Why do we say "Between a rock and a hard place"?

Well-Known Expressions

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 monstress 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.

Some time earlier (according to Greek mythology, before the Trojan Wars), Jason and the Argonauts also had to sail past Scylla and Charybdis but, unlike Odysseus who had upset Poseiden (Neptune) and thus found himself at odds with many a sea monster, Jason was guided by Thetis, a nereid (sea nymph/goddess), one of the daughters of Nereus.

Just in case you're wondering, Nereus, also referred to as the Old Man of the Sea, was the eldest son of Pontus (Sea) and Gaia (Earth). According to Greek legend Nereus was supplanted by Poseiden when Zeus, the Father of the Gods, overthrew Cronus, the leader of The Titans.

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.

More expressions and their source

Challenge yourself with BookBrowse Wordplays

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    The Lamplighter's Bookshop
    by Sophie Austin
    The Lost Bookshop meets The Lost Apothecary in a beguiling novel full of secrets…

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Ordinary Love
    by Marie Rutkoski

    A riveting story of class, ambition, and bisexuality—one woman risks everything for a second chance at first love.

  • Book Jacket

    Making Friends Can Be Murder
    by Kathleen West

    Thirty-year-old Sarah Jones is drawn into a neighborhood murder mystery after befriending a deceptive con artist.

  • Book Jacket

    The Whyte Python World Tour
    by Travis Kennedy

    Rikki Thunder, drummer for '80s metal band Whyte Python, is on the verge of fame, love—and a spy mission he didn’t expect.

Who Said...

These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

C K the C

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.