APAD: Between a rock and a hard place

Meaning:

In difficulty, faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options.

 

Background:

 

This phrase apparently originated in the USA in the early part of the 20th

century but, logic suggests, has its root in the much older expression, "between

Scylla and Charybdis" (pronounced silla & karibdis), and is related to the

expression, "the lesser of two evils."

 

In Greek mythology, on his way back from Troy, Odysseus was faced with a narrow

channel with dangers on both sides, He chose to sail close to Scylla, a

monstrous sea goddess who lived under a large rock, instead of Charybdis,

another sea monster who lived under a small rock. By sailing close to Scylla he

lost six of his companions but if he had sailed close to Charybdis all would

have been lost.

 

In short, finding himself between a rock and a hard place, Odysseus chose the

lesser of two evils.

 

General opinion is that Sylla and Charybdis lay in the Strait of Messina,

between Sicily and mainland Italy. The strait is 3.1 km (1.9 miles) wide at its

narrowest point. The rock Scylla is on the toe of Italy, whereas what is

believed to have been a whirlpool (Charybdis) is close to the coast of Sicily. A

whirlpool, caused by the meeting of currents, does exist at that location today

but is too small to cause damage except in extreme conditions.

 

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I love the background discussion and happen to be reading 'Blood Rain' (by

Michael Dibdin) which centers on Catania, near where the Cyclops Polyphemus is said

to have resided and the rocks he threw at Odysseus can still be seen in the

water today.

 

The Mediterranean is full of legendary places. In Old Jafa, on the coast of

Israel, our guide pointed to a rock and told us it was where Andromeda was

chained and to a nearby port and said Jonah set out to the sea from there to be

swallowed by the big fish. What a wonderful place.