Scylla

noun

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Scyl·la | \ ˈsi-lə

Definition of Scylla

: a nymph changed into a monster in Greek mythology who terrorizes mariners in the Strait of Messina

between Scylla and Charybdis

: between two equally hazardous alternatives

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The Strait of Messina is the narrow passage between the island of Sicily and the "toe" of Italy's "boot". In Greek mythology, two monsters hovered on either side of the strait. Scylla, a female monster with six snake-like heads, each with pointed teeth, barked like a dog from the rocks on the Italian side. Charybdis, on the Sicilian side, caused a whirlpool by swallowing the waters of the sea three times a day. When Odysseus attempted to sail between them, he encountered disaster on both sides. Being caught between Scylla and Charybdis is a lot like being between a rock and a hard place.