Friday, July 15, 2011

Wheel of Damocles

You may remember that a prediction was made: Lance Armstrong will be indicted on July 22, 2011.  Men and women of power are faced with the constant threat of exposure of the ruse of power.  They are only powerful because we grant them that power.

The legend of Damocles tells the story of a King's courtier and wannabe who tells the King how fortunate he is to live in such opulence. The King offers to trade places with Damocles, but leaves a sword, hanging by a single horse hair, dangling above Damocles' throne as reminder of precariousness of power.

I thought a wheel with a sword edge was a more appropriate image:


Can you name the players? Notice the Landis and Armstrong signatures next to each other on the flag/jersey?

When faced with the dangling sword of honest power, Damocles quickly abandoned his righteous throne and went back to what he did best: glad handing the powerful visitors and patrons (while raising money for cancer research).  I imagine Lance will do the same.

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