Scylla (sea monster): Difference between revisions
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From [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[mythology]], '''Scylla''' was a monster with legs made of snakes, and she had six heads and upper bodies. Her food? Humans, according to [[Elizabeth Vandiver]], [[Classics]] [[scholarship|scholar]] and authority on [[Greek mythology]] and [[Greek tragedy]] including the ''[[Iliad]]'', ''[[Odyssey]]'', ''[[Aeneid]]'', [[Homer]], and [[Virgil]]. This definition is based on her course ''Classical Mythology'' from [[The Teaching Company]]. | From [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[mythology]], '''Scylla''' was a monster with legs made of snakes, and she had six heads and upper bodies. Her food? Humans, according to [[Elizabeth Vandiver]], [[Classics]] [[scholarship|scholar]] and authority on [[Greek mythology]] and [[Greek tragedy]] including the ''[[Iliad]]'', ''[[Odyssey]]'', ''[[Aeneid]]'', [[Homer]], and [[Virgil]]. This definition is based on her course ''Classical Mythology'' from [[The Teaching Company]]. | ||
== The monster's 'birth' === | |||
The following excerpt gives an account of Scylla's origination as described in Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch, "The Age of Fable": | The following excerpt gives an account of Scylla's origination as described in Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch, "The Age of Fable": | ||
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Glaucus said to Circe: “Goddess, I entreat your pity; you alone can relieve the pain I | Glaucus said to Circe: “Goddess, I entreat your pity; you alone can relieve the pain I | ||
suffer…I love Scylla. I am ashamed to tell you how I have sued and promised to her, and | suffer…I love Scylla. I am ashamed to tell you how I have sued and promised to her, and | ||
how scornfully she has | how scornfully she has treated me. I beseech you to use your incantations, or potent | ||
herbs, if they are more prevailing, not to cure me of my love,--for that I do not wish,-- | herbs, if they are more prevailing, not to cure me of my love,--for that I do not wish,-- | ||
but to make her share it and yield me a like return.” | but to make her share it and yield me a like return.” | ||
Revision as of 12:54, 9 January 2021
From Greek mythology, Scylla was a monster with legs made of snakes, and she had six heads and upper bodies. Her food? Humans, according to Elizabeth Vandiver, Classics scholar and authority on Greek mythology and Greek tragedy including the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Homer, and Virgil. This definition is based on her course Classical Mythology from The Teaching Company.
The monster's 'birth' =
The following excerpt gives an account of Scylla's origination as described in Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch, "The Age of Fable":
Glaucus said to Circe: “Goddess, I entreat your pity; you alone can relieve the pain I suffer…I love Scylla. I am ashamed to tell you how I have sued and promised to her, and how scornfully she has treated me. I beseech you to use your incantations, or potent herbs, if they are more prevailing, not to cure me of my love,--for that I do not wish,-- but to make her share it and yield me a like return.”
To which Circe replied, for she was not insensible to the attractions of the sea-green deity, “You had better pursue a willing object; you are worthy to be sought, instead of having to seek in vain. Be not diffident, know your own worth. I protest to you that even I, goddess though I be…should not know how to refuse you. If she scorns you scorn her; meet one who is ready to meet you half way, and thus make a due return to both at once.”
To these words Glaucus replied: “Sooner shall trees grow at the bottom of the ocean, and the sea weed at the top of the mountains, than I will cease to love Scylla, and her alone.”
The goddess was indignant, but she could not punish him, neither did she wish to do so, for she liked him too well; so she turned all her wrath against her rival, poor Scylla.
[Jumping ahead to the next time Scylla bathed in the sea, due to Circe’s powers:] The lower half of Scylla’s body was turned into a bunch of writhing sea serpents and barking monsters, still attached to her body. Scylla remained rooted to the spot. Her temper grew as ugly as her form, and she took pleasure in devouring hapless mariners who came within her grasp… till at last she was turned into a rock, and as such still continues to be a terror to mariners.