Damocless sword: Damocles king of goldsmen having replaced Denys the Elder; tyrant of Syracuse; for a day in his role as ruler finds out during a feast that a sword held by a horsehair is suspended above his head symbolizing the sense of power and the risk of a death that can strike at any moment (Sword of Damocles; sword suspended by a human hair used by Dionysus to show Damocles what happiness is; reminder that wealth and happiness cannot last) chromolithograph debut 20eme century