“Scylla, et Charybdis Sicula contorquens freta
Minus est timenda: nulla non melior fera est.”[258]
Thinking of the historical proverb, I am reminded of the eminent
character who first showed it to me in the heroic poem where it
appears. I refer to the late Dr. Maltby, Bishop of Durham, who had been
a favorite pupil of Dr. Parr, and was unquestionably among the best
scholars of England. His amenity was equal to his scholarship. I was
his guest at Auckland Castle early in the autumn of 1838. Conversation
turned much upon books and the curiosities of study. One morning, after
breakfast, the learned Bishop came to me with a small volume in his
hand, printed in the Italian character, and remarking, “You seem to
be interested in such things,” he pointed to this much quoted verse.
It was the Latin epic, “Alexandreïs, sive Gesta Alexandri Magni,” by
Philippus Gualterus, a mediæval poet of France.
Of course the fable of Scylla and Charybdis is ancient; but this verse
cannot be traced to antiquity. For the fable Homer is our highest
authority, and he represents the Sirens as unfriendly accessories,
playing their part to tempt the victim.
These fronting terrors belong to mythology and to geography.
Mythologically, they were two voracious monsters, dwelling opposite
to each other,--Charybdis on the coast of Sicily, and Scylla on the
coast of Italy. Geographically, they were dangers to the navigator in
the narrow strait between Sicily and Italy. Charybdis was a whirlpool,
where ships were often sucked to destruction; Scylla was a rock, on
which ships were often dashed to pieces.
Ulysses in his wanderings encountered these terrors, but by prudence
and the counsels of Circe he was enabled to steer clear between them,
although the Sirens strove to lure him on the rock. The story is
too long; but there are passages like pictures, and they have been
illustrated by the genius of Flaxman. The first danger on the Sicilian
side is described in the Odyssey:--
“Beneath, Charybdis holds her boisterous reign
’Midst roaring whirlpools, and absorbs the main;
Thrice in her gulfs the boiling seas subside,
Thrice in dire thunders she refunds the tide.”[259]