The Grass Is Not Always Greener: ‘The Sword of Damocles’

The Grass Is Not Always Greener: ‘The Sword of Damocles’
A detail from “The Sword of Damocles,” 1812, by Richard Westall. Oil on canvas, 51 3/16 inches by 40 9/16 inches. Ackland Art Museum, North Carolina. PD-US
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The “Sword of Damocles” is a moral tale that comes from the Roman scholar Cicero. Damocles was a servant to a fourth- and fifth-century king named Dionysius II. 
Dionysius II was a miserable king who ruled his empire with a cold heart, making many enemies in the process. He was always afraid of being assassinated, and because of this, he surrounded his abode with a moat. He even went as far as to let only his daughters trim his beard.
Eric Bess
Eric Bess
Author
Eric Bess, Ph.D., is a fine artist, a writer on art-related topics, and an assistant professor at Fei Tian College in Middletown, New York.
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