Classical Gas

Posted by David FG on May 13, 2005

In Reply to: Classical Gas posted by Lewis on May 13, 2005

: : What is the meaning of "Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes"? What is "Scylla"? What is "Charibdes"?

: It is a reference for those classics buffs (a friend who has a 1st in classics from Oxford can hardly tie his laces and seems typical of the breed) - however, a mere mortal such as moi, knows it refers to a naval hazard - probably faced by Odysseus or somebody of that ilk. I think one was the rocks and the other a whirlpool - in any event it has come to mean the same as 'between a rock and an hard place' i.e. no safe place to be.

: L

Charybdis was a whirlpool and Scylla a rock off the coast of Sicily, according to both Homer and Horace. It does indeed mean in a place between two equal dangers.

DFG

• Scylla Question Lewis 13/May/05
  • Scylla Question David FG 13/May/05
    • Scylla and Charybdis Smokey Stover 15/May/05