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Charybdis

Charybdis is a sea monster from Greek mythology best known for inhabiting a powerful whirlpool in the Strait of Messina, opposite the six-headed monster Scylla. Together they posed a deadly hazard to sailors navigating the strait between Sicily and mainland Italy. Charybdis is typically described as a female sea creature who swallows large amounts of water—often said to do so three times a day—and then spits it out, creating a swirling vortex that can engulf ships.

The creature's origins vary among ancient authors, but she is commonly treated as a dangerous sea spirit

In later tradition, Charybdis has become a byword for a perilous, inescapable danger. The phrase between Scylla

or
monster
associated
with
Scylla
and
the
broader
mythic
geography
of
the
Mediterranean.
In
Homer’s
Odyssey,
Odysseus
must
sail
the
strait
and
pass
by
both
dangers;
choosing
to
go
near
Scylla
costs
him
a
number
of
men,
while
avoiding
her
and
facing
Charybdis
would
risk
everyone.
The
tale
underscores
the
peril
of
navigating
between
two
lethal
threats.
and
Charybdis
is
used
metaphorically
to
describe
a
choice
between
two
equally
dangerous
options.