Scylla snatched six men from our hollow ship,
the toughest, strongest hands I had, and glancing
backward over the decks, searching for my crew
I could see their hands and feet already hoisted,
flailing, high, higher, over my head, look –
wailing down at me, comrades riven in agony,
shrieking out my name for one last time!
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 12, lines 264-270. As Odysseus turns to do battle with Scylla, he describes how the six-headed female monster snatches six of his best men out of his boat and up to her cave. She devours the terrified sailors alive as they cry out Odysseus’ name.