Yes, Scylla hunts fish, but not in the way a mortal fisherman would. In Greek mythology, Scylla is a sea monster who devours sailors from passing ships, and fish are part of her domain, but she is not described as a typical predator chasing prey. Instead, she is a terrifying creature who lurks in a rocky strait, snatching and eating whatever comes within reach—including humans. This article explores what Scylla actually is, how she hunts, and what ancient sources say about her diet and behavior.
Who Is Scylla in Greek Mythology?
Scylla (pronounced SIL-uh) is a monster from Greek mythology who lives on one side of a narrow sea channel, opposite the whirlpool Charybdis. The two are so close that sailors trying to avoid one risk being caught by the other—hence the phrase “between Scylla and Charybdis,” meaning between two dangers. In Homer’s Odyssey (Book 12), the hero Odysseus must sail past her. Homer describes her as having six long necks, each with a hideous head, and three rows of sharp teeth in each mouth. Her lower body is hidden in a cave, but her heads reach out to grab dolphins, sea dogs, and—most famously—sailors.
Her parentage varies by source. Homer does not name her parents. Later writers offer different genealogies: some say she is the daughter of Phorcys and Hecate, others say of Typhon and Echidna, and still others say of Triton and Lamia. The most famous origin story, told by Ovid in the Metamorphoses, says she was once a beautiful nymph whom the sea god Glaucus loved. The witch Circe, jealous, poisoned the water where Scylla bathed, transforming her into a monster. In that version, Scylla’s lower body becomes a ring of snarling dog heads, and she flees to the sea.
What Does Scylla Eat?
In the Odyssey, Scylla eats whatever she can catch. Homer specifically mentions that she catches dolphins, sea dogs (likely seals or sharks), and any of the “greater monsters” of the sea. But her most notable prey is humans. When Odysseus’s ship passes, Scylla snatches six of his men—one for each head—and eats them alive, their screams echoing as they are lifted into the air. The poet describes her “long necks” reaching down from her cave to pluck men from the ship. So while fish are part of her diet, she is not a selective hunter; she is an indiscriminate predator that eats anything that comes near her lair.
Later writers add detail. In Apollonius of Rhodes’s Argonautica (written in the 3rd century BC), the Argonauts pass Scylla and Charybdis with the help of the goddess Hera, who warns them that Scylla is “a monster that barks like a dog,” with twelve feet and six heads. The text does not specify her diet beyond saying she devours “whatever she catches.” Some scholia (ancient commentaries) claim she eats fish, but the primary sources focus on her threat to sailors.
How Does Scylla Hunt?
Scylla’s hunting method is not active pursuit. She is a sit-and-wait predator. She lives in a cave high on a cliff, with her heads extending outward over the water. When a ship passes, she lowers her heads and snatches sailors or animals from the deck. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is advised by the witch Circe to avoid Charybdis and sail closer to Scylla, because losing six men is better than losing the whole ship. He does so, and Scylla strikes without warning, grabbing six men in one sweep.
This behavior is more like a trap than a hunt. She does not chase or swim after prey. Her heads act like fishing lines, but instead of bait, they use the ship itself as the lure. The ancient Greeks likely imagined her as a stationary horror, not a roaming predator. This is consistent with her role as a localized hazard in the strait of Messina (modern-day Italy), where the real dangers of rocks and whirlpools were personified as monsters.
Are Fish Part of Scylla’s Diet in Any Source?
Yes, but only in passing. Homer says she catches “dolphins and sea dogs,” which are marine mammals, not fish in the strict sense. The Greek word ichthys (fish) is not used for her prey in the Odyssey. However, later poets and commentators sometimes assumed she ate fish because she lived in the sea. For example, the Byzantine poet John Tzetzes (12th century AD) wrote that Scylla devoured “fish and men alike.” This is a later interpretation, not a classical source. So the answer is: in the earliest and most authoritative text, Scylla eats dolphins, seals, and humans, not explicitly fish. But later tradition expanded her menu to include fish.
It is also worth noting that in some artistic depictions, Scylla is shown with a fish tail or with fish-like features, which may have led to the assumption that she ate fish. But her mythological role is primarily as a man-eater, not a piscivore.
How to Choose Between Scylla and Charybdis (The Mythical Dilemma)
The phrase “between Scylla and Charybdis” has become a metaphor for choosing between two bad options. In the myth, the choice is literal: sail close to Scylla and lose six men, or sail close to Charybdis and risk losing the entire ship. Odysseus chooses Scylla, because the loss of six is better than the loss of all. This dilemma is not about choosing a better option, but about choosing the lesser evil. In modern usage, it applies to any situation where both choices lead to harm, and you must pick the one that causes less damage.
For a curious reader, the practical takeaway is that the myth teaches a lesson about risk management: sometimes you cannot avoid danger entirely, so you must accept a smaller loss to prevent a larger one. This is a common theme in Greek mythology, where heroes often face impossible choices.
Common Misconceptions About Scylla
- Misconception: Scylla is a fish. She is not. She is a monster with a woman’s torso (in later art) and a lower body of dog heads or fish-like scales, but she is never called a fish. She is a hybrid creature, like many Greek monsters.
- Misconception: Scylla and Charybdis are the same creature. They are two separate monsters on opposite sides of a strait. Charybdis is a whirlpool that swallows the sea three times a day, while Scylla is a cliff-dwelling monster.
- Misconception: Scylla is a goddess. She is a monster, though some sources call her a nymph before her transformation. She is not worshipped or revered.
- Misconception: Scylla only eats fish. As noted, her primary prey in Homer is humans and marine mammals. Fish are a later addition.
Safety and Accuracy in Retelling the Myth
When retelling the myth of Scylla, it is important to stay true to the sources. Homer’s Odyssey is the oldest and most authoritative account. Later versions, such as Ovid’s, add the backstory of her transformation, but they do not change her role as a man-eater. If you are writing or teaching about Scylla, avoid inventing details about her diet or behavior. Stick to what the ancient texts say, and note where sources differ. For example, the number of heads varies: Homer says six, while some later authors say twelve. The parentage also varies, so it is best to say “in some accounts” when giving a genealogy.
In terms of safety, this is mythology, not a real creature, so there is no physical danger. But the moral lesson is real: the myth warns against hubris and the dangers of the sea. For sailors in antiquity, the strait of Messina was a real hazard, and the myth served as a cautionary tale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Scylla eat fish in the Odyssey?
No. In Homer’s Odyssey, Scylla catches dolphins, sea dogs (likely seals), and sailors. The word “fish” is not used for her prey. She is a man-eater, not a fish-eater, in the original epic.
Is Scylla a god or a monster?
Scylla is a monster. She was once a nymph in some accounts, but after her transformation, she is purely a creature of destruction. She is not worshipped or given divine honors.
What does “between Scylla and Charybdis” mean?
It is an idiom meaning being forced to choose between two equally dangerous or unpleasant options. It comes from the myth where sailors had to pass between the monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis, and avoiding one meant risking the other.
Why did Odysseus choose Scylla over Charybdis?
Circe advised him that Charybdis would destroy the entire ship, while Scylla would only take six men. Odysseus chose the lesser loss, sacrificing six sailors to save the rest of the crew. This is a lesson in hard decision-making.
Can Scylla be killed?
In mythology, Scylla is not killed by any hero. Heracles is said to have encountered her and killed her in some later accounts, but in the Odyssey she is still alive and active. The myth does not give a definitive end to her story.
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