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Scylla is a fearsome sea monster in Greek mythology, dwelling on a cliff across from the whirlpool Charybdis in the narrow strait between Italy and Sicily. With multiple heads filled with razor-sharp teeth, she would snatch sailors from their ships as they tried to pass, making safe navigation nearly impossible. Her position opposite Charybdis forced sailors to risk facing one of the two deadly creatures.

Once a beautiful nymph, Scylla was transformed into a monster by a curse, often attributed to either the sorceress Circe or the sea god Glaucus, who loved her unrequitedly. Bound to her monstrous form, she became a constant threat to passing ships, feared by all who sailed through the treacherous waters she guarded.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus famously encounters Scylla, sacrificing some of his crew to avoid the deadly whirlpool of Charybdis. This choice underscores the grim dangers faced by ancient sailors, with Scylla representing an unavoidable and relentless peril on the sea.