Scylla and Charybdis
Scylla & Charybdis, our two cats, are sisters from a litter of four.Scylla (SILL-uh)Charybdis (kah-RIB-dis) |
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We got Scylla and Charybdis from our friend, Dan Lissick. Dan's kids, Jonathan and Elizabeth, originally named the kittens Q-Tip and Spot. Their other sister's name was Whiskers and their brother's name was Blackie. |
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It took us a while to come up with new names for the kittens. But one morning Pascale came out of the bedroom, and the two kittens were waiting in the hallway. One was against the left wall of the hallway and the other was against the right wall, so that Pascale would have to pass between them. She felt as though she were caught between Scylla and Charybdis. |
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In Book XII of The Odyssey, Homer writes of the perils of Scylla and Charybdis. Ulysses must guide his ship through a narrow passage with Scylla (a six-headed monster) on the one side, and Charybdis (a whirlpool) on the other. Scylla is certain to take at least six of his crew, but Charybdis would take his whole ship. |
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Sometime since 800 B.C., when Homer wrote the story, Scylla and Charybdis have become proverbial as a choice between equally dreadful alternatives.They don't look so terribly dreadful in this photo, do they? |
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Sting wrote a song when he was with The Police, called "Wrapped Around Your Finger." In the lyrics of this song is a reference to Scylla and Charybdis.When our friend Eric was introduced to our cats by name, he remembered the reference to Scylla and Charybdis in the song. Once, when Scylla was misbehaving, he said to her, "I will turn your face to alabaster."If you don't get that, view the lyrics here. |
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