SCYLLA

and CHARYBDIS, in Homeric legend, two dreadful sea monsters, who dwelt on two rocks between Italy and Sicily. On the rock nearest Italy, in a cave, lived Scylla, daughter of Cratais. She was represented as a six-headed monster, with twelve feet, and the bark of a dog, and often with dogs’ or wolves’ heads springing from her body, who snatched and devoured sailors from the pa ing ships. On the lower rock, under a huge fig-tree, lurked Charybdis, who thrice a day swallowed down and thrice spouted out the \7aters of the sea, thus being known as ‘the whirlpool.’