Passage analyzed: Book 9, Lines 505-514 (p 437 in The Norton Anthology, 3rd ed.)
In this passage, the Cyclops Polyphemus recalls the prophesying of Odysseus’ visit to his cave. His speech both exemplifies the binary of fate and free will and blurs the line between the two. The seer Telemos Eurymides warned him long ago a man would come to take his sight. Despite his awareness of the danger, the one-eyed giant falls for Odysseus’ clever tricks and can only grumble and groan as the man sails away, just as Eurymides foretold. We watched with bated breath as Odysseus puzzled through his escape and executed it against all odds. By all accounts, it seemed to be his own mind and will at work—all accounts except Polyphemus and anyone else who knew of the prophecy, that is. If Odysseus’ success was prophesied before he even landed on that island, were there any real stakes at all? Did the Fates slip him out of danger, easy as can be?
The passage gives the impression it does not matter either way. Fate and free will complement and substitute one another. Fate is simply a time-skewed rendition of decisions made through free will. Looking back, we do not doubt Odysseus’ freedom of choice. It is only when looking forward we get uneasy. In the Cyclopes scenario, there is actually no significant difference between the two.
You would think knowing the future would be helpful, changing the choices you make and thus affecting your will. But Polyphemus’ knowledge of the future only added to his regrets after the prediction came true. If a stake in his eyeball was inevitable either way, would he not have been better off ignorant?
The knowledge of what was to come did not hamper Polyphemus’ free will. However, it is important to consider the conveniently curated information in the prophecy. The time frame is vague and a name is given without a proper physical description, both of which support Odysseus and leave Polyphemus at a disadvantage. It is almost as if the god who inspired Eurymides to speak was already rooting for the hero and sent down a few select words simply to frustrate the Cyclops. The scenario of fate versus free will would have been further complicated if it were Odysseus who knew of his future exploits, as occurs later when he receives detailed warnings from Circe and the dead Tiresias.
Strong post on a complicated topic. This raises the issue of prophecy (which we’ll pay attention to, once again, when we get to Oedipus!). Prophecies don’t seem to force outcomes; nor do they entirely make sense until after the fact. What, then, is their function, in this world?
I like how you bring up prophesying. I think Fate and Free Will boil down to how they both connect to prophesying. Do prophecies mean Odysseus have Free Will or was his actions already predetermined? And the specificity of the prophesy makes it tougher, Eurymides could’ve said it in general terms but he explicitly says Odysseus’ name. I had a tough time putting this puzzle together. I also like how you put Fate and Free Will in the dimension of time, I always saw Fate as timeless because it already exists but I guess our Free Will decisions brings it back down to the temporal.