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Posts tagged Greek Mythology

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Scylla and Charybdis were mythical sea monsters noted by Homer, later Greek tradition sited them on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina. Scylla was rationalized as a rock shoal (described as a six-headed sea monster) and Charybdis was a maelstrom on the opposite coast. They were regarded as a sea hazard located close enough to each other that they posed an inescapable threat to passing sailors, avoiding Charybdis meant passing too close to Scylla and vice versa. According to Homer, Odysseus was forced to choose which monster to confront while passing through the strait, he opted to pass by Scylla and lose only a few sailors, rather than risk the loss of his entire ship in the whirlpool.

Scylla and Charybdis were mythical sea monsters noted by Homer, later Greek tradition sited them on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina. Scylla was rationalized as a rock shoal (described as a six-headed sea monster) and Charybdis was a maelstrom on the opposite coast. They were regarded as a sea hazard located close enough to each other that they posed an inescapable threat to passing sailors, avoiding Charybdis meant passing too close to Scylla and vice versa.

According to Homer, Odysseus was forced to choose which monster to confront while passing through the strait, he opted to pass by Scylla and lose only a few sailors, rather than risk the loss of his entire ship in the whirlpool.

Filed under scylla charybdis greek mythology homer odysseus

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this picture shows Calypso, a Greek sea nymph and goddess of silence. Being a bored lass she made it her point in life to make sure people did not complete their tasks, Calypso was also known as the goddess of deception because of her ability to distract sailors with her beauty, only to lead them to ruin and destruction because they failed to pay attention to what they were supposed to be doing. If you want to learn more about the scene depicted in this painting, click here

this picture shows Calypso, a Greek sea nymph and goddess of silence. Being a bored lass she made it her point in life to make sure people did not complete their tasks, Calypso was also known as the goddess of deception because of her ability to distract sailors with her beauty, only to lead them to ruin and destruction because they failed to pay attention to what they were supposed to be doing.

If you want to learn more about the scene depicted in this painting, click here

Filed under Calypso nymph sailing greek mythology

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collective-history: The faun is a half human - half goat (from the head to the waist being the human half, but with the addition of goat’s horns) manifestation of forest and animal spirits which would help or hinder humans at whim. Romans believed fauns inspired fear in men traveling in lonely, remote or wild places. They were also capable of guiding humans in need, as in the fable of The Satyr and the Traveller, in the title of which Latin authors substituted the word Faunus. Fauns and satyrs were originally quite different creatures: whereas fauns are half-man and half-goat, satyrs originally were depicted as stocky, hairy, ugly dwarfs or woodwoses with the ears and tails of horses or asses.

collective-history:

The faun is a half human - half goat (from the head to the waist being the human half, but with the addition of goat’s horns) manifestation of forest and animal spirits which would help or hinder humans at whim. Romans believed fauns inspired fear in men traveling in lonely, remote or wild places. They were also capable of guiding humans in need, as in the fable of The Satyr and the Traveller, in the title of which Latin authors substituted the word Faunus. Fauns and satyrs were originally quite different creatures: whereas fauns are half-man and half-goat, satyrs originally were depicted as stocky, hairy, ugly dwarfs or woodwoses with the ears and tails of horses or asses.

(via collectivehistory)

Filed under faun mythological creature greek mythology