Scylla and Charybis

Ulysses had been warned by Circe of the two monsters Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla dwelt in a cave high up on the cliff, from there she would thrust forth her long necks flying of them were her six heads, and in each of her mouths to seize one of the crew of every vessel passing within reach. The other terror, Charybdis, was a gulf nearly on a level with the water. Thrice each day the water rushed into a frightful chasm, and thrice was disgorged. Any vessel coming near the whirlpool when the tide was rushing in must inevitably be engulfed; not Neptune himself could save it. 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. Ulysses was unable to afford any assistance.



Before Ulysses could do anything about it his ship plumage down a monsterous whirlpool that was Charybis mouth and his crew, he was left alone after Charybis closed its mouth floating a small plank of wood that was broken off from the ship.