Odysseus enraged the Cyclops, Polyphemus, when he and his men plunged a stake into the monster's eye, blinding him forever. However, as their ship sailed away from the Cyclopes' island, Odysseus insists on gloating about his victory over Polyphemus, and he tells the great monster his name so that the Cyclops can tell others which hero it was that bested him. In doing so, Odysseus opens up a whole new can of worms because Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. When Odysseus escapes the Cyclops, Polyphemus prays to his father to avenge him with Odysseus's death, and Poseidon hears. The god, then, attempts to make Odysseus's journey home even more difficult than it already would be. He nearly kills him with a storm after he sailed away from Calypso's island, but Ino saves him by giving Odysseus an immortal veil. Later, when the Phaeacians take Odysseus home, Poseidon asks Zeus to allow him to punish the hero further, but Zeus says no. So, instead, he turns the Phaeacians' ship to stone and sinks it. Poseidon desperately wants Odysseus dead because of what Odysseus did to his son.
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