"Scylla" (see related A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H) British Museum, London, England , UK

Scylla represents a marine voracious man-eating monster who once was a beautiful maiden. Circe metamorphosed her by potions of venomous "teas" from secret admixtures of plants. She became Circe's object of hate and revenge because she was loved by Glaucus whom she barely knew and whom Circe failed to seduce. Furious and because she loved Glaucus, Circe directed her jealousy, hate and revenge on innocent Scylla who hardly knew Glaucus nor loved him. 

In Medicine, Circe "brewed" concoctions of plants, some therapeutic and others lethal (physicians prescribe "drugs" that can be lethal, thus must do so under "license"). Circe stands as an emblem of "herbology" that evolved toward "pharmakons", pharmacy, pharmacology and became incorporated in "homeopathic" therapies. Most "modern" medications have roots in "natural" agents extracted from plants and increasingly "copied" by synthetic alternatives (as denoted by terms like "opium" - synthetic "opioids").  

Circe's fame reflected on Lady Emma Hamilton who charmed Britain and all corners of Europe by her ravishing beauty and charm. When she became the soulmate of Horatio Nelson the British adulation metamorphosed into scorn. She was cast as a Circe and rejected by the "royals" and the nation - she was not even allowed to attend the funeral of her beloved Nelson, the father of their daughter. Even presently, feminine beauty and charm can harm those who possess it. 

Scylla sauntered naked … 
Made for a little land-locked cove … 
in its sheltered waves enjoyed a cooling bathe, 
Suddenly, … Glaucus appeared … 
he stopped, his heart transfixed, then spoke to her, … 
But Scylla fled (her terror gave her speed) … 

I am no monster nor a savage beast 
I am a sea-god. 
Yet I was once a mortal … 
I picked some stalks and chewed … 
the juice, the unknown juice 
“and hardly passed my throat when suddenly 
I felt my heart-strings tremble and soul consumed 
with yearning for that other world … 
land never more my home … 
The sea-gods welcomed me to join 
but Scylla fled …

20180803 ww