The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-05-29
sCYLLA AND cHARYeDIs.
A Most Learned Discussion on Ancient His
tory and Modern Wisdom.

tory and Modern Wisdom.
A correspondent, whose eagerness
for information is as beautiful as it is
praiseworthy, writes to ask the preg-
nant question: "Who were Scylla and
Charybdis, and what were their functions
and peculiarities that they should be
quoted so often?" The dissemination
of useful knowledge being at once a
duty and a pleasure, we hasten to inn
port the desired information. Scylla
and Charybdis we're the great rival sea-
serpents of antiquity. The word "func-
ton, which our correspondent applies
to them, is peculiarly applicable, Web
ster defines function" as "the act of
executing, performing activity, duty,
office or calling; performance. The
second definition, performance, is
what the function of Scylla and
Charybdis was. Being sea-serpents,
they were obliged to appear and per-
form for the benefit of mariners.
Charybdis was rather cheap and in
ferior order of sea-serpent, and his per-
torrance was remarkable in degree
only, but not in kind He lived in a
rock on the Sicllian shore of the Straits
of Messina, and gave three perform
ances day. At each entertainment he
sailed forth from his stronghold, gulped
down the surrounding seas and cast them
up again. History does not record the
reason why he chose this mode of eXhi-
bitiOn, but tradition has it that, having
one day, in fit of emotional insanity,
taken deep draught of ordinary Sicilian
drinking water, he was ever afterward
vainly searching for relief. Scylla was a
much better sea-serpent than Charybdis.
He lived Immediately across the straights
from the latter, in a comfortable rock
situated in latitude 80 degrees IA min
utes 80 seconds north and Is degrees
45 minutes east. He reioiced in natural
gifts which enabled him to give much
better performance than Charybdis and
in a flow of spirits which gave him the
strength to remain constantly before the
public. He was the happy possessor OF
twelve feet and six long necks anC
mouths, each of which took a victim
from the deck of every ship that passed
within reach.
For centuries the competition be
tween these two serpents was very &C
tive. Mariners urged by fatal curiosity
went out year after year to try to find
northwest passage between their abodes
Charybdis would come forth and swal
low the sea, thus making navigation
extremely difficult, and then would cas-
1t up again, usually driving the ship
upon the rocks of the Italian coast
where Scylla would reclne at ease an
pick the latest sailors from the dock
to grace his festal board Charybdi
finally awoke to the fact that his role i
the daily performances was what
technically known in the theatrical pre-
fession as ''feeder." In disgust h
wound up his exhibitions by THROWN
up his part and retiring to the whir
pool of Galoforo, ten miles south of hi
former habitation, and has not bee
seen since. Scylla, however, elated b
his triumph, went ON the road, and, q
is usual in such cases, lost all he ha
made before. He has now become
genuine marine tramp, glad of an OF
casional engagement to perform at
summer watering place and when
sensational appearance before ship
crew at sea procures him few GOO
notices in the daily newspapers. Thu
our correspondent learns at one fe
swoop a chapter in ancient history ar
lesson in wisdom, namely to let we
enough alone, lest III trying to avo
Scylla he should fall upon Charybdis.-
~ Y Times