Scylla and Charybdis

1. In classical mythology, Scylla was a horrible six-headed monster who lived on a rock on one side of a narrow strait. Charybdis was a whirlpool on the other side. When ships passed close to Scylla's rock in order to avoid Charybdis, she would seize and devour their sailors. Aeneas, Jason, and Odysseus all had to pass between Scylla and Charybdis.

Example Sentences

Those who have navigated between the Scylla and Charybdis of right and left for too long want to sail to calmer waters.

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For many long minutes, those covering the show in real time were trapped between the Scylla and Charybdis of congratulatory awe and potentially backlash-provoking faux pas.

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Mandatory infringement works to place competitors between Scylla and Charybdis, forcing them out of the market and thereby harming consumers.

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I don’t expect you to say “between Scylla and Charybdis” but could you please say “between a rock and a whirlpool” instead?

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In other words, the middle path, the tightrope walk, the threading of Scylla and Charybdis.

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