Scylla and Charybdis

Sirens’ island, Odysseus and his men must navigate the straits between Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla is a six-headed monster who, when ships pass, swallows one sailor for each head. Charybdis is an enormous whirlpool that threatens to swallow the entire ship. As instructed by Circe, Odysseus holds his course tight against the cliffs of Scylla’s lair. As he and his men stare at Charybdis on the other side of the strait, the heads of Scylla swoop down and gobble up six of the sailors. Odysseus next comes

one. There are many factors that go into the type of person that someone is going to be. Odysseus learned many things on his way home from Troy. Odysseus leadership is changed throughout Lotus-Eaters, Cyclops, Land of the Dead, Sirens, Sella and Charybdis and in the Cattle of the Sun God you can clearly see his leadership skills. Odysseus is made into a better person in the Lotus-Eaters because he saved his men. Odysseus could have let his men stay where they were and let them keep eating the plant

Secondly, he and his men got caught on a collision course with sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis. He had to think of a way to get them through alive, so he had the men put ear wax in their ears to drown out the sirens, avoid Charybdis, and give Scylla 6 of their men, one for each stomach. Before his went through with this plan, he never told his men about sacrificing 6 of them to Scylla. Finally, on an early part of their voyage, the men dropped down on the shores of the Lotus Eaters

Well he knew the danger of the rock on the right, for within it was a deep cave, where a monster named Scylla lived, yelping with a shrill voice out of her six hideous heads. Each head hung down from a long, thin, scaly neck, and in each mouth were three rows of greedy teeth, and twelve long feelers, with claws at the ends of them, drooped down, ready to catch at men. There in her cave Scylla sits, fishing with her feelers for dolphins and other great fish, and for man, if any men sail by that way

The Odyssey by Homer is an epic telling of the story of great Odysseus. It is filled with many mythical situations that readers can relate to in their own ways. For example, when Odysseus encounters Scylla and Charybdis, readers may interpret it as a symbol of a dilemma. Obviously, it will never be as serious, but it helps the reader connect with the story. The Odyssey covers the motifs of temptation, dilemmas, and fear as main symbols which are shown throughout the story. Odysseus meets his match

wind hurricanes from Aeolus and the meeting of Scylla and Charybdis. In the preface to “The Land of the Dead," it informs the reader of Aeolis of Aeolia gifting Odysseus the winds of the North, South, and East. However, his crewmates are impatient and greedy, causing them to open up the sack of winds and show the origin of two hurricanes, pushing them off track by seven days. An additional example of a crisis in The Odyssey is during Scylla and Charybdis in lines 809–814. At this time of the epic, the

odds against this monster, by taking advice from Circe. He fights off Scylla even though there was a slim chance of him surviving. "….gives advice on how to avoid the dangers...sea monster Scylla and, nearby, the whirlpool Charybdis" (783). Odysseus is torn deciding on which one to go towards. This symbolizes life is always a battle and you will need to figure out how to get past it. ""But as I sent them on towards Scylla...as I could do nothing" (786). In life, there will always be regrets

with a devilish soul within “Hello, sir…. You called my name?....” the monster anticipated for my reply, but I was dumbstruck “Answer me you fool” the monster screamed. I finally gave up and spoke “Y-y-y-yes… I d-d-did call for the g-g-great Scylla and Charybdis… are you i-i-it?” I stutterd upon my words making me look like a fool. The monster stood their for a second gazing me as if I was just a farm animal such as a sheep who was dumbfounded with myself. (metaphor) Sense hit me and I spoke up with

myths, Scylla used to be a beautiful virgin, but fell in love with Glacus, who already had a lover, Circe. She turned Scylla into a monster with six dogs for legs and six very long necks and six heads with gnarled teeth on top of them. She wound up secluding herself with her mother, Crataeis, in a cave on a very high cliff with jaded rock. Her cave is positioned right next to a whirlpool named Charybdis. Odysseus and his men were traveling along Tyrrhenian Strait when they came upon Scylla and Charybdis

before his own. For undertaking this dangerous task to save others and opposing great obstacles, Odysseus is given respect from his crewmates. In addition, Odysseus is clever in his encounter with Scylla and Charybdis, and although guilt-ridden, later reflects thinking, “But as I sent them on toward Scylla, I told them nothing, as they could do nothing” (783-784). The decision to not tell his men was difficult for Odysseus, but he could not let his crew persuade him to sail back, otherwise they would