Scylla in Greek mythology is a sea monster who dwells in a cave on a narrow strait, opposite the whirlpool Charybdis, and she devours sailors from passing ships. She is most famously encountered in Homer’s Odyssey, where Odysseus must choose between losing six men to Scylla or his entire ship to Charybdis.
Origins and Parentage
Scylla’s parentage varies across ancient sources, reflecting her complex and often contradictory mythological identity. In Homer’s Odyssey (Book 12), she is simply described as a monstrous creature with no named parents. Later authors, however, provide different genealogies:
- Hesiod’s Theogony names her parents as Phorcys and Hecate, though some versions say her mother is Crataeis.
- Apollodorus (in the Bibliotheca) says her parents are Phorcys and Crataeis, or possibly Typhon and Echidna.
- Ovid in the Metamorphoses gives a different story: Scylla was once a beautiful nymph loved by the sea-god Glaucus, but the witch Circe, jealous of Scylla’s beauty, transformed her into a monster.
In Ovid’s version, Circe poisoned the pool where Scylla bathed, turning her lower body into a ring of snarling dogs’ heads. This metamorphosis explains her monstrous appearance in later art and literature.
Appearance and Anatomy
Homer provides the most detailed description of Scylla’s physical form. She has twelve feet, six long necks, and on each neck a hideous head with three rows of teeth. Her voice sounds like the yelping of a young dog, but she is a deadly terror to sailors. In later artistic depictions, she is often shown as a woman from the waist up, with a tail or serpentine lower body from which dog heads protrude.
The name “Scylla” itself is thought to derive from the Greek verb skyllo, meaning “to tear” or “to rend,” which fits her savage nature. Some scholars also connect it to the word for “dog” (skylax), reinforcing her canine attributes.
The Strait of Messina and the Myth’s Geography
Scylla is traditionally located on one side of the Strait of Messina, the narrow waterway between Sicily and the Italian mainland. Opposite her is Charybdis, a whirlpool that swallows and regurgitates the sea three times a day. The two are so close that sailors trying to avoid one inevitably fall prey to the other—hence the proverbial phrase “between Scylla and Charybdis,” meaning between two equally dangerous alternatives.
In the Odyssey, Odysseus must navigate this strait. He chooses to sail closer to Scylla, losing six men, rather than risk the entire ship being sucked into Charybdis. Homer describes the scene vividly: Scylla snatches six of Odysseus’s crew from the ship and devours them at the mouth of her cave, their cries echoing as she tears them apart.
Scylla in the Odyssey and Other Literary Works
Beyond Homer, Scylla appears in several other classical texts:
- Virgil’s Aeneid (Book 3) describes Scylla and Charybdis as dangers Aeneas and his crew must avoid. Virgil adds that Scylla is a maiden above and a sea-monster below, with dolphins’ tails and wolves’ bellies.
- Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Books 13–14) tells the full story of her transformation from nymph to monster, as mentioned above.
- Dante’s Inferno (Canto 7) places Scylla and Charybdis in the seventh circle of Hell, where they are tormented for their sins.
In each retelling, Scylla functions as a symbol of inescapable danger and the futility of trying to avoid fate.
Scylla vs. Charybdis: The Choice of Evils
The pairing of Scylla and Charybdis has become a metaphor for a dilemma with no good outcome. In ancient Greek thought, the two were not just physical hazards but also moral exemplars: Scylla represented the lesser but more immediate evil (losing a few men), while Charybdis represented the greater but more distant one (losing everything). Odysseus’s choice to sail near Scylla is often interpreted as a pragmatic decision, though it costs him six lives.
This idiom persists in modern English, where “between Scylla and Charybdis” is synonymous with “between a rock and a hard place” or “caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Interpretations and Symbolism
Scholars have offered various interpretations of Scylla’s myth. Some see her as a personification of the dangers of the sea, particularly the rocks and currents of the Strait of Messina. Others view her as a symbol of female monstrosity, reflecting ancient Greek anxieties about female power and sexuality. In this reading, Scylla’s transformation from a beautiful nymph to a terrifying beast mirrors the fate of other mythological women like Medusa, who are punished for their beauty or desirability.
In art, Scylla is often depicted as a hybrid creature, part woman, part serpent, with dog heads sprouting from her body. This imagery has been used in everything from ancient Greek vase paintings to Renaissance frescoes, and it continues to appear in modern fantasy literature and games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scylla a god or a monster?
Scylla is not a god; she is a monster or a daimon (a lesser supernatural being). In Homer, she is simply a creature of the sea, not worshipped or given divine honors. Later myths, however, sometimes treat her as a nymph who was transformed into a monster, which gives her a more tragic backstory.
How many men did Scylla eat in the Odyssey?
Scylla ate six of Odysseus’s men—one for each of her heads. Odysseus deliberately steered close to her to avoid Charybdis, and she snatched the six sailors from the ship as they passed. Homer describes their deaths in graphic detail, emphasizing the horror of the loss.
What is the moral of Scylla and Charybdis?
The myth is often used to illustrate the idea that sometimes there is no perfect choice, and one must choose the lesser of two evils. It also teaches the lesson that trying to avoid one danger may lead you into another, and that hubris or overconfidence can be fatal.
Did Scylla ever appear in any other myths?
Yes, Scylla appears in several other myths and stories. In addition to the Odyssey and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, she is mentioned in the Aeneid, in the works of the Greek poet Lycophron, and in various later compilations like Hyginus’s Fabulae. Her name is also used for a genus of marine crustaceans (the Scylla genus of mud crabs), though that is a modern scientific naming.
What does “between Scylla and Charybdis” mean today?
Today, the phrase means being forced to choose between two equally unpleasant or dangerous alternatives. It is used in everyday language to describe any situation where both options are bad, and there is no clear way out. It is similar to “between the devil and the deep blue sea” or “caught between a rock and a hard place.”
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