<P> Scylla and Charybdis were mythical sea monsters noted by Homer ; Greek mythology sited them on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the Italian mainland . Scylla was rationalized as a rock shoal ( described as a six - headed sea monster ) on the Italian side of the strait and Charybdis was a whirlpool off the coast of Sicily . They were regarded as a sea hazard located close enough to each other that they posed an inescapable threat to passing sailors ; avoiding Charybdis meant passing too close to Scylla and vice versa . According to Homer , Odysseus was forced to choose which monster to confront while passing through the strait ; he opted to pass by Scylla and lose only a few sailors , rather than risk the loss of his entire ship in the whirlpool . </P>
where is scylla and charybdis located in the odyssey
on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the Italian mainland