The Cyclopes

The Cyclopes are a race of highly uncivilized beings, from a Greek point of view. Most Greeks of Homer's time were rather snobby and believed that all of those that were not Greek would sound like "Bar Bar Bar" when they spoke, thus created the word '[barbarian]'. The Cyclopes embodied the Greek ideal of the uncivilized barbarian. These were rough and tough individuals incapable of the simplest facets of civilization, such as agriculture or hospitality. The Cyclopes Polyphemos for example is extremely rude to Odysseus and his men, most notably when he eats some of them. He also denies allegience with the gods and society, which the cyclopes are known for not participating in any sort of community or participating in any sort of cultural activity other than ram herding. Constantine Cavafy writes a funny little dialogue/poem entitled [Waiting for the Barbarians, whose relevence to the fall of civilization to Barbarian hordes should be significant for these purposes.