In Book 12 of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey,” translated by Emily Wilson, the book opens with a conversation between Odysseus and Circe regarding the troubling obstacles that Odysseus and his crew will likely face on their journey home off her island. In this conversation, Circe introduces Scylla, a six-headed, twelve-legged snake-like monster untouchable to a mortal traveling on the sea. Scylla resides near Charybdis (a whirlpool) that is also lethal, and traveling past the two treacherous monsters is impossible. However, with a solid intent to return to Ithaca, Odysseus embarks on this journey. Odysseus and his crew eventually encounter Scylla, and she kills six of his men. However, since Odysseus is determined to return home to his son and wife, he remains onward, accepting that the men were defeated and that there is nothing he can do about it. Odysseus’ choice to sacrifice a few crew members to save the rest demonstrates his leadership and pragmatism in the face of the many challenges he and his men encounter during their long journey home.

Scylla is a monstrous sea creature that poses a grave threat to Odysseus and his crew as they journey home. In book 12, Circe describes Scylla as “deathless evil, terrible, wild and cruel”(12.118). Scylla’s power provokes fear in anyone she crosses, “even a god would be afraid of her”(12.97). The language used to depict her shapes the mentality of the sailors, evoking fear and dread. This demonstrates how language can influence how people perceive and react to the world around them. The vivid imagery of a six-headed monster reaching out to snatch sailors conveys the horror of the encounter. The author uses robust and aggressive dialogue to tell the reader how dangerous this monster is and how the events of Scylla truly impact Odysseus’ journey back to Ithaca. Sylla is a symbol of inevitable threats and dangers that one may encounter while traveling home. Circe warns Odysseus that he would not be able to escape her wrath, but he stays fleeing her dangerous attacks, he will remain safe and victorious. The six crew members that were taken from the ship symbolize sacrifices one must make to stay on track of the goal in front of him. Odysseus’ choice to sacrifice a few crew members to save the rest demonstrates his leadership and pragmatism in the face of the many challenges he and his men encounter during their long journey home.

Book 12 is a critical point in Odysseus’ journey. Odysseus and his crew are more than half way through their journey and they embark one of the most life-threatening monsters yet. However, the biggest take away from this book is Odysseus’ perseverance and ability to not dwell on struggle when times are questionable. Lives were lost in this book, but odysseus knew what his final goal was and didn’t want to sacrifice himself. Scylla posed a huge threat to his journey, she symbolized of the moral and ethical dilemmas that individuals may encounter in their quests, emphasizing the need for strength, resilience, and leadership in the face of adversity.