What was the sword of Damocles hanging from
"at the pommel only by a single hair of a horse's tail to evoke the sense of what it is like to be king: though having much fortune, always having to watch in fear and anxiety against dangers that might try to overtake him. 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. King Dionysius effectively conveyed the sense of constant fear in which a person with great power may live. Cicero used this story as the last"
"Damocles Damocles (; ) is a figure featured in a single moral anecdote commonly referred to as ""the Sword of Damocles"", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. Damocles was an obsequious courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse, Sicily. The anecdote apparently figured in the lost history of Sicily by Timaeus of Tauromenium (c. 356–260 BC). The Roman orator Cicero may have read it in the texts of Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. He used it in his ""Tusculanae Disputationes"", 5. 61, by which"
"and music. Damocles Damocles (; ) is a figure featured in a single moral anecdote commonly referred to as ""the Sword of Damocles"", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. Damocles was an obsequious courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse, Sicily. The anecdote apparently figured in the lost history of Sicily by Timaeus of Tauromenium (c. 356–260 BC). The Roman orator Cicero may have read it in the texts of Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. He used it in his ""Tusculanae Disputationes"", 5. 61,"
"Woodcut images of the sword of Damocles as an emblem appear in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European books of devices, with moralizing couplets or quatrains, with the import (literally, ""Fear is plentiful for tyrants"", i.e., ""A tyrant's fear is complete fear"" — as it is the tyrant's place to sit daily under the sword). A small vignette shows Damocles under a canopy of state, at the festive table, with Dionysius seated nearby; the etching, with its clear political moral, was later used to illustrate. The sword of Damocles appears frequently in popular culture, including novels, feature films, television series, video games,"
"means it passed into the European cultural mainstream. 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 for one day 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, who had made many enemies during his reign, arranged that a huge sword should hang above the throne, held"
"/I saw Conquest depicted in his power/ There was a sharpened sword above his head / That hung there by the thinnest simple thread."" (Lines 2026-2030) The Roman 1st century BC poet Horace also alluded to the sword of Damocles in Ode 1 of the ""Third Book of Odes"", in which he extolled the virtues of living a simple, rustic life, favouring such an existence over the myriad threats and anxieties that accompany holding a position of power. In this appeal to his friend and patron, the aristocratic Gaius Maecenas, Horace describes the ""Siculae dapes"" or ""Sicilian feasts"" as providing"
"Spoon of Diocles The Spoon of Diocles () was a medical instrument used in antiquity. The instrument was designed by Diocles of Carystus to remove arrows from the human body. The instrument was used to remove the injured eye of Philip II without disfiguring him. No genuine examples of the Spoon of Diocles are known to have survived to the present day, although some collections have forgeries and/or misidentified items. Historians Brian Campbell and Lawrence A. Tritle have expressed skepticism about the Spoon's authenticity, emphasizing that all information about the Spoon is based solely on writings by Celsus, with no"
"rather than Balmung. The legendary smith Wayland Smith forged the magic sword Mimung, which appears both in the Anglo-Saxon poem Waldere and in the German/Scandinavian ""Þiðrekssaga"". Beowulf wielded the sword Hrunting that was according to the poem annealed in venom. The sword was useless against Grendel's Mother. In desperation Beowulf grabbed a giant sword of great age and with it took off the head of the she monster. In Japanese mythology, there is a magical sword called Kusanagi, which was one of the three crown jewels given to the Emperor Jimmu by the goddess Amaterasu. Additionally, the katana forged by"
"by pulling a sword from an anvil sitting atop a stone that appeared in a churchyard on Christmas Eve. In this account, the act could not be performed except by ""the true king,"" meaning the divinely appointed king or true heir of Uther Pendragon. As Malory writes: """"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise king born."""" This sword is thought by many to be the famous Excalibur, and its identity is made explicit in the later Prose ""Merlin"", part of the Lancelot-Grail cycle. The challenge of drawing a sword from a stone also appears in"
"mentions in works by others; they also feel that ""it sounds impractical."" Spoon of Diocles The Spoon of Diocles () was a medical instrument used in antiquity. The instrument was designed by Diocles of Carystus to remove arrows from the human body. The instrument was used to remove the injured eye of Philip II without disfiguring him. No genuine examples of the Spoon of Diocles are known to have survived to the present day, although some collections have forgeries and/or misidentified items. Historians Brian Campbell and Lawrence A. Tritle have expressed skepticism about the Spoon's authenticity, emphasizing that all information"
"of Penthesilea at the hands of Achilles. The Heraclean Amazonomachy spans eight blocks and represents the struggle of Heracles to seize the belt of the Amazon queen Hippolyta. Several sections of an Amazonomachy frieze from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus are now in the British Museum. One part depicts Heracles grasping an Amazon by the hair, while holding a club behind his head in a striking manner. This Amazon is believed to be the Amazon queen Hippolyta. Behind Heracles is a scene of a Greek warrior clashing shields with an Amazon warrior. Another slab displays a mounted Amazon charging at a"
"in a series of contrasting examples for reaching the conclusion towards which he had been moving in this fifth ""Disputation"", in which the theme is that having virtue is sufficient for living a happy life. Cicero asks, ""Does not Dionysius seem to have made it sufficiently clear that there can be nothing happy for the person over whom some fear always looms?"" The sword of Damocles is frequently used in allusion to this tale, epitomizing the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. More generally, it is used to denote the sense of foreboding engendered by"
"the ""Gesta Danorum"" version of the story, Baldr and Höðr are rival suitors, and Höðr kills Baldr with a sword named Mistilteinn (Old Norse ""mistletoe""). In addition, a sword by the same name appears in various other Norse legends. Mistletoe figured prominently in Greek mythology, and is believed to be the Golden Bough of Aeneas, ancestor of the Romans. Also in Greek mythology mistletoe was used by heroes to access the underworld. The Romans associated mistletoe with peace, love and understanding and hung it over doorways to protect the household. Hanging mistletoe was part of the festival of Saturnalia. When"
"Sword of Attila The Sword of Attila, also called the Sword of Mars or Sword of God (Hungarian: ""Isten kardja""), was the legendary weapon carried by Attila the Hun. The Roman historian Jordanes, quoting the work of the historian Priscus, gave the story of its origin: When a certain shepherd beheld one heifer of his flock limping and could find no cause for this wound, he anxiously followed the trail of blood and at length came to a sword it had unwittingly trampled while nibbling the grass. He dug it up and took it straight to Attila. He rejoiced at"
"Lucius Malfoy hands over to Dumbledore his suspension letter. The Deathly Hallows are three magical objects that are the focus of ""Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"" – an unbeatable wand, a stone to bring the dead to life, and a cloak of invisibility. When owned by one person, they are said to give mastery over death. The objects are generally remembered only as part of a wizard's fairy tale called ""The Tale of the Three Brothers"", and have become mythological over time, but a small number of wizards including Dumbledore still believe in their existence and seek them. According"
"Damascus steel Damascus steel was the forged steel comprising the blades of swords smithed in the Near East from ingots of wootz steel imported from India and Sri Lanka. These swords are characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Such blades were reputed to be tough, resistant to shattering, and capable of being honed to a sharp, resilient edge. The steel is named after Damascus, the capital city of Syria and one of the largest cities in the ancient Levant. It may either refer to swords made or sold in Damascus directly, or it may"
"Nægling Næġling () is the name of one of the swords used by Beowulf in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem of ""Beowulf"". The name derives from ""næġl"", or ""nail"", and may correspond to Nagelring, a sword from the ""Vilkina saga"". It is possibly the sword of Hrethel, which Hygelac gave to Beowulf (ll. 2190-94). Næġling is referenced many times as a fine weapon—it is ""sharp"", ""gleaming"", ""bright"", ""mighty"", ""strong"", and has a venerable history as an ""excellent ancient sword"", ""old heirloom"", and ""old and grey-coloured"". However, the sword does not survive Beowulf's final encounter with the dragon, snapping in two—not because"
"swords is said to contain a nail from the Crucifixion. The anime, light novel, and manga series ""High School DxD"", also includes Durandal as a holy sword wielded by Xenovia. In the manga/anime series One Piece, the sword wielded by the captain of the beautiful pirates, Cavendish, is named Durendal. Durendal Durendal or Durandal is the sword of Roland, legendary paladin of Charlemagne in French epic literature. It is also said to have belonged to young Charlemagne at one point, and, passing through Saracen hands, came to be owned by Roland. The sword has been given various provenances. Several of"
"Dacian Draco The Dacian Draco was the standard ensign of troops of the ancient Dacian people, which can be seen in the hands of the soldiers of Decebalus in several scenes depicted on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy. It has the form of a dragon with open wolf-like jaws containing several metal tongues. The hollow dragon's head was mounted on a pole with a fabric tube affixed at the rear. In use, the ""draco"" was held up into the wind, or above the head of a horseman, where it filled with air and gave the impression it was alive while"
"friends and pupils. His nobility is further reflected in the story of his death, as Prometheus sacrificed his life, allowing mankind to obtain the use of fire. As the son of Cronus he was immortal, so it was left to Heracles to arrange a bargain with Zeus to exchange Chiron's immortality for the life of Prometheus, who had been chained to a rock and left to die for his transgressions. Chiron was pierced with an arrow belonging to Heracles that had been treated with the blood of the Hydra, or, in other versions, poison that Chiron had given to the"
"refers to the long sword in ""The Book of Five Rings"". He is referring to the ""katana"" in this, and refers to the ""nodachi"" and the ""odachi"" as ""extra-long swords"". Before about 1500 most swords were usually worn suspended from cords on a belt, edge-down. This style is called ""jindachi-zukuri"", and ""daitō"" worn in this fashion are called ""tachi"" (average blade length of 75–80 cm). From 1600 to 1867, more swords were worn through an ""obi"" (sash), paired with a smaller blade; both worn edge-up. This style is called ""buke-zukuri"", and all ""daitō"" worn in this fashion are ""katana"", averaging"
"a Damascus steel blade and is set with 2,141 diamonds, 12 emeralds and 4 rubies. The precious stones are arranged to form roses, thistles, shamrocks, oak leaves and acorns. Two diamond lion heads, one at each end of the cross-piece, have ruby eyes. George paid more than £5,000 for the sword out of his own pocket in a radical change from the austere £2 swords used by his 18th-century predecessors. It remained in personal ownership of the Royal family until 1903 when it was deposited with the Crown Jewels and has been used at every coronation since 1911. A monarch"
"weapon that Hercules used to kill the eagle (Aquila) of Jove that perpetually gnawed Prometheus' liver. The Arrow is located beyond the north border of Aquila, the Eagle. According to R.H. Allen, the Arrow could be the one shot by Hercules towards the adjacent Stymphalian birds (6th labor) who had claws, beaks and wings of iron, and who lived on human flesh in the marshes of Arcadia - Aquila the Eagle, Cygnus the Swan, and Lyra (the Vulture) - and still lying between them, whence the title Herculea (although Allen cites no reference to support this assertion). Eratosthenes claimed it"
"and towering bluffs of lofty mountains and rivers flowing to the sea are dear to you, Phoebus, yet in Delos do you most delight your heart; for there the long robed Ionians gather in your honour with their children and shy wives: mindful, they delight you with boxing and dancing and song, so often as they hold their gathering. (Lines 140-164) Preparing for battle, Heracles donned his armor and pick up his glorious shield. The shield was a gift from Anthea before he set off to complete his labours. Crafted and forged by the god Hephaestus with ivory and gold,"
"of the Deathly Hallows. Unlike many of the wand's previous owners, Dumbledore keeps its identity a closely guarded secret. He also has a pet phoenix named Fawkes. It is revealed in ""Philosopher's Stone"" by Mr. Ollivander that Harry's wand carries a phoenix feather as its magical core and that particular phoenix only gave one other feather, the one in Voldemort's wand that gave Harry his scar. It is later revealed in ""Goblet of Fire"" that Fawkes was the phoenix whose feathers provide the magical core in Harry's and Voldemort's wands. Through various interviews and discussions about the character, Rowling has"
"sources give varying etymologies for the word ""ancile"". Some derive it from the Greek ""ankylos"" (ἀγκύλος), ""crooked"". Plutarch thinks the word may be derived from the Greek ""ankōn"" (ἀγκών), ""elbow"", the weapon being carried on the elbow. Varro derives it ""ab ancisu"", as being cut or arched on the two sides, like the bucklers of the Thracians called peltae. When the original ""ancile"" fell, a voice was heard which declared that Rome should be mistress of the world while the shield was preserved. The Ancile was, as it were, the palladium of Rome. Numa, by the advice, as it is"
"his death, drowning in the sea (which the Icarian Sea was named after). Daedalus lamented his dead son and blaming himself for the tragedy. Soon Daedalus found himself in the court of King Cocalus. There he continued his craft and skills of inventing and building. But soon King Minos, in pursuit of Daedalus, came to the court. Minos offered a reward to whoever could lead a thread through a spiral seashell. King Cocalus' daughters knew that Daedalus' talents could solve the puzzle, and gave the shell to him. Daedalus tied the string to an ant and using honey as a"
"extended version in Old English has survived. The reference in ""Waldere"" is similar to that in Beowulf – the hero's sword was made by Weland – while Alfred the Great in his translation of Boethius asks plaintively: ""What now are the bones of Wayland, the goldsmith preeminently wise?"" In the front panel of the Franks Casket, incongruously paired with an ""Adoration of the Magi"", Wayland stands at the extreme left in the forge where he is held as a slave by King Niðhad, who has had his hamstrings cut to hobble him. Below the forge is the headless body of"
"bow of Heracles by a trick. According to Little Iliad, Odysseus wanted to sail home with the bow but Diomedes refused to leave Philoctetes behind. Heracles (now a god) or Athena then persuaded Philoctetes to join the Achaeans again (with the promise that he will be healed) and he agreed to go with Diomedes. The bow of Heracles and the poisoned arrows were used by Philoctetes to slay Paris; this was a requirement to the fall of Troy. According to some, Diomedes and Odysseus were sent into the city of Troy to negotiate for peace after the death of Paris."
"pile, his head resting on his club, and his lion's skin spread over him, and commanded Philoctetes to apply the torch to the pyre. Another version of the story claims that Zeus threw a lightning bolt on the site of Heracles' death, and that from this place sprung forth the Gorgopotamos river. The remains of a 3rd-century BC Doric temple dedicated to Heracles and his funeral pyre (Πυρὰ Ἡρακλέους), as well as an altar and ruins of adjacent buildings, still survive at the entrance of the Katavothra plateau at a height of 1,800 m, near the village of Pavliani. The"
"it under his mighty foot. The Hydra's one immortal head was cut off with a golden sword given to Heracles by Athena. Heracles placed the head—still alive and writhing—under a great rock on the sacred way between Lerna and Elaius, and dipped his arrows in the Hydra's poisonous blood. Thus his second task was complete. The alternate version of this myth is that after cutting off one head he then dipped his sword in its neck and used its venom to burn each head so it could not grow back. Hera, upset that Heracles had slain the beast she raised"
"ancestry, Diomedes planted his spear in the ground and told of how his grandfather Oeneus was a close friend of Bellerophon, and declared that the two of them despite being on opposing sides should continue the friendship. As a sign of friendship, Diomedes took off his bronze armor worth nine oxen and gave it to Glaucus. Glaucus then had his wits taken by Zeus and gave Diomedes his golden armor, said to be worth 100 oxen. Glaucus was in the division of Sarpedon and Asteropaios when the Trojans assaulted the Greek wall. Their division fought valiantly, allowing Hector to break"
"Arthur. However, when she returns to Camelot, she is confronted by Arthur, who knew about her and Lancelot, and threw the enchanted sand of Avalon on her, making his wife obedient with whatever he wanted, and used more of the sand to create his Camelot empire. In the present universe of Camelot, King Arthur showed David the broken Excalibur after reading books on how to make it whole, and when he asked David to help him find the other half, David realized where the portion of the dagger came from. As for the dagger itself Emma is being drawn to"