{"id":7067,"date":"2025-09-01T11:51:43","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T09:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/?p=7067"},"modified":"2025-09-29T11:22:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T09:22:11","slug":"scylla-and-charybdis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/scylla-and-charybdis\/","title":{"rendered":"Scylla and Charybdis: the myth that still enchants the Strait of Messina"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/scylla-and-charybdis\/#the_mythical_heart_of_the_strait_of_messina\" >The mythical heart of the Strait of Messina<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/scylla-and-charybdis\/#a_myth_born_to_explain_nature\" >A myth born to explain nature<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/scylla-and-charybdis\/#echoes_in_literature_from_homer_to_dante\" >Echoes in literature: from Homer to Dante<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/scylla-and-charybdis\/#a_legend_and_folk_heritage_that_still_lives_on\" >A legend and folk heritage that still lives on<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Where <strong data-start=\"429\" data-end=\"474\">Sicily and Calabria <\/strong>almost touch, the <strong data-start=\"479\" data-end=\"501\">Strait of Messina<\/strong> has always inspired stories, legends and folk tales. Among the most fascinating is that of <strong data-start=\"600\" data-end=\"620\">Scylla and Charybdis<\/strong>, two <strong data-start=\"626\" data-end=\"655\">monstrous sea creatures<\/strong> that, according to mythology, have terrified sailors crossing these waters since ancient times . <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the_mythical_heart_of_the_strait_of_messina\"><\/span><strong>The mythical heart of the Strait of Messina<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to <strong>Greek mythology<\/strong>, <strong>Scylla <\/strong>was a beautiful young woman who was courted by several sea gods, including <strong>Poseidon<\/strong>, <strong>Minos of Crete<\/strong>, and the sea god <strong>Glaucus<\/strong>. Near the rocks of Zancle (the ancient name for Messina), Scylla meets Glaucus, a fisherman transformed into a sea god, half man and half fish. <\/p>\n<p>Scylla, frightened by his appearance, fled. Glaucus, in despair, turned to the sorceress <strong>Circe,<\/strong> asking her for a potion that could make him human again. But Circe, secretly in love with him and consumed by jealousy, took revenge by transforming Scylla into a sea monster. From that moment on, the young woman took on the form of a creature with <strong data-start=\"1704\" data-end=\"1724\">six canine heads<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"1727\" data-end=\"1755\">twelve tentacled legs.<\/strong> She hid among the rocks on the Calabrian side of the Strait, ready to attack anyone who dared to pass nearby.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7135\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7135\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7134 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"Scilla, Calabria.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-750x500.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_133897920-1140x760.jpeg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7135\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Scilla, Calabria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"1871\" data-end=\"2366\"><strong data-start=\"1871\" data-end=\"1882\">Charybdis<\/strong>, on the other hand, was the daughter of <strong data-start=\"1906\" data-end=\"1919\">Poseidon<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"1922\" data-end=\"1929\">Gaea<\/strong>. After stealing <strong data-start=\"1968\" data-end=\"1978\">Heracles<\/strong>&#8216; sacred livestock, she was punished by <strong data-start=\"1996\" data-end=\"2004\">Zeus<\/strong>, who condemned her to become a water-devouring sea monster. Three times a day <strong data-start=\"2097\" data-end=\"2115\">she swallows the sea<\/strong> and throws it back violently, creating <strong data-start=\"2151\" data-end=\"2174\">giant whirlpools<\/strong> capable of dragging down even the strongest ships. According to legend, Charybdis hid along the Sicilian shore of the Strait, near present-day <strong data-start=\"2334\" data-end=\"2346\">Ganzirri<\/strong>, north of Messina.   <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a_myth_born_to_explain_nature\"><\/span><strong>A myth born to explain nature<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Today we read this legend as a captivating tale, but it most likely arose as an attempt to <strong data-start=\"2507\" data-end=\"2541\">explain real natural phenomena<\/strong> that were extremely dangerous. The Strait of Messina unique in its <strong>morphology<\/strong>: narrow, deep, and subject to <strong>tidal currents<\/strong> that change direction several times a day. Here the waters of the <strong>Ionian<\/strong> and <strong>Tyrrhenian Sea<\/strong> meet, generating <strong>turbulent motions<\/strong>, <strong>whirlpools <\/strong>and sudden changes in sea level.  <\/p>\n<p>For ancient peoples, these phenomena were inexplicable. Without scientific instruments, <strong data-start=\"3006\" data-end=\"3014\">myth <\/strong>became the way to give a face and meaning to the sea\u2019s dangers.. The <strong data-start=\"3075\" data-end=\"3085\">whirlpools <\/strong>that still form north of Messina may have inspired the character of Charybdis, while Scylla\u2019s <strong data-start=\"3190\" data-end=\"3220\">treacherous cliffs <\/strong>fit the image of the many-headed monster lying in wait.  <\/p>\n<p>Navigating the Straits, especially in ancient times, was a perilous task. Oared or sailing vessels required great skill to steer; a single mistake could dash them against the rocks or drag them into the vortex. Thus, the myth of <strong>Scylla and Charybdis<\/strong> thus became a kind of <strong>imaginary map of dangers<\/strong>, combining natural elements with a strong and enduring narrative.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7127\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7127\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7126 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"Stretto di Messina.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-300x152.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-1024x518.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-768x389.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-1536x777.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-2048x1036.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-750x380.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AdobeStock_438758172-1140x577.jpeg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7127\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stretto di Messina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"echoes_in_literature_from_homer_to_dante\"><\/span><strong>Echoes in literature: from Homer to Dante<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The first author to tell the myth of Scylla and Charybdis was <strong>Homer<\/strong>, in the<strong>Odyssey<\/strong>. During his journey home to <strong>Ithaca<\/strong>, Odysseus was forced to choose between the two monsters. He ultimately steered closer to Scylla, sacrificing six of his men, rather than risk the deadly whirlpools of Charybdis that could destroy his entire ship. It is one of the most dramatic episodes in the poem, showing how deeply the myth was embedded in Greek culture.   <\/p>\n<p><strong>Virgil <\/strong>also revisits the legend in the <strong>Aeneid<\/strong>. As the Trojan hero <strong>Aeneas <\/strong>flees his burning city, he crosses the Strait and is warned of the perils embodied by the two sea creatures. <\/p>\n<p>In the Middle Ages, <strong>Dante Alighieri<\/strong> mentions Scylla and Charybdis in the <strong>Divine Comedy<\/strong>, turning them into <strong>moral symbols<\/strong>: allegories of sins and temptations from which it is difficult to save oneself.<\/p>\n<p>Even today, the expression &#8220;<strong>being between Scylla and Charybdis<\/strong>&#8221; is used to describe situations in which every choice involves loss or risk but, beyond metaphor, the legend retains its <strong>value<\/strong> and reminds us of the <strong>dangers of the sea<\/strong> and the skill needed to deal with them.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a_legend_and_folk_heritage_that_still_lives_on\"><\/span><strong>A legend and folk heritage that still lives on<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The myth of <strong>Scylla and Charybdis<\/strong> is not confined to schoolbooks or classical studies but continues to live in <strong>popular culture<\/strong>, <strong>oral tales<\/strong>, <strong>local traditions<\/strong> and even <strong>tourism<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>In <strong>Scylla<\/strong>, the picturesque village of <strong>Chianalea<\/strong> overlooks the sea, at the very spot where, according to legend, the creature hides. The houses built on the rocks and the sound of the waves are a reminder, on stormy days, of the eerie power of the sea. <\/p>\n<p>On the Sicilian side, in the <strong>Ganzirri<\/strong> area, local fishermen are familiar with the <strong>currents<\/strong> and <strong>eddies<\/strong> that form with the changing tide. Although today no one believes in sea monsters anymore, the legend continues to be told to children, especially in fishing families. It is a way of teaching <strong>respect for the sea<\/strong>, but also to keep alive a <strong>collective memory<\/strong> linked to a unique territory. In addition, Messina&#8217;s <strong>Neptune Fountain<\/strong> in the Piazza dell&#8217;Unit\u00e0 d&#8217;Italia depicts the two sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis chained on either side of Neptune and is an allegory of the city&#8217;s physical and moral strength in overcoming adversity.   <\/p>\n<p>In recent years, the myth has been <strong>rediscovered in terms of tourism<\/strong>: <strong>thematic routes<\/strong>, <strong>guided boat tours<\/strong>, <strong>theater performances<\/strong> and <strong>art installations<\/strong> inspired by the two monsters have been created. In <strong>Messina<\/strong> and <strong>Scylla<\/strong> there are murals, explanatory panels and even summer events dedicated to the legend. The tale of <strong>Scylla and Charybdis<\/strong> thus continues to weave together <strong>myth, nature and local identity<\/strong>, still enchanting those who cross the Strait today.  <\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Stay up to date by following us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ilnuovomediterraneo\">Facebook <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ilnuovomediterraneo\/\">Instagram<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div data-object_id=\"7067\" class=\"cbxwpbkmarkwrap cbxwpbkmarkwrap_guest cbxwpbkmarkwrap_user_cat cbxwpbkmarkwrap-post \"><a  data-redirect-url=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7067\/\"  data-display-label=\"1\" data-show-count=\"0\" data-bookmark-label=\"Aggiungi ai Preferiti\"  data-bookmarked-label=\"Rimuovi dai Preferiti\"  data-loggedin=\"0\" data-type=\"post\" data-object_id=\"7067\" class=\"cbxwpbkmarktrig  cbxwpbkmarktrig-button-addto ld-ext-left\" title=\"Bookmark This\" href=\"#\"><span class=\"cbxwpbkmarktrig-icon\"><\/span><span class=\"ld ld-ring ld-spin\"><\/span><span class=\"cbxwpbkmarktrig-label\" >Aggiungi ai Preferiti<\/span><\/a> <div  data-type=\"post\" data-object_id=\"7067\" class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguestwrap\" id=\"cbxwpbkmarkguestwrap-7067\"><div class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguest-message\"><div class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguest-message-head\"><span class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguest-message-head-label\">Please login to bookmark<\/span><a class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguesttrig_close\" role=\"button\" title=\"Click to close bookmark panel\/modal\" href=\"#\" ><i class=\"cbx-icon\"><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?>\n<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><line x1=\"18\" y1=\"6\" x2=\"6\" y2=\"18\"><\/line><line x1=\"6\" y1=\"6\" x2=\"18\" y2=\"18\"><\/line><\/svg><\/i><i class=\"sr-only\">Close<\/i><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguest-content\">\n<div class=\"cbx-chota\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\"><div class=\"cbx-guest-wrap cbxwpbookmark-guest-wrap\"><div class=\"cbx-guest-login-wrap cbxwpbookmark-guest-login-wrap\"><form name=\"loginform\" id=\"loginform\" action=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/wp-login.php\" method=\"post\"><p class=\"login-username\">\n\t\t\t\t<label for=\"user_login\">Username or Email Address<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"log\" id=\"user_login\" autocomplete=\"username\" class=\"input\" value=\"\" size=\"20\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"login-password\">\n\t\t\t\t<label for=\"user_pass\">Password<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"password\" name=\"pwd\" id=\"user_pass\" autocomplete=\"current-password\" spellcheck=\"false\" class=\"input\" value=\"\" size=\"20\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"login-remember\"><label><input name=\"rememberme\" type=\"checkbox\" id=\"rememberme\" value=\"forever\" \/> Remember Me<\/label><\/p><p class=\"login-submit\">\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" name=\"wp-submit\" id=\"wp-submit\" class=\"button button-primary\" value=\"Log In\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"redirect_to\" value=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7067\/\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/p><\/form><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Where Sicily and Calabria almost touch, the Strait of Messina has always inspired stories, legends and folk tales. Among the most fascinating is that of Scylla and Charybdis, two monstrous sea creatures that, according to mythology, have terrified sailors crossing these waters since ancient times . The mythical heart of the Strait of Messina According [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div data-object_id=\"7067\" class=\"cbxwpbkmarkwrap cbxwpbkmarkwrap_guest cbxwpbkmarkwrap_user_cat cbxwpbkmarkwrap-post \"><a  data-redirect-url=\"https:\/\/ilnuovomediterraneo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7067\/\"  data-display-label=\"1\" data-show-count=\"0\" data-bookmark-label=\"Aggiungi ai Preferiti\"  data-bookmarked-label=\"Rimuovi dai Preferiti\"  data-loggedin=\"0\" data-type=\"post\" data-object_id=\"7067\" class=\"cbxwpbkmarktrig  cbxwpbkmarktrig-button-addto ld-ext-left\" title=\"Bookmark This\" href=\"#\"><span class=\"cbxwpbkmarktrig-icon\"><\/span><span class=\"ld ld-ring ld-spin\"><\/span><span class=\"cbxwpbkmarktrig-label\" >Aggiungi ai Preferiti<\/span><\/a> <div  data-type=\"post\" data-object_id=\"7067\" class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguestwrap\" id=\"cbxwpbkmarkguestwrap-7067\"><div class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguest-message\"><div class=\"cbxwpbkmarkguest-message-head\"><span 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This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v26.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Scylla and Charybdis: the myth that still enchants the Strait of Messina<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ancient sea monsters or a metaphor for maritime dangers? 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