Kerri Halliday, age 13, of Bowling Green, Ohio, for her question:

WHAT IS THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES?

"Sword of Damocles" is an expression used today to point out any threatening or near present danger.

Here's how you pronounce the name: dam o kleez.

It goes back to Dionysius, who was the ruler of Syracuse in Sicily from 405 B.C. to 367 B.C. Dionysius was admired and envied by just about everyone for his magnificent court.

Damocles, one of Dionysius' courtiers, was in court one day. Damocles told Dionysius how much he envied the ruler's happiness. Bored by his flattery, Dionysius invited him to a feast and surrounded him with all of the luxuries a ruler could gather.

When Damocles was in the middle of the feast, and enjoying it very much, the ruler told him to look up. Above his head Damocles saw a sharp sword hanging by a single horsehair. It was in this way that Damocles learned how uncertain the happiness of a king can be.