"I drew it from the coals and my four fellows gave me a hand, lugging it near the Cyclops as more than natural force nerved them; straight forward they sprinted, lifted it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye, and I leaned on it turning it as a shipwright turns a drill in planking, having men below to swing the two-handled strap that spins it in the groove."
O it shows that the Cyclops is as massive as a ship.
O it shows how skillfully Odysseus blinds the Cyclops.
O itshows that Odysseus used a drill to blind the Cyclops.
O It shows that Odysseus has knowledge of shipbuilding.
The passage you provided is from the epic poem "The Odyssey" by Homer. It describes the moment when Odysseus and his men blind the Cyclops Polyphemus.
From the passage, it can be inferred that the correct answer is:
- It shows how skillfully Odysseus blinds the Cyclops.
Explanation:
In the given passage, Odysseus and his men use a large wooden stake that they heat in the fire ("drew it from the coals"). They then work together to ram the stake into the Cyclops' eye. Odysseus compares his action to that of a shipwright turning a drill in planking, emphasizing his skill and precision. This suggests that Odysseus conducts the blinding with expertise and knowledge of how to inflict the greatest amount of damage. Therefore, the passage demonstrates Odysseus' skillful and clever nature rather than merely describing the size of the Cyclops or his shipbuilding knowledge.