In Greek mythology , any of several one-eyed giants.
In the Odyssey , the Cyclopes were cannibals who lived in a faraway land (traditionally Sicily). Odysseus was captured by the Cyclops Polyphemus , but he escaped being devoured by blinding the giant. According to Hesiod , there were three Cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, and Steropes) who forged thunderbolts for Zeus . In a later tradition, they were assistants to Hephaestus in this task. Apollo destroyed them after one of their thunderbolts killed Asclepius .