For those who are not familiar with the Sword of Damocles anecdote, to summarize:

Damocles served the tyrant King Dionysus II of Syracuse, and he praised the king for his glory and commented on how great it must be to be king. to show Damocles what it's really like, the king offered him the throne for a day. Damocles got to live a life of splendor for a day, but to symbolize the many enemies the king had made, a sword was strung above the throne by a single horse hair. The pressure of the imminent danger made Damocles quickly reconsider, learning that with power comes responsibility, and things are not always as glorious as they seem. the Sword of Damocles is today used as a symbol for the constant fear that hangs over the heads of those in control.