(no subject)

[kingandy]

It's kind of funny that there's so many characters around - in larp and in popular fiction - called Damocles. It's like people have heard of the Sword of Damocles and assumed that Damocles was this bloke who had a bit of a nifty sword. Of course if they'd ever heard the actual legend, they'd know the Sword of Damocles actually hung above Damocles' bed, in a sort of magical curse stylee. Well, I don't recall all the details myself, but it's definitely a sort of metaphor for a constant sense of dread and doom hanging over you, that may come crashing down at any moment and end your life as you know it.

damn, i really need to have that talk with sal.

Comments

[si-lloyd.livejournal.com]

Sorry that apart from roleplay, I've been so out of touch lately. I hope all goes OK.

[kmazzy.livejournal.com]

*smoochy mcsmooch*

[angelfire-75.livejournal.com]

*virtual hug*

[areteus.livejournal.com]

Would have spoken to you about this relationship stuff last night if you'd needed it but we barely got to talk due to too many people in the room syndrome...

I hope you get it all sorted out and hugs all round whether you do or don't.

BTW, the version of the story I heard stated that the sword was hanging over his head when he sat at a feast but I suppose the moral is the same regardless.

[bacony.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Damocles wanted to trade places with the king, because the king had all the nice wine and the pretty girls, so the king gave him a huge banquet. Only he hung a sharpened sword over Damocles' chair, suspended by a single hair.

It was supposed to be a metaphor for the danger of power, but I always considered it a metaphor for 'Don't whine at the king, he's got a sword'.

[mistressp.livejournal.com]

That was definitely the point behind Martin O'Brien's Damoclese. He was an upstart and a socio-path - balancing the additional power that he had gained over the fact that he really had no right to that power.

[aardvarkoffnord.livejournal.com]

There was also the whole thing about even though he was being fed lots of marvellous food, it was as ashes in his mouth due to the fear of the sword above him.

[kermix.livejournal.com]

I've actually heard of this, but I didn't know the story until I checked good ol' Wikipedia. There's even a song that references it in Rocky Horror:

The sword of Damocles is hanging over my head
And I've got the feeling someone's gonna be cutting the thread
Oh, woe is me
my life is a misery
Oh, can't you see
that I'm at the start of a pretty big downer

[aardvarkoffnord.livejournal.com]

All hail Richard O'Brien.