOPHIA
on my / his own = alone. too many + countable. each other for two people doing the same to one another.
Got drunk; called; as soon as; who
MARCOS
He got drunk. What are you called? As soon as he opened the door, they escaped. Who blinded you?
SOPHIA
get + adjective = become. be called = be named. as soon as = immediately after. Who as subject: no did.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| tell + person + to; make + person + verb | orders; forcing | They told him to be quiet. |
| manage to; as soon as | succeed; immediately after | They managed to escape. |
| on his own; too many; each other | alone; excess; reciprocal | tied to each other |
| get drunk; be called; Who + verb? | become; name; subject question | Who blinded you? |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. The Cyclopes told him ___ quiet.
2. He lived ___.
3. There were ___ sheep to count.
4. You can’t make him ___ the wine.
5. He drank the wine and ___ drunk.
6. What are you ___?
B · Write
Write the missing word or words.
7. Who you? (blind, past)
8. They were tied to each .
9. As as the door opened, they escaped.
10. They managed escape.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “Who did blind you?”
12. “They managed to escape.”
13. “He made them to stay.”
Now play Book Nine yourself!Play the gamebook →