The sword hung by a thread. Where did the sword of Damocles come from? See what the "Sword of Damocles" is in other dictionaries

SWORD OF DAMOCLES

SWORD OF DAMOCLES

A sword hung by a thread, by order of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius, over the head of his courtier Damocles or Damocles, when the latter envied the position of Dionysius and wanted to be in his place. “Such is the happiness of kings,” said Dionysius, “they are in constant danger amidst their prosperity.” Now, figuratively, Dam. m. means such a combination of circumstances when a person is constantly in danger.

Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. - Chudinov A.N., 1910 .

SWORD OF DAMOCLES

the expression: “the sword of Damocles hangs over him” means that a terrible misfortune can break out over this person every minute, despite all his apparent well-being. They say that the Syracusan king Dionysius, wanting to cool the envy of one of his close associates named Damocles, once put him in his place, and he, raising his eyes up and seeing a sword hanging by a thread above his head, quickly jumped aside. Then Dionysius told him that if the enjoyment of the power of a tyrant is great, then the danger that threatens him every minute is also great.

Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. - Pavlenkov F., 1907 .

SWORD OF DAMOCLES

from sob. them. A sword hung by a thread by order of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius over the head of Domocles, his flatterer, when the latter wished to be in the place of Dionysius. Now, such a combination of circumstances in which death seems inevitable.

Explanation of 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots. - Mikhelson A.D., 1865 .

SWORD OF DAMOCLES

the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius put in his place one of the courtiers - Damocles, who told him that he would like to be king. Over his head, he ordered a heavy sword to be hung on his hair, ready to fall at any moment. Damocles raised his eyes, quickly got up and stepped aside, and Dionysius said at the same time that as much as power is interesting, so great are the dangers surrounding the ruler. From here, D. m. began to mean in general such a situation when someone's well-being is under the constant threat of death.

A complete dictionary of foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language. - Popov M., 1907 .

Sword of Damocles

1) according to ancient Greek tradition - a sharp sword suspended by the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I (432-367 BC) on a horsehair over the head of Damocles, who was envious of him, whom he put in his place during the feast;

2) trans. looming, constantly threatening danger.

New dictionary of foreign words.- by EdwART,, 2009 .

See what the "Sword of Damocles" is in other dictionaries:

From the essay "Tusculan Conversations." Roman statesman, orator and writer Cicero (Mark Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC). In this work, he reports the ancient Greek oral tradition about the sire of the Kuz tyrant (that is, the ruler) Dionysius ... ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions

Sword of Damocles, threat, danger Dictionary of Russian synonyms. sword of Damocles n., number of synonyms: 3 sword of Damocles (3) ... Synonym dictionary

Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

SWORD OF DAMOCLES. see sword. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Modern Encyclopedia

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

According to Greek legend, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I (end of the 5th century BC) offered the throne for one day to the favorite of Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals. In the midst of the fun at the feast, Damocles suddenly saw a naked man above his head ... Historical dictionary

A constantly threatening danger looming over someone with apparent well-being. According to ancient Greek tradition, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I the Elder (late 5th 4th centuries BC) offered the throne for one day to his favorite Damocles, who believed ... ... Political science. Vocabulary.

Sword of Damocles- SWORD OF DAMOCLES. According to Greek legend, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I (end of the 5th century BC) offered the throne for one day to the favorite of Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals. In the midst of fun at the feast, Damocles suddenly saw overhead ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (inosk.) constantly threatening danger Cf. Life is a cruel necessity... over (creatures) the sword of Damocles hangs forever. Saltykov. Motley letters. 1. Wed. In a government institution... over the head of each hung the sword of Damocles of severity, exactingness... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

Books

• The sword of Damocles over the starry throne, Tatiana Stepanova. The business card of this serial killer is a metal token with numbers stamped on it. He attaches it to the bodies of his victims: the six-fingered pimp, the owner of the zoo, in cold blood ...

Sword of Damocles

Sword of Damocles
From the essay "Tusculan Conversations." Roman statesman, orator and writer Cicero (Mark Tullius Cicero, 106 - 43 BC). In this work, he reports an ancient Greek oral tradition about the Syracuse tyrant (that is, the ruler) Dionysius the Elder (432-367 BC) and his courtier named Damocles. Everyone knew that Damocles passionately envied the tyrant, spoke of him as the happiest person who had achieved everything that one could wish for. Dionysius himself knew about this. And, wanting to teach the envious man a lesson, he arranged a magnificent feast, invited Damocles to it and even seated him in his place. In the midst of
feasting, Damocles saw that a heavy sword was hanging directly above his head, which was held in the air by only one horse hair ...
Then Dionysius the Elder told all those gathered that now his envious Damocles felt what he, Dionysius, as the ruler of the city, constantly experiences - a feeling of constant fear for his life. So Damocles should not envy him.
Hence the expression "sword of Damocles", which, presumably, gave birth to other similar images - "hanging by a thread", "being a hair's breadth from death", etc.
Allegorically: a constant threat, which at any moment can become a real disaster.

Encyclopedic Dictionary of winged words and expressions. - M.: "Lokid-Press". Vadim Serov. 2003 .

Sword of Damocles

The expression arose from the ancient Greek tradition, told by Cicero in the essay "Tusculan Conversations". Damocles, one of the associates of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder (432 - 367 BC), began to enviously speak of him as the happiest of people. Dionysius, in order to teach the envious man a lesson, put him in his place. During the feast, Damocles saw that a sharp sword was hanging on a horsehair over his head. Dionysius explained that this is an emblem of the dangers to which he, as a ruler, is constantly exposed, despite his seemingly happy life. Hence the expression "sword of Damocles" received the meaning of an impending, threatening danger.

Dictionary of winged words. Plutex. 2004

See what the "Sword of Damocles" is in other dictionaries:

A sword hung by a thread, by order of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius, over the head of his courtier Damocles or Damocles, when the latter envied the position of Dionysius and wanted to be in his place. “Such is the happiness of kings,” said Dionysius, “they… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Sword of Damocles, threat, danger Dictionary of Russian synonyms. sword of Damocles n., number of synonyms: 3 sword of Damocles (3) ... Synonym dictionary

Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

SWORD OF DAMOCLES. see sword. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Modern Encyclopedia

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

According to Greek legend, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I (end of the 5th century BC) offered the throne for one day to the favorite of Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals. In the midst of the fun at the feast, Damocles suddenly saw a naked man above his head ... Historical dictionary

A constantly threatening danger looming over someone with apparent well-being. According to ancient Greek tradition, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I the Elder (late 5th 4th centuries BC) offered the throne for one day to his favorite Damocles, who believed ... ... Political science. Vocabulary.

Sword of Damocles- SWORD OF DAMOCLES. According to Greek legend, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I (end of the 5th century BC) offered the throne for one day to the favorite of Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals. In the midst of fun at the feast, Damocles suddenly saw overhead ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (inosk.) constantly threatening danger Cf. Life is a cruel necessity... over (creatures) the sword of Damocles hangs forever. Saltykov. Motley letters. 1. Wed. In a government institution... over the head of each hung the sword of Damocles of severity, exactingness... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

Books

• The sword of Damocles over the starry throne, Tatiana Stepanova. The business card of this serial killer is a metal token with numbers stamped on it. He attaches it to the bodies of his victims: the six-fingered pimp, the owner of the zoo, in cold blood ...

Many phraseological units came to us from ancient Greece. Thanks to the instructive stories of the philosophers of those years, the stories that preceded them have been preserved. And in the following millennia, short sayings stood out from such idioms. These include the idiom "sword of Damocles", which arose from the legend.

What is the sword of Damocles?

The famous idiom was first mentioned in an ancient parable by the famous philosopher Cicero, who wrote it thousands of years ago. The legend says that the sword of Damocles is a weapon that the king ordered to hang over the courtier's head to show that he is constantly in fear for his life and every moment can be the last, so you should not envy him without knowing the other side of the medal.

Sword of Damocles - the meaning of phraseology

Over time, the phrase "Sword of Damocles" became popular; writers from different countries and eras willingly used it in their works. Based on the essence of the legend itself, the expression "Sword of Damocles hanging over a man" means:

• the constant threat of something or from someone;
• a danger that could lie in wait at any moment;
• an object of blackmail, which is constantly reminded of the victim, who is bathed in prosperity.

The myth of the sword of Damocles

During the reign of Dionysius, magnificent festivities were characteristic, and the ruler was surrounded by flattering courtiers who invented a variety of entertainments. The life of the ruler seemed easy and carefree, which was often whispered by subordinates. One of the favorites of King Damocles decided to say this out loud and soon paid the price. Dionysius was distinguished not only by cruelty, but also by cunning.

Once he ordered to accept the favorite as a ruler with all honors, and when he, sitting in a place of honor in moments of cheerful entertainment, looked up, he saw a sword hanging over his head. Noticing the fear of the favorite, the king said that such is the fate of the rulers, to live in eternal fear of possible troubles and intrigues of enemies. So envy this fate is not worth it. This meaning is preserved by the expression "Sword of Damocles".

What was the sword of Damocles suspended from?

“Sword of Damocles” - the meaning of this phraseological unit did not acquire many meanings, unlike many others that came from the Hellenes. Since this weapon was held in weight only by horsehair, no other association could arise than:

• possible threat;
• momentary danger

Knowing history, studying it is a natural human desire. In this article, we will consider the legend of Ancient Greece about Damocles and Dionysius, find out where the expression "sword of Damocles" came from. The meaning of the statement will be considered in detail in this material. Let's analyze the feelings experienced by the protagonist of the old legend, talk about possible consequences, about ways of self-control, about the significance of history in the life of modern society.

The legend of ancient Greece

The meaning and origin of the phraseological unit "Sword of Damocles" is rooted in the depths of history. According to the legends of ancient Greece, the tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius the Elder, knew about the envy that ate his favorite Damocles. And Dionysius ordered that Damocles be dressed in luxurious clothes, anointed his body with incense and put on the throne. The servants followed orders. During the feast, the pleased favorite raised his head up and froze, a sword without a scabbard hung over his head on a horsehair, the tip of which was directly above him. At that moment, he felt what the ruler constantly had to experience, a sense of danger seized his soul. Dionysius thus showed him that he always lives on the verge of death.

The meaning of the phraseologism "Sword of Damocles" should be reduced to the following: imaginary well-being hides the threat of death like a curtain, in other words, it is a feeling of constant threat, which at any moment can turn into a real disaster.

To be on the edge

The threat of losing a comfortable life with its privileges and opportunities, of course, keeps you in great tension. What else can be concluded from the situation described above? This is the ability to hide their emotions, since those people who have an excessive amount of emotionality do not know how to control themselves, which leads to undesirable consequences, such as a quarrel with loved ones, problems at work and in the family.

But following some recommendations, you can avoid unnecessary worries. So the expression "sword of Damocles", the meaning and origin of which was discussed above, is an example of how to suppress your emotions. Dionysius, despite the remoteness of events, had an extraordinary endurance.

So, firstly, only insecure people go about emotions. It's not about you, is it? Second, get in the habit of analyzing your strengths, successes, and failures, which will allow you to adjust the degree of your self-esteem. Thirdly, treat everything that happens with a certain amount of humor, agree that it is better to laugh at the situation than to make a scandal. And lastly, the ability to look at yourself "from the outside" will provide an invaluable service. Check it out by watching people who react violently in moments of anger, especially females, they look rather unpresentable.

If we delve deeper into the meaning of the expression "sword of Damocles", its meaning will be revealed from more than one side.

About the benefits of the useless

The story of the legend about Dionysius and Damocles, unfortunately, is silent about what happened next, when the favorite saw the sword hanging over his head, how he behaved at that moment.

The feeling of fear and danger that seized him should have become the reason for his further behavior. And if it happened, and you found yourself in a similar situation and succumbed to emotions, then, most importantly, try not to make important decisions in this state. Breathe deeply, calmly, try to stay alone to calm down, wet your temples, hands, forehead with cold water. Drink a glass of water. Many understand that it is useless to give advice at such moments of life, and psychologists often recommend showing their emotions, but is it worth it if the peace of your loved ones lies on the other side of the scale? Therefore, no matter what danger hangs over you, control yourself, try!

Don't envy a friend

The expression "sword of Damocles" is a meaning that deeply affects the state of mind of each person in the process of analysis. In addition to the feeling of fear, the favorite experiences envy that eats him up, it is mentioned at the beginning of the legend. It was this nasty, sticky feeling that caused the hero of the legend, being in the shoes of his master, to see, moreover, to feel the situation from the other side, that is, to realize that living in a dream is not at all what the dream itself is.

Thanks to the wisdom of the tyrant, the situation has exhausted itself, did not give rise to the root of envy and evil. So the expression teaches people another wisdom: do not envy a friend. The phrase "do not envy" and "friend" is especially frightening with its blackness. Envy is associated with black, a friend and the concept of friendship with white, how can you dare to stain pure white?

Conclusion

In conclusion, summing up what has been said, I would like to note that that studying history in school, don't forget those lessons in life, a vivid example of which is the expression "sword of Damocles". Its meaning is defined as imaginary well-being, absorb all the valuable information that will help you understand life and the world, try to learn from someone else's example, using the example of history itself, you can see how to act and how not to, what consequences rash actions can lead to.