How does Homer make the encounter with Polyphemus exciting and vivid?

-Content: barbaric creature: civilisation vs barabarism = key theme of the poem and of this book in particular. Eats men -> grizzly and clearly a tabboo subject (c.f. Iliad: Achilles wants to eat Hector's heart).              - Xenia + impiety-> Polyphemus is disrespectful towards the gods and breaks the convention of xenia (cf later books: suitors destroying Od's home) -Similes:  -like a wooded crest on a lofty mountain                     -visual: gives an idea about how tall he is              - dashed like puppies                      - weakness of the men, pathetic etc.              - eye sizzles like an axe being put in water                       -grizzly, cringeworthy- plays on both auditory and visual senses