Damocles

Damocles is a mythical figure who appears in both Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Anniversary. In both games he appears in a themed room in St Francis' Folly. Unlike the other themed rooms he is not a god or demi-god, but a human character in a myth from the history of Sicily.

Myth

Damocles was apparently an excessively flattering courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a Greek colony on the island of Sicily. He told the king that as he was in such a position of power and influence, he was truly fortunate. Dionysius, irritated by this flattery, offered to swap places with Damocles for one day.

Damocles very much enjoyed being waited on hand and foot and feasting in the royal apartments. However, after the meal was over he looked above him, and saw a sword hanging by a single horse hair. Immediately he lost his taste for fine wines and good food, and asked to swap back, saying he no longer wanted to be so fortunate. The myth is used by the Roman orator Cicero to display how rulers are under heavy responsibilities and often dangers because of his rule.

Appearance of the Damocles Room

In the original Tomb Raider the room is a simple progression walkways leading to where Lara can pick up the Damocles Key. On her return journey, swords come down from the ceiling when she approaches where they are hidden in the ceiling.

In the remake, the initial progression to the key is the same, but when she takes the key several swords fall from the ceiling. There are swords that fall from the ceiling and also ones that rise up from the floor. The return journey is far more roundabout, with Lara having to utilise the columns and platforms in the room in order to escape.