Skylla

Σκυλλη

Scylla

The Beast With Six Heads

Skylla (Scylla) is the six-headed daughter of the Roaring Goddess Hekate (Hecate), who is also known as Krataiis (Crataeis) meaning Blind or Brute Force. Skylla has been appropriately referred to as a plague to mortals.

Skylla and Charybdis are almost always mentioned together because they live on opposite sides of the Straits of Messenia between Italy and Sicily. Skylla is a six-headed, snakelike monster that will swoop down and snatch sailors from the decks of passing ships. Charybdis is in the form of a whirlpool that alternately sucks down and spews out the waters of the straits to destroy passing ships.

There are two towering rocks called the Rovers which clash together to destroy passing ships and Skylla makes her home in the most lofty of the two peaks. Her rocky habitat is always shrouded in clouds ... no sunlight ever reaches the summit and no mortal man can climb the sheer rock-face or even shoot an arrow to such a height. Skylla has misshapen twelve feet and six long necks ... each neck has a head with three rows of sharp teeth. She keeps her lower torso in her cave and uses her long neck to feed on dolphins, dogfish and larger creatures of the sea ... unknowing travelers spice up her diet because few ships have ever sailed past her without loss of life. She makes a horrible sound that is no louder than the whine of a puppy but not even the Immortals can look upon her without dread. Skylla is the offspring of Phorkys and the Roaring Goddess, Hekate (Hecate).

A generation before the fateful encounter with Odysseus, Jason and the Argonauts were forced to sail between Skylla and Charybdis but, with the help of Hera and Thetis, the Argonauts were spared death and destruction from either of the monsters.

When Odysseus and his men sailed from the island of Aiaia (Aeaea), the goddess Kirke (Circe) privately warned Odysseus that if he sailed too close to Skylla she would attack and eat his crew. Also, if he sailed too close to Charybdis he would surely be caught when she sucked down the sea in her regular routine. Kirke told Odysseus that he could quickly sail past Skylla and suffer a few losses or he could linger and fight, thus loosing the entire crew to Charybdis. Odysseus wanted to fight Skylla and then try to flee before Charybdis rose to action but Kirke scolded him and said he must yield to her counsel ... Odysseus wisely took her advice. However, he did not warn his crew of the dangers they faced because Kirke said it would do no good ... Skylla was bloodthirsty and she would have her way ... warning the crewmembers would only cause fear and panic but in no way alter their inevitable deaths.

When Odysseus and his brave crew came to the precincts of Skylla and Charybdis, they gave Charybdis a wide berth and sailed near Skylla's rocky abode. Odysseus put on his finest armor and stood with two spears scanning the rock-face for any sign of the dreaded beast. Despite his vigilance, Odysseus was still taken by surprise. While Charybdis kept their attention with her gushing and sputtering, Skylla swooped down unseen and snatched up six of the crewmen. Their legs and torsos were dangling from Skylla's mouths as she lifted them to her cave to eat them. They screamed for Odysseus and begged for help but he stood helpless on the deck with the rest of the terrified crew. Odysseus said it was the most pitiful scene his long suffering eyes had ever seen.

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Skylla in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line from four different translations)

Richmond Lattimore

• 12.085 - Circe: "... from the hollow ship no vigorous young man with a bow could shoot to the hole in the cliffside. In that cavern Skylla lives, whose howling is terror. Her voice indeed is only as a new-born puppy could make, but she herself is an evil monster."
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• 12.109 - Circe: "May you not be there when she (Charybdis) sucks down water, for not even the Earthshaker could rescue you out of that evil. But sailing your ship swiftly drive her past and avoid her, and make for Skylla's rock instead, since it is far better to mourn six friends lost out of your ship than the whole company."
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• 12.125 - Circe: "I fear that she will make another outrush and catch you with all her heads, and snatch away once more the same number of men. Drive by as hard as you can, but invoke Krataiis. She is the mother of Skylla and bore this mischief for mortals."
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• 12.223 - Odysseus: "I had not yet spoken of Skylla, a plague that could not be dealt with, for fear my companions might be terrified and give over their rowing, and take cover inside the ship."
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• 12.230 - Odysseus: "I put on my glorious armor and, taking up two long spears in my hands, I stood bestriding the vessel's foredeck at the prow, for I expected Skylla of the rocks to appear first from that direction, she who brought pain to my companions."
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• 12.235 - Odysseus: "So we sailed up the narrow strait lamenting. On one side was Skylla, and on the other side was shining Charybdis, who made her terrible ebb and flow of the sea's water."
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• 12.245 - Odysseus: "We in fear of destruction kept our eyes on Charybdis, but meanwhile Skylla out of the hollow vessel snatched six of my companions, the best of them for strength and hand's work."
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• 12.261 - Odysseus: "Now when we had fled away from the rocks and dreaded Charybdis and Skylla, next we made our way to the excellent island ... of the Sun God, Hyperion."
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• 12.310 - Odysseus: "But when they had put away their desire for eating and drinking, they remembered and they cried for their beloved companions whom Skylla had caught out of the hollow ship and eaten."
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• 12.430 - Odysseus: "All that night I was carried along, and with the rising of the sun I came to the sea rock of Skylla, and dreaded Charybdis."
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• 12.445 - Odysseus: "But the Father of Gods and men did not let Skylla see me again, or I could not have escaped from sheer destruction."
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• 23.327 - He (Odysseus) told (Penelope) how he had heard the song of the echoing Sirens, and made his way to the Roving Rocks and dreaded Charybdis and Skylla, whom no men ever yet have escaped without damage.

Loeb Classical Library

• 12.085 - Circe: "Not even a man of great strength could shoot an arrow from the hollow ship so as to reach into that vaulted cave. In it dwells Scylla, yelping terribly. Her voice to be sure is only as loud as the voice of a whelp, but she herself is an evil monster."
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• 12.109 - Circe: "May you not be there when she (Charybdis) sucks it (the sea) down, for no one could save you from ruin, no, not even the Earth-shaker. Instead, draw very close to Scylla's cliff, and drive your ship past quickly: for it is far better to mourn six comrades in your ship than all together."
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• 12.125 - Circe: "I fear that she may again dart forth to attack you with as many heads and seize as many men as before. Instead, row past with all your might, and call upon Crataeis, the mother of Scylla, who bore her for a plague to mortals."
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• 12.223 - Odysseus: "But of Scylla I did not speak, an unpreventable disaster, for fear that my comrades, seized with terror, should cease from rowing and huddle together in the hold."
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• 12.230 - Odysseus: "When I had put on my glorious armor and grasped in my hand two long spears, I went to the foredeck of the ship, from where I expected that Scylla of the rock would first be seen, who was to bring ruin to my comrades."
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• 12.235 - Odysseus: "We then sailed on up the narrow strait with wailing. For on one side lay Scylla and on the other divine Charybdis terribly sucked down the salt water of the sea."
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• 12.245 - Odysseus: "So we looked towards her (Charybdis) and feared destruction; but meanwhile Scylla seized from out the hollow ship six of my comrades who were the best in strength and in might."
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• 12.261 - Odysseus: "Now when we had escaped the rocks, and dread Charybdis and Scylla, soon then we came to the perfect island of the god ... Helios Hyperion."
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• 12.310 - Odysseus: "But when they had put from them the desire of food and drink, then they fell to weeping, as they remembered their dear comrades whom Scylla had snatched out of the hollow ship and devoured."
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• 12.430 - Odysseus: "All night long was I borne, and at the rising of the sun I came to the cliff of Scylla and to dread Charybdis."
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• 12.445 - Odysseus: "But as for Scylla, the father of gods and men did not allow her again to catch sight of me; never otherwise should I have escaped utter destruction."
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• 23.327 - (Odysseus told Penelope) how he had heard the voice of the Sirens, who sing unceasingly, and had come to the Planctae, and to dread Charybdis, and to Scylla, from whom never yet had men escaped unscathed.

Robert Fagles

• 12.094 - Circe: "No rugged young archer could hit that yawning cave with a winged arrow shot from off the decks. Scylla lurks inside it—the yelping horror, yelping, no louder then any sucking pup but she's a grisly monster, I assure you."
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• 12.109 - Circe: "No mariners yet can boast they've raced their ship past Scylla's lair without some mortal blow—with each of her six heads she snatches up a man from the dark-prowed craft and whisks him off."
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• 12.119 - Circe: "Don't be there when the whirlpool (Charybdis) swallows down—not even the earthquake god could save you from disaster. No, hug Scylla's crag—sail on past her—top speed! Better by far to lose six men and keep your ship than lose your entire crew."
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• 12.134 - Circe: "I fear that she'll lunge out again with all six heads and seize as many men. No, row for your lives, invoke Brute Force, I tell you, Scylla's mother—she spawned her to scourge mankind."
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• 12.242 - Odysseus: "No mention of Scylla—how to fight that nightmare?—for fear the men would panic, desert their oars and huddle down and stow themselves away."
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• 12.250 - Odysseus: "I donned my heroic armor, seized long spears in both hands and marched out on the half-deck, forward, hoping from there to catch the first glimpse of Scylla, ghoul of the cliffs, swooping to kill my men."
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• 12.254 - Odysseus: "Now wailing in fear, we rowed on up those straits, Scylla to starboard, dreaded Charybdis off to port, her horrible whirlpool gulping the sea-surge down."
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• 12.264 - Odysseus: "But now, fearing death, all eyes fixed on Charybdis—now Scylla snatched six men from our hollow ship, the toughest, strongest hands I had."
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• 12.276 - Odysseus: "So now they (the men Scylla had caught) writhed, gasping as Scylla swung them up her cliff and there at her cavern's mouth she bolted them down raw—screaming out, flinging their arms towards me, lost in that mortal struggle ..."
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• 12.283 - Odysseus: "But now, at last, putting the Rocks, Scylla and dread Charybdis far astern, we quickly reached the good green island of the Sun ... Helios, lord Hyperion."
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• 12.335 - Odysseus: "Once they'd put aside their desire for food and drink, they recalled our dear companions, wept for the men that Scylla plucked from the hollow ship and ate alive."
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• 12.464 - Odysseus: "All night long I was rushed back and then at break of day I reached the crag of Scylla and dire Charybdis' vortex."
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• 12.482 - Odysseus: "And the father of men and gods did not let Scylla see me, else I'd have died on the spot—no escape from death."
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• 23.371 - He (Odysseus) told (Penelope) how he caught the Sirens' voices throbbing in the wind and how he had scudded past the Clashing Rocks, past grim Charybdis, past Scylla—whom no rover had ever coasted by, home free.

Robert Fitzgerald

• 12.103 - Kirke: "... your master bowman, shooting from the deck, would come short of the cavemouth with his shaft; but that is the den of Skylla, where she yaps abominably, a newborn whelp's cry, though she is huge and monstrous."
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• 12.128 - Kirke: "If you come upon her (Kharybdis) then the god who makes the earth tremble could not save you. No, hug the cliff of Skylla, take your ship through on a racing stroke. Better to mourn six men than to lose them all, and the ship, too."
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• 12.134 - Odysseus: "Only instruct me, goddess, if you will, how if possible, can I pass Kharybdis, or fight off Skylla when she raids my crew?"
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• 12.289 - Odysseus: "I told them nothing, as they could do nothing. They would have dropped their oars again, in panic, to roll for cover under the decking."
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• 12.302 - Odysseus: "And all this time, in travail, sobbing, gaining on the current, we rowed into the strait—Skylla to port and on our starboard beam Kharybdis, dire gorge of the salt sea tide."
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• 12.317 - Odysseus: "My men all blanched against the gloom, our eyes were fixed upon that yawning mouth in fear of being devoured. Then Skylla made her strike, whisking six of my best men from the ship."
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• 12.349 - Odysseus: "We rowed on. The Rocks were now behind; Kharybdis, too, and Skylla dropped astern. Then we were coasting the noble island of the god ... Helios, lord of the noon, who rides the high heaven."
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• 12.395 - Odysseus: "Then after thirst and hunger, those besiegers, were turned away, they mourned for their companions plucked from the ship by Skylla and devoured."
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• 12.550 - Odysseus: "All that night I drifted, and in the sunrise, sure enough, I lay off Skylla mountain and Kharybdis deep."
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• 12.568 - Odysseus: "I ... rowed hard with my hands to pass by Skylla. Never could I have passed her had not the Father of the gods and men, this time kept me from her eyes."
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• 23.367 - Of this he (Odysseus) told his wife (Penelope), and told her how later he heard the choir of the maddening Seirenes, coasted the Wandering Rocks, Kharybdis' pool and the fiend Skylla who takes toll of men.

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Other Text References

The Great Eoiae

(Loeb Classical Library, vol. 57, Hesiod)

• fragment 13 - Skylla is the daughter of Phoibos (Phoebus) and Hekate (Hecate)

Catalogue of Women

(Loeb Classical Library, vol. 503, Hesiod II)

• fragment 13 - Skylla is the daughter of Phoibos (Phoebus) and Hekate (Hecate)

The Argonautika

• book 4, line 789 - The goddess Hera tells Thetis that she helped the Argonauts survive the Wandering Rocks and now they must sail past the mighty rock of Skylla (Scylla) and Charybdis
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• book 4, line 827 - The goddess Hera asks Thetis to gather her sisters (the Nereids) to protect the Argonauts by not letting them not fall into Charybdis lest she swallow them at one gulp, or approach the hideous lair of Skylla (Scylla)
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• book 4, line 828 - The goddess Hera refers to Skylla (Scylla) as Ausonian Skylla the deadly, whom night-wandering Hekate (Hecate), who is called Krataeis (Crataeis), bare to Phorkys (Phorcys)

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