Page 6 - SMITE Official Magazine Issue 20

THEORY

GODDESS RE-ENVISIONED:

WARRIOR SCYLLA

By Jorg van der Velden

In issue number 16 we tied the connections between Scylla’s lore

and her abilities in game. One of the things that really stood out was

that there are two ‘origin stories’ for her and it was clear which one

Hi-Rez chose to base the character on. After that I started wondering

how Scylla would’ve turned out if she was based of of her being a

Nereid turned monster instead of being born a monster. If you’re just

a curious as I am, keep reading a Goddess Re-Envisioned: Scylla!

In case you haven’t read that particular Tying the
Connections, let’s recap her lore first. Scylla’s tale is

riddled with themes that seem to drown Greek mythology:

desire, jealousy and spite. The most accepted version of

her legend has Scylla born as a beautiful sea nymph, or

Nereid, that was besieged with many suitors. She turned

all of them down, as none of them spiked her interest

enough, and she decided to remain with the other Nereids.

Glaucus was one of those suitors, falling in love

with Scylla the moment he laid his eyes upon her. But

he wasn’t a normal human anymore, as his lower body

changed into a fishtail after chewing on a plant. Scylla,

horrified by his appearance, mistook him for a monster

and fled, leaving the heartbroken Glaucus behind.

Glaucus was not one to give up so easily: he was so

smitten with Scylla that he went to the witch Circe for a

magical potion that would earn him the Nereid’s affection.

But it wouldn’t be a Greek myth if there wasn’t a love

triangle involved, and in this case Circe fell in love with

Glaucus as hard as he fell in love with Scylla. She tried

her hardest to get his heart off of the Sea Nymph and

into her hands, but Glaucus could only think of Scylla.

This is where we touch upon the jealousy and spite,

as Circe could not stand having the man she loves love

someone else. In a fit of jealous rage Circe poisoned the

waters Scylla used to bathe. Upon entering the waters

6 The Official SMITE Magazine Issue #20 The GameOn Magazine