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  What it means

  Literally “between Scylla and Charybdis.” Means caught between two equally dangerous or unpleasant options — a dilemma where every choice carries serious risk.

  Vocabulary

  • Scylla — Scylla (a sea monster in Greek mythology)
  • Charybda — Charybdis (a whirlpool monster in Greek mythology)

  Grammar note

  'Między' takes the instrumental — 'Scyllą' and 'Charybdą' are both instrumental forms.

  Cultural context

  From Homer's Odyssey. Well known in Polish educated speech as a reference to an impossible dilemma. The equivalent of 'between a rock and a hard place'.

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