well against the armies there is that aegis shield,high hp are still high hp, and except for the cripple afflication that reduce AP a lot its not that bad to have afflicitons especially if you can heal them. with some items and healing units affliction do not mean so much. better have all item slots availible and good hp for SC. gorgon for example can die in 1-2 hits if there is not especially high dominion. arther more a psychologic thing those afflication i used to often play with undead and their souless armies....they had afflictions too but hardly stopped them
and if you do not have any good items and cyclops lost his only eye and still is alive you can move him back in a lab and let him cast some rituals and do some research. well, its not that i think cyclops is the best god there is, just i would prefere him over gorgon any day as any strong unit with a bit of good magic res can quickly kill her.