Sust. FEM. Mythological sea monster fathered by Poseidon with Gaia. Three times per day ingested huge volumes of water which then returned and generated a huge devouring swirl around the surrounding. It was once ninfa marina, to enlarge the underwater realm of Poseidon flooded the land, until Zeus became Monster. She and Scylla - another monstrosity also transformed by Circe, from a marine nymph-, daughter of Phorcys and Hécate, lived on both sides of a sea Strait so that the ships which surcaran its waters were within reach of arrows fired by any of them. The Argonauts managed to avoid both dangers because nereida Tetis guio. Odysseus chose to lose ( six sailors ) with Scylla instead of damaging the ship with Caribdis ( Odyssey, Book III, Homer ). This name, in ancient Greek, from «Xáribdis», which means «sucking». (Source: wikipedia )