Phraseological units borrowed from ancient times have survived to this day in Russian and other languages ​​of the world. "Gordian knot", "tantalum flour", "Procrustean bed", "sword of Damocles" and others.

Do we know what these expressions meant in the past? The original meaning of some of them has been forgotten by modern man, so I want to refresh those distant years in my memory.

Probably everyone has heard the expression “I carry everything with me”, which reminds us of the most important values ​​that a person has - intelligence and resourcefulness. Historians studying ancient Rome claim that when the Persians conquered the Greek city of Priene, most of the inhabitants, taking their property, began to flee. But the weight of the load significantly reduced their speed.

The wise man followed the fleeing lightly. People asked why he didn't take anything with him. To which the sage replied: “I carry everything that is mine with me.” On the way, the refugees abandoned part of their property, as they did not have the strength to carry everything with them. The sage had to feed people with what he could get along the way or what people in other cities gave him.

If a person has received a mind from nature, he will not disappear in life, even if he is left without a roof over his head and a penny of money.

Perhaps the most common phraseological unit in our days, which came from antiquity, is the “white crow”. It never occurred to me that this expression was uttered in his satire by the Roman poet Juvenal, who lived two millennia ago.

It sounds like this: Doom gives kingdoms to slaves, delivers triumphs to captives. However, such a lucky man is less likely to be a white crow.

Albinism, that is, the absence of the pigment responsible for the color of the animal, is rarely found in nature.

It is especially rare to see a white crow. Since then, white crows have been called people who are clearly distinguished in society by their appearance, life position or behavior.

In the East there is a similar expression - "white elephant". Albino elephants are a very rare occurrence, so the white elephant is considered a sacred animal in the countries of Southeast Asia.

"Achilles heel" - this is what we say when we want to talk about the weakest and most vulnerable physical and moral sides of a person. This expression came from a myth that tells how the mother of Achilles (Achilles) decided to make the body of her son invulnerable. Holding the baby by the heel, she dipped him into the sacred river Styx.

Many years later, during the battle with the Greeks, on whose side Achilles fought, the god Apollo, knowing about the vulnerability of Achilles' heel, sent an arrow in that place. The wound was small, but it turned out to be fatal.

The idiom “Ariadne's thread”, which came from the myth of the Athenian hero Theseus, sounds beautiful, fabulous. Theseus had to fight the monster Minotaur, who lived in an intricate labyrinth from which no one could get out. The daughter of the Cretan king Ariadne gave Theseus a ball of thread, which led him out of the labyrinth after defeating the Minotaur.

We use this expression to indicate a means by which one can get out of a difficult situation.

The frequently used expression "rise from the ashes" appeared thanks to the fabulous Phoenix bird.

Interestingly, the Phoenix was known in many countries: Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and others.

This amazing bird is described in the ancient Russian book "Golden Mother". When the Phoenix grew old, it rose high into the sky, took fire there and burned itself along with the nest. From that ashes, he was soon reborn. And so it happened.

If they wanted to say that what had perished, fallen into decay, was reborn, flourished again, then they said: "Rise from the ashes."

The expression "Gordian knot" comes from ancient Greek mythology. Here is how it was. Phragia was left without a ruler. The oracle predicted that the king would be the one who was first met by the Thracians on the road leading to the temple of Zeus. This man turned out to be a simple farmer Thrace, who was riding a wagon to the temple.

Having ascended the throne, Thrace set up a wagon in the citadel of the city he founded, thanks to which he became the ruler. He entangled the yoke of the wagon with the most complicated knot of dogwood bast.

The legend said: whoever unravels that Gordian knot will become the ruler of all Asia. In 334 BC, Alexander the Great conquered the capital of Thrace. Ancient historians write that Macedonian cut the Gordian knot with one blow of the sword. The priests interpreted this event as follows: he will conquer the whole world not with diplomacy, but with a sword. According to other sources, Alexander took out the hook from the front end of the drawbar and thus easily released the yoke.

Be that as it may, no one could unravel the Gordian knot, therefore, in a figurative sense, this phrase refers to a complex, confusing matter. And the expression "cut the Gordian knot" means to find a solution in a quick, straightforward way.

Phraseologism "sword of Damocles" appeared from the ancient Greek legend about the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius. The favorite of Dionysius, Damocles, considered his master the happiest man in the world. Once Dionysius invited the favorite for the day to take his place on the throne.

Damocles was seated in the place of the sovereign. The servants fulfilled his every wish. In the midst of the feast, Damocles saw a sword hanging over his head, hanging on a horsehair. So Dionysius made it clear that the ruler always lives on the verge of death.

In a figurative sense, the “sword of Damocles” means: a constantly looming threat with apparent prosperity.

Phraseologism "Procrustean bed" is used when they want to say that a person is placed in a rigid framework that does not allow him to take the initiative. Having learned about the origin of this expression, it is unlikely that anyone will want to use it.

In ancient times, when the gods lived on Olympus, the cruel robber Procrustes was operating in Attica. They would call him a maniac these days. Procrustes lured travelers to his house with cunning, where two beds were prepared for them - a large and a small one. He laid tall travelers on a small one and, so that they corresponded to the size of the bed, chopped off with an ax the parts of the body that did not fit. On the big bed, he laid the undersized ones and stretched them so that they occupied the entire bed.

Procrustes had to answer for his crimes. The Greek hero Theseus caught him and executed him in the same way that he treated travelers.

It is often said to "burn the ships", which means to take a decisive step, after which it is impossible to return to the previous one.

Ancient Troy was besieged by the Achaeans for ten years. Finally they broke into the city and opened the gates. The Trojan warriors took to flight. Then their wives, in order to stop the shameful flight, burned all the Trojan ships that were in the harbor.

"Draconian measures" - this is what they say about the harsh measures used in punishment. It has nothing to do with the dragon (animal).

In the first millennium BC, the famous legislator Dragon, or Dracon (stress on the first syllable), lived in Athens. He became famous for compiling a set of very severe laws for the Athenian state. The death penalty occupied a dominant place in the punishments determined by the laws of the Dragon.

The list of phraseological units that came into our language from antiquity can be continued, but within the framework of one article this is an impossible task.

Philologist, candidate of philological sciences, poet, member of the Writers' Union of Russia.
Publication date: 01.10.2018

An acute sense of an impending threat can sometimes haunt every person, this can be related to family, work, study, health, any kind of activity.

Why is the threat that causes such an experience called the “sword of Damocles”, where did the stable expression come from in our speech, what kind of sword is this and why is it “Damocles”? Detailed information and answers to questions can be found below.

The meaning of phraseology

"- this is a threat looming over someone, which at first glance is not visible from the outside.

The story mentioned by Cicero and Horace describes an imaginary prosperity, behind the screen of which there is a threat of death. In other words, it is a feeling of constant threat that can develop into real danger.

Of course, when it comes to material wealth, no one wants to lose comfort with privileges and great opportunities, so a person’s internal state can be in great tension. Such circumstances and the inability to control oneself in them can lead to undesirable consequences, for example, to quarrels at home or disagreements at work.

For a better understanding of the meaning of the expression "Sword of Damocles", it is worth paying attention to examples of its citation. Herzen A.I. in the work "The Past and Thoughts" he wrote:

I can’t say that he (police supervision) was very annoying, but the unpleasant feeling of a Damocles cane, raised by the hand of a quarter, is very disgusting.

Or, another example from Gustave Flaubert, who in Madame Bovary refers to the figurative meaning of the phrase:

“The government is persecuting us, and the ridiculous legislation that we have is hanging over our heads like a sword of Damocles.”

As you can see, phraseologism in fiction is used in various situations, under conflicting circumstances, but in the same meaning of "imminent threat".

The origin of the phraseological unit ""

To learn about the history of the expression, let's turn to ancient Greek myths and legends. There is a legend about the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder and his favorite Damocles. From the outside, it seemed to everyone that the life of the king was easy and carefree, many wanted to live such a life. The ruler, who for a long time watched the envy of his close ones, decided to allow one of them (Damocles) to become sovereign for a day.

The servants fulfilled all the wishes of Damocles, dressed up in luxurious robes and put him on the throne, arranged a feast in his honor. Satisfied with what was happening, during the celebration, Damocles raised his head up and saw a sword hanging on a horsehair, the tip of which was directed directly at his head.

At that moment, he froze and realized that it was precisely the feeling of constant danger that every ruler experiences, whose life is always on the verge of death.

"Sword of Damocles" | Illustration: img.buzzfeed.com

The history of the origin of the phraseologism hides another subtext of its meaning “do not envy prosperity”, because it was envy that caused the preparation of such an instructive lesson for the king’s subordinates.

As a result, Dionysius clearly showed all those close to him, including Damocles, the true life of the ruler and dispelled the illusion of a visible carefree reality.

The “Sword of Damocles” is an impending danger that can become a reality at any inopportune moment, for which you need to be prepared, not to succumb to emotions, but to have, like an ancient Greek king, extraordinary endurance.

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. Dictionary.

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 ...

The section is very easy to use. In the proposed field, just enter the desired word, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-building dictionaries. Here you can also get acquainted with examples of the use of the word you entered.

What does "Sword of Damocles" mean?

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

sword of Damocles

a constantly threatening danger hanging over someone with apparent well-being. According to ancient Greek tradition, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I the Elder (end of the 5th-4th centuries BC) offered the throne for one day to his favorite Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals. In the midst of fun at the feast, Damocles suddenly saw a naked sword hanging on a horsehair over his head, and realized the illusory nature of well-being.

Sword of Damocles

"Sword of Damocles", figurative expression, meaning a constantly threatening danger with apparent well-being. According to ancient Greek tradition, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder (end of the 5th-4th centuries BC) offered his favorite Damocles, who considered him the happiest of mortals, his throne for one day. Feeling himself the happiest of people, Damocles suddenly, during a feast, saw a naked sword hanging on a horsehair over his head, and realized the illusory nature of well-being.

Wikipedia

Sword of Damocles

Sword of Damocles- according to Greek legend, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder (end of the 5th century BC) offered his favorite Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals, to take his throne for one day. By order of the tyrant, he was luxuriously dressed, anointed with fragrant oil, put in the place of the ruler; all around fussed, fulfilling his every word. In the midst of fun at the feast, Damocles suddenly saw a sword without a scabbard hanging over his head, hanging on a horsehair, and realized the illusory nature of well-being. So Dionysius, who became painfully suspicious towards the end of his life, showed him that a tyrant always lives on the verge of death.

In a figurative sense - a constant threat looming over someone with apparent well-being.

This story is found, among other things, in the Tusculan Discourses by Cicero.

Horace mentions this story:

Who smells the sword over the neck of the criminal,
Tom is not happy with the food of Sicily

Traditions of antiquity deep

The expression "sword of Damocles" appeared in our everyday life from the myths of ancient Greece. What does it mean? According to Greek tradition, the cruel tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius the Elder, ruled in a certain kingdom.

A bit of history

The ruler Dionysius the Elder came from the lower class. After the victory of the Carthaginians, the Agrigentians decided that the reason for the defeat was the inability of the commanders sent to them from Syracuse. Dionysius, in order to shield himself, accused the latter of treason and achieved the election of new commanders. Soon he managed to throw off his comrades and became the sole commander in chief. At the age of 25, with the help of the army he had bribed, the ruler married the daughter of Hermocrates, who was very respected at that time. He managed to pacify two uprisings and make peace with the Carthaginians. But wars continued throughout his reign. He dreamed of driving the Carthaginians out of Sicily forever. In 367 Dionysius died without fulfilling his intention. His memory in history is tarnished by his inhuman cruelty and suspicion.

Legend of the Tusculan Talks

He was the only ruler, everything the king had in abundance. The kingdom prospered, the subjects were faithful and devoted to him. Dionysius ate and drank from gold, fought and spent time in feasts and amusements. In general, he lived as it was supposed to be the first person of the state in those days. From the side it seemed that the life of Dionysius is simple, easy and carefree. And the emperor had an approximate grandee (favorite) Damocles, who considered Dionysius the happiest of mortals and dreamed of taking his throne at least for one day. Damocles envied his king, but at the same time he flattered him in every possible way.

Sword of Damocles - legend

And then one day Dionysius decided to teach a lesson to a flatterer who believed that becoming king, he would become the happiest person on earth. During the feast, the ruler ordered that the envious nobleman be luxuriously dressed, anointed with fragrant oil and put in the place of the ruler. The subjects began to fuss, following the order of Dionysius. Damocles was incredibly happy, but in the midst of the fun, he saw a sword without a scabbard above his head, which the ruler ordered to be hung on a horsehair. Every minute a sword could fall on the head of a nobleman. And then he realized how illusory his apparent well-being is now. This sword has become a symbol of the dangers that constantly threaten the ruler. Thus, Dionysius, who became overly suspicious at the end of his life, wanted to show his envious that the tyrant is always on the verge of death, and his whole carefree life is not as easy and beautiful as it seems from the outside.

Essence of the legend

The sword of Damocles is a myth that, with apparent prosperity (throne and royal honors, luxurious clothes, etc.), a constant threat looms over someone (sword over head). The tyrant asked the frightened nobleman: "Well, what do you say now, Damocles? Am I calm and happy on my throne?"

Use

Since that time, the expression “sword of Damocles” has been pronounced when it comes to an impending threat that can collapse at any moment. This sword symbolizes inevitability, fate, the illusory well-being. It shows how fragile earthly happiness is.