In Greek mythology, the Planctae ( el, Πλαγκταὶ, ''Planktai'', "Wanderers") or Wandering Rocks were a group of rocks, between which the sea was mercilessly violent. The

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of sour ...

(led by Jason) was the only ship to navigate them successfully (with divine help from

Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; grc-gre, Ἥρα, Hḗrā; grc, Ἥρη, Hḗrē, label=none in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she ...

, Thetis, and the Nereids). Jason chose to brave the Planctae instead of braving

Scylla In Greek mythology, Scylla), is obsolete. ( ; grc-gre, Σκύλλα, Skúlla, ) is a legendary monster who lives on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite her counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow's r ...

and

Charybdis Charybdis (; grc, Χάρυβδις, Khárybdis, ; la, Charybdis, ) is a sea monster in Greek mythology. She, with the sea monster Scylla, appears as a challenge to epic characters such as Odysseus, Jason, and Aeneas. Scholarship locates her in t ...

. In the '' Odyssey'' of Homer, the sorceress Circe tells

Odysseus Odysseus ( ; grc-gre, Ὀδυσσεύς, Ὀδυσεύς, OdysseúsOdyseús, ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; lat, UlyssesUlixes), is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the ''Odyssey''. Odysse ...

of the "Wandering Rocks" or "Roving Rocks" that have only been successfully passed by the ''

'' when ''homeward'' bound. These rocks smash ships and the remaining timbers are scattered by the sea or destroyed by flames. The rocks lie on one of two potential routes to Ithaca; the alternative, which is taken by Odysseus, leads to Scylla and Charybdis. Furthermore, in the '' Argonautica'', it was

, for her love of Jason, who sped the Argo through the

Symplegades The Symplegades (; el, Συμπληγάδες, ''Symplēgádes'') or Clashing Rocks, also known as the Cyanean Rocks, were, according to Greek mythology, a pair of rocks at the Bosphorus that clashed together whenever a vessel went through. They ...

safely. The rocks also appear on the journey in the '' Argonautica'' by Apollonius of Rhodes, who also locates them near Scylla and Charybdis, but beyond them rather than as an alternative route. Apollonius distinguishes between two sets of dangerous rocks. Namely, the Symplegades and the Planctae. The Symplegades were encountered on the way to the Golden Fleece and the Planctae were encountered on the return voyage. Which god or goddess helped the Argonauts safely sail through the Clashing Rocks is unclear in the text. Athena helped in the former task, while Thetis and her sisters the Nereids helped in the latter one. However, the plans to help Jason pass these obstacles were ultimately orchestrated by Hera according to Apollonius, thus agreeing with Homer.Apollonius of Rhodes, "Jason and the Golden Fleece", Trans. Richard Hunter, Oxford University Press,

Great Clarendon Street Great Clarendon Street is one of the principal thoroughfares of the Jericho district of Oxford, England, an inner suburb northwest of the centre of the city. At the northeast end of the street is a junction with Walton Street. Opposite is ...

, Oxford, 1993, p. 158, note 117. Book II, 597–598 and Book IV, 859–958. The similarities and differences between the Wandering Rocks and the

has been much debated by scholars, as have potential locations for them. (See also ''

Geography of the Odyssey Events in the main sequence of the ''Odyssey'' (excluding the narrative of Odysseus's adventures) take place in the Peloponnese and in what are now called the Ionian Islands (Ithaca (island), Ithaca and its neighbours). Incidental mentions of Tro ...

''.) As Scylla and Charybdis have often been located in the Straits of Messina, this has led some (like

E. V. Rieu Emile Victor Rieu CBE (10 February 1887 – 11 May 1972) was a British classicist, publisher, poet and translator. He initiated the Penguin Classics series of books in 1946 and edited it for twenty years. Biography Rieu was born in London, the y ...

) to suggest the Wandering Rocks were located around Sicily, with their flames and smoke coming from

Mount Etna Mount Etna, or simply Etna ( it, Etna or ; scn, Muncibbeḍḍu or ; la, Aetna; grc, Αἴτνα and ), is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina a ...

. An alternative theory of the geography of the ''Odyssey'' places Circe, the

Siren Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wisco ...

s, Scylla & Charybdis and the Wandering Rocks, all mentioned in the stories of both Jason and Odysseus, in northwest Greece.

Tim Severin Timothy Severin (25 September 1940 – 18 December 2020) was a British explorer, historian, and writer. Severin was noted for his work in retracing the legendary journeys of historical figures. Severin was awarded both the Founder's Medal ...

noted that the island of Sesola off the coast of Lefkada looked very similar to the rocks from the Argo story, and also that the area is near a geological fault; he hypothesises that, due to both its similarity with the legends of the Symplegades and the stories of the ''Argo'' sailing home via the

Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...

and

Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea ( el, Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, ''Iónio Pélagos'' ; it, Mar Ionio ; al, Deti Jon ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including C ...

s, the original legend was copied to the area. Severin also supports his theory with locations for Scylla and Charybdis being located on the other side of Levkas, noting that the name "

Cape Skilla A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...

" is still used for a nearby headland on the mainland.

References

{{reflist Mythological islands Locations in Greek mythology