Calabria is a region full of myths, legends and mysteries.
Among the legends that are still passed down from generation to generation emerges that strong sense of belonging to a past whose legends were an integral part of daily life, which had a conception that was certainly more symbolic than anything else.
During the LTE mobility that took place in July 2022 in A Coruña, participants were asked to share, along the route to Santiago, their favourite legend from the cultural heritage of the place in which they live.
Sofia Sinopoli, the youngest participant from Calabria, has chosen to tell a fascinating legend which deals with the mythological exploits of gods and mortals in the stretch of water separating Reggio Calabria from Messina. Enjoy!
The legend tells the story of Scylla and Charybdis, two sea monsters that lived in the Strait of Messina. Scylla was a beautiful nymph, daughter of the gods Forco and Crateides. Odysseus, having to pass between the two monsters, preferred to approach Scylla because Charybdis would have led to the destruction of the ship. Later, Odysseus’ ship was attracted by Charybdis’ whirlpool and the hero survived only because he managed to cling to a fig tree sticking out of the water. When the ship reappeared, Odysseus clung to a tree that surfaced and saved his life.
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