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Scylla Hazal Eren 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.
