Final answer:
Odysseus doesn't kill the Cyclops right away in Homer's The Odyssey because he needs the Cyclops, named Polyphemus, to move the boulder blocking the entrance of his cave. Instead, Odysseus blinds the Cyclops and waits for an opportunity to escape.
Step-by-step explanation:
Odysseus doesn't kill the Cyclops right away in Homer's The Odyssey because he needs the Cyclops, named Polyphemus, to move the boulder blocking the entrance of his cave. If Odysseus kills the Cyclops immediately, he and his men will be trapped inside. Therefore, Odysseus devises a plan to blind the Cyclops and wait until the morning to escape.
By blinding Polyphemus, Odysseus weakens him and gains the advantage. This allows him to outsmart the Cyclops and saves the lives of his crew. Additionally, killing the Cyclops right away would go against the idea of guest-friendship, an important concept in Greek culture, which Odysseus wants to uphold.
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