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.