I think that's the point of the prompt / the story here. The Cyclops with two eyes is like the mermaid that can't swim. They come from a lineage where certain things are expected and they are the outliers in need of support. In my understanding the Cyclops likely comes from a Cyclops family but were born with two eyes hence them originally calling themselves a bi-clops and not accepting that just because they look different doesn't make them any less than their peers - again just like the mermaid that can't swim.

Or I might just be overanalyzing an interesting little prompt and story :)

And thus, his shame.