December 6th, 2021
Don't behave as if you are destined to live forever. What's fated hangs over you. As long as you live and while you can, become good now.
I had heard of "The Sword of Damocles", but was not familiar with the actual story. Perhaps it is better I didn't learn until now. My first thoughts on the story if I was a young man, would be that "the grass is always greener on the other side".
Having read the story and learned of King Dionysius, I have a lot of questions. The sword hanging over your head by a single horses hair causing fear and anxiety at every moment is a great visualization of the perils of his rule. Why had King Dionysius made so many enemies in his time? Why did he as a ruler, find it necessary to be a tyrant and rule with cruelty, suspicion and vindictiveness?
A similar sword hangs over our heads as well, as we realize our life can be taken at any moment. While death does not disqualify us for being virtuous or a tyrant, life can. We know death will fall on us at some point, so why would you spend your energy being a person who is hated?
The longer we ignore our fate of death, we become more ignorant of life. We have a choice to leave this life with an example for others on how to live. Is your life ripe with deceit, prejudice, and ignorance or an example of honesty, empathy and wisdom?