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Where did the phrase between the devil and the deep blue sea come from?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
There is no clear origin. There are, however, three basic theories:
1. The phrase is just one more of a very long list of phrases that mean "caught between two equally horrible choices." The Greek writer Homer wrote about Odysseus being caught between Scylla (the six-headed sea monster) and Charybdis (the whirlpool). This is the most likely origin for the phrase.
2. The phrase originated with sailors. In this case, "The Devil" is not the supreme being of evil who opposes God, but is instead a slang term which referred to the seam between the outermost layers of planking on a wooden ship. Thus, a sailor who was hanging off the side of the ship doing repairs would be between the devil and the sea.
3. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin in his book "Jewish Literacy" believes that another etiological source for this phrase is based on Exodus, the second chapter of the Torah. As the Israelites are leaving Egypt, they are chased by the army of Pharoah (the devil) and wind up temporarily halted by the Reed Sea (deep sea). So, he believes that is a very early origin for the development of the phrase.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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What does hale mean when he says I'll come to do the devil's work?
When Hale says he will come to do the devil's work, he means that he is prepared to carry out actions that may be considered sinful or evil in order to achieve a specific goal or objective. This phrase suggests that he is willing to use unconventional or morally ambiguous methods to achieve his aims.
