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Dave's Mythical Creatures and Places |
Charybdis
| Description | Although
Charybdis is called a monster, no description of its appearance is
generally given. It is a gulf, nearly level with the water, that creates a
chasm three times a day, creating a whirlpool that will draw in
ships. Then the water is disgorged.
Some versions of the myth state that Charybdis is the daughter of Gaea and Poseidon.
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| Related to | Charybdis
is a companion to Scylla. Bulfinch's Mythology gives the
following account of Ulysses' encounter with them: "On approaching
the haunt of the dread monsters, Ulysses kept strict watch to discover
them. The roar of the waters as Charybdis engulfed them gave warning
at a distance, but Scylla could nowhere be discerned. While Ulysses
and his men watched with anxious eyes the dreadful whirlpool, they were
not equally on their guard from the attack of Scylla, and the monster,
darting forth her snaky heads, caught six of his men, and bore them away shrieking
to her den. It was the saddest sight Ulysses had yet seen."
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| Might Actually be | The
Straits of Messina are very narrow and rocky, with strong currents and
noise. Charybdis is on the Sicilian side, while Scylla is on the mainland
of Italy. (see map)
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