Transcript Scylla - WordPress.com

The Odyssey is originally one of two Greek epic
poems by Homer written in 700 BC. This poem
describes protagonist Odysseus’ return from the
Trojan War and struggles to return home to Ithaca.
The perilous journey he faces consist of; the battles
between the Gods, enticing women and mystical
creatures.
One creature Odysseus faced was Scylla, who once
was a beautiful sea nymph, and then turned
ferocious monster, daughter of Phorcys and Crateis.
In Greek Mythology, Scylla resided underneath the
rocks of a certain narrow strait opposite the
whirlpool daemon Charybdis. When ships sailed
too closely to her rocks, they would lose six men,
each ravaged by one of Scylla’s heads. Scylla and
Charybdis both guarded the sides of the Strait of
Messina, between Italy and Sicily.
She is described as a monstrous sea goddess
with 12 tentacle-like legs, 6 heads on snake-like
necks and 3 rows of fangs, and her voice is said
to resemble the sound of yelping dogs.
Scylla’s transformation from a beautiful nymph,
to a monster involves another female sorceress,
Circe. The myth is said to be about a fisherman
turned sea god Glaucus, who fell madly in love
with Scylla.
She didn’t return his emotions and fled from him
into land so he couldn’t follow. Glaucus was
heartbroken and went to seek help from sorceress
Circe, to ask for a potion to melt Scylla’s heart.
Unfortunately after hearing Glaucus’ sweet words
and emotion, Circe herself fell in love with Glaucus.
Circe attempted to flatter him but he declined
emphatically. Rather than becoming angry with
Glaucus, Circe turned her hatred to Scylla.
Circe discovered where Scylla bathed daily and
poured poisons into the pool. As soon as Scylla
entered the water, she became a monster, including
baying dogs at waist level, which barked incessantly.
Scylla stood unable to move, and from that
moment on her loathing and hatred caused her to
destroy everything within her reach. Every ship
which passed by her rocks, would lose six men,
each for one of Scylla’s heads.
The retelling of the meeting between Scylla and
Odysseus occurs in book 12, ‘Cattle of the Sun’, a
section of the poem known as ‘The Wonderings of
Odysseus’, the most famous of the Epic. The main
themes in The Odyssey are strongly reflected in
book 12.
It’s fascinating to note the sorceress Circe is
involved in both the transformation of Scylla into a
monster, and her involvement in warning Odysseus
how to sail passed her rocks.
Circe, due to her love of Glaucus, has destroyed
Scylla’s life in a mission of hate and revenge, and
her love of Odysseus has shown her complicated
personality where she aids him even though he’s
leaving her. Conversely she helps Odysseus survive
the wrath of Scylla and Charybdis. Charybdis was
also a sea nymph, as well as the daughter of
Poseidon; in which Zeus transformed her into a
dangerous whirlpool opposite of Scylla.
Sailing passed Scylla and Charybdis calls for
excellent leadership skills from Odysseus. Circe has
advised him to avoid whirlpool Charybdis and even
though against his warrior instinct to fight the
beast, he must continue to row in order for the
majority of his crew to survive. Odysseus is aware
he will lose six men to a horrific death, of being
ravaged by Scylla, and selects a well-considered
knowing risk; some loss of life is inevitable.
The loss of six men to Scylla, even though the most
tactically astute was the most heart wrenching
experience for Odysseus in all his wonderings. The
six men all cursed him to their death.
Odysseus’ dedication and loyalty to his crew and
theirs in return, his perseverance shows the idea
that appearance and reality are two very different
entities.
Scylla is but one of the many obstacles placed
before Odysseus, on his 10 year journey to
resume to his wife Penelope and son
Telemachus.