- In Greek Mythology, Scylla was a six headed Sea Monster and each head would swallow one crew member from passing ships.
- Opposite Scylla was Charybdis, a whirlpool that could engulf the entire vessel.
Between Scylla and Charybdis
- In the Odyssey, Odysseus has to sail a narrow strait between the two monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, and is advised to sail closer to Scylla and lose only part of his crew, rather than sail closer to Charybdis and lose the whole vessel.
- This phrase means the same as Between a rock and a hard place which is derived from the Greek Myth.
Possible Location
- It is thought that the Strait was located in the Strait of Messina, between Sicily and Italy where there was a powerful whirlpool.
Strait of Messina