DAMOCLES


Meaning of DAMOCLES in English

n.

flourished 4th century BC

Member of the court of Dionysius I the Elder at Syracuse in Sicily.

Legend holds that when Damocles spoke in extravagant terms of Dionysius's happiness, the sovereign responded by inviting Damocles to a banquet and seating him beneath a sword suspended by a thread, thereby demonstrating the precarious fortunes of people who hold power.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.