More on the imagery of time passing

More on the imagery of time passing: Marlowe uses the image of ‘time … shortening my days and thread of vital life'. Cutting the thread is reminiscent of the Sword of Damocles. Damocles was a sycophantic follower of Dionysos II of Syracuse, who said he envied Dionysos' comfortable existence. So the ruler gave Damocles a great banquet. At the end, Damocles realised a sword was hanging over his head by a single horse hair. Dionysos thus showed Damocles how precarious leadership was.