After the plunder and razing of Troy, Odysseus sailed for his home, his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachos... but the gods had other plans. Actually Odysseus was the master of his own fate. The gods loved and protected Odysseus but it was his sad fate to offend the Earth Shaker, Poseidon. Blown off course to the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus sought hospitality from Polyphemas, son of Poseidon . Polyphemas had only one use for wayward seaman; he ate them. Odysseus with great resourcefulness, blinded Polyphemas with a searing hot wooden spear. Polyphemas was so befuddled by Odysseus’s clever talk and potent wine, that when his neighbors (other Cyclops) came in response to his screams, he was too perplexed to explain what had just happened, and they left in confusion instead of staying to help. Odysseus made his escape from the island but Poseidon was to have his vengeance before sorrowful Odysseus was to see his home on rocky Ithaka.