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Questions
1. What is the Sword of Damocles?
2. What is the point of Chip Bok’s cartoon?
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.
Cartoon by Chip Bok
Answers
1. What is the Sword of Damocles?
- Damocles was a 4th-century BC Greek courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse who, according to legend, envied the tyrannical ruler’s wealth and luxurious life, saying how fortunate the king was.
- To teach him a lesson, Dionysius let Damocles experience being king for a day — but hung a sharp sword directly above his throne, suspended by just a single horsehair.
- Terrified that the sword could fall at any moment, Damocles begged to leave, realizing that great power and wealth come with constant fear, danger, and anxiety rather than true happiness.
Today, the phrase “a sword of Damocles” refers to an ever-present, looming threat or impending danger that hangs over someone despite outward success or security.
2. What is the point of Chip Bok’s cartoon?
The Ayatollah and his regime in Iran have held an iron grip over their people – and never been held accountable for their funding for terrorists around the world. They continue to talk tough and make threats against the U.S. and refuse to end their nuclear weapons program. But they are not as secure as they act. The U.S. has moved massive military power into the region, the latest being the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford. President Trump on Thursday gave the regime 10-15 days to come to an agreement to end their nuclear program, saying “Otherwise bad things [will] happen.”
