When someone refers to the "Sword of Damocles", to what are they most likely alluding?

"The Sword of Damocles", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. The Damocles of the anecdote was an obsequious courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse, Sicily.

According to the story, Damocles was pandering to Dionysius, his king, and exclaimed to him that Dionysius was truly fortunate as a great man of power and authority, surrounded by magnificence. In response, Dionysius offered to switch places with Damocles so that Damocles could taste that very fortune firsthand. Damocles quickly and eagerly accepted the king's proposal. Damocles sat down in the king's throne surrounded by every luxury, but Dionysius arranged that a huge sword should hang above the throne, held at the pommel only by a single hair of a horse's tail. Damocles finally begged the king that he be allowed to depart because he no longer wanted to be so fortunate, realizing that with great fortune and power comes also great danger.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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33 Comments

Bank-Robber

Was a total guess but I did get it correct!!!

Irene Townsend

The word 'alluding' give me the right answer. Never actually heard of it, was really interesting the explanation.

kcortez

I knew the reference from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

usha

Number one choice most ikely right answer

onemamaone

Char, I, also believe this to have been poorly written. The least amount of reasoning reached the correct action. Factually, I had forgotten the details of the story, but that was not a problem, at all. Have a great day!

Todd Van Dell

Isabel Laing, I didn't know the story either. But, I've always known it was about anyone in any bad situation facing imminent danger, not solely those in power. We could have a sword of Damocles hanging over our own heads at any moment. Especially if we have a job and suddenly lose it, where we had income then didn't. Or anything of a similar nature. We elect a president who wants to take our Social Security away from us and his Republican cronies want to help him do it. That's a pretty intense sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of any of us who are on Social Security disability income, as I am, or Supplemental Security Income. Or are retired and collecting Social Security retirement benefits. Definitely a sword of Damocles.