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The Tale of the Sword of Damocles
A harrowing reminder of the dangers of power and imminent destruction
The Sword of Damocles, or Damocles’ Sword, is a literary device used to represent constant danger, imminent destruction, and the perils of power. In the ancient and Medieval world, it was used as a metaphor for the likely assassination of those in power. Kings and emperors were killed at an astonishing rate in specific periods of history.
In the modern world, where assassinations are less common, the sword has been used as a metaphor for nuclear weapons. The means of humanity’s complete and utter destruction are in the hands of men and hovering just above our heads. The nuclear sword hanging just above our necks.
But where does this literary device come from? Was there an actual Sword of Damocles?
The Myth
The story of Damocles was made popular by Cicero in ancient Rome. The famous philosopher used the story in one of his tomes. Cicero made sure that this tale would stand the test of time when he included it in his writings.
The story goes something like this.
There was an ancient king of the old and powerful city-state of Syracuse in Sicily that ruled hundreds of years before Cicero’s time in Rome. The king…
