The Sword of Damocles- Quatrain #27

Love of the world is like the sword of Damocles. You seek wealth, fame, name all for what? These are not you. Let us see what gave rise to this expression: the sword of Damocles..

According to legend, when Damocles declared that his king, Dionysius, must have such a enviable and easy life, Dionysius offered to trade places with Damocles. There was only one catch. Dionysius decreed that a sword be suspended over the throne by a single horse hair, so that Damocles would always know the peril of being king. Since then the Sword of Damocles has come to represent a threat of doom that could strike without warning. Being a man and prey to maladies of all sorts bereavement, envy of neighbors, malice of those for whom you only wished well are risks that can overwhelm you.
Quatrain #27 explains this:

Pomp and circumstance, how trivial are they

Against time,-and envy can find its way:

Like shadows that belie the lay of land

Find we even our blood join in the fray.

benny

If this were a TV program you shall be in time for a word from the sponsors:

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Here are the links,

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This is also as paperback.

The Illustrated Omar Khayyam by Benny Thomas (Paperback) – Lulu

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