On his way back to Ithaca, Odysseus easily rules out the course through the Wandering Rocks of Amphitrite because that would mean certain death for everyone. The difficulty choosing between Scylla and Charybdis arises because he has no way of knowing whether Charybdis will attack when they sail by. If he knew that Charybdis would not attack, of course he would choose that route. But he doesn’t even know that much! He resolves the dilemma by choosing the course that would do some serious harm to prevent total disaster.

When faced with dilemma, we typically aim at making the best choice, or the one that will produce the most desirable or worthwhile outcome. What are some “monsters” (like Scylla and Charybdis) currently causing a dilemma in your life? What information would likely help you to make a better decision?