Cicero wrote that a tyrant ordered this to be hung from the ceiling “by a horse-hair”; his guest begged to leave

Cicero’s story refers to the Sword of Damocles. Damocles, a courtier of the tyrant Dionysius, was given the chance to switch places with his king for a day. As he sat on the throne enjoying the privileges of power, he looked up to find a sharp sword hanging directly above his head, suspended by a single horse hair. This parable was meant to illustrate the constant peril that comes with power. The guest in the story, Damocles, quickly lost his taste for the luxury and power of the king’s life and begged to leave.