The Wasp — November 22, 1879 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Sword of Damocles" — The Wasp, November 27, 1870 This editorial cartoon uses the classical allusion of Damocles' sword—a blade hanging by a thread, symbolizing imminent danger—to warn against deception and dishonest practices. The text criticizes "artisans or practice which misleads another" as a "considerable crime," distinguishing between bold operators and "rascally tricksters." The piece appears to address Denis Kearney and labor disputes in California, referencing a woman witness's testimony about false promises regarding relocation to Australia. The satire targets unprincipled swindlers and con artists who prey on vulnerable citizens, arguing such villainy operates without peer in its brazen dishonesty. The Damocles metaphor suggests such fraudsters face eventual justice or ruin.