Abstract:
The federal diet was the parliament presided by Austria and sessions were held in Frankfort. Due to the lost war at Sadova, it was dissolved in 1866 and the Austrians were sent home. For this reason we see two swords of Damocles hanging over the head of the person shown in this print: a Prussian one and an Austrian. In Greek mythology, Damocles served at the court of Denys, the tyrant of Syracuse who invited him to take over his position for one day. During the banquet he noticed that a sword was hanging above his head, held only by a horse's hair.
