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Excalibur is the mythical sword of King Arthur that may possess magical powers or be associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Traditionally, the sword in the stone that is the proof of Arthur's lineage and the sword given to him by a Lady of the Lake are not the same weapon, even as in some versions of the legend both of them share the name of Excalibur.
Damocles[a] is a character who appears in a (likely apocryphal) anecdote commonly referred to as "the sword of Damocles ", [1][2] an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. Damocles was a courtier in the court of Dionysius I of Syracuse, [3] a ruler of Syracuse, Sicily, Magna Graecia, during the ...
The cutting of the Gordian Knot is an Ancient Greek legend associated with Alexander the Great in Gordium in Phrygia, regarding a complex knot that tied an oxcart. Reputedly, whoever could untie it would be destined to rule all of Asia. In 333 BC Alexander was challenged to untie the knot. Instead of untangling it laboriously as expected, he ...
e. Theseus (UK: / ˈθiːsjuːs /, US: / ˈθiːsiəs /; Greek: Θησεύς [tʰɛːsěu̯s]) was a divine hero in Greek mythology who is famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes described as the son of ...
Hephaestus (UK: / h ɪ ˈ f iː s t ə s / hif-EE-stəs, US: / h ɪ ˈ f ɛ s t ə s / hif-EST-əs; eight spellings; Greek: Ἥφαιστος, translit. Hḗphaistos) is the Greek god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes. [1]
Cecrops (/ ˈsiːkrɒps /; Ancient Greek: Κέκροψ, romanized: Kekrops; gen Κέκροπος, Kékropos) was a mythical king of Attica which derived from him its name Cecropia, having previously borne the name of Acte or Actice (from Actaeus). He was the founder and the first king of Athens itself though preceded in the region by the earth ...
Makhaira entered classical Latin as machaera, "a sword". The dimachaerus was a type of Roman gladiator that fought with two swords. In modern Greek, μαχαίρι means "knife". Modern scholars distinguish the makhaira from the kopis (an ancient term of similar meaning) based on whether the blade is forward curved (kopis), or not (makhaira).
In Greek mythology, Achilles (/ əˈkɪliːz / ə-KIL-eez) or Achilleus (Greek: Ἀχιλλεύς, translit. Achilleús) was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer 's Iliad, he was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Peleus, king of Phthia and famous Argonaut.