Amyclsean Silence
Preserved but no longer current.
Amyclas was a Laconian town in the south of Sparta, ruled by the mythical Tyndareus." The inhabitants had so often been alarmed by false rumours of the approach of the Spartans, that they made a decree forbidding mention of the sub- ject. When the Spartans actually came no one dare give warning, and the town was taken. Hence the proverb, more silent than Amyclce.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Amyclsean Silence” mean?
Amyclas was a Laconian town in the south of Sparta, ruled by the mythical Tyndareus." The inhabitants had so often been alarmed by false rumours of the approach of the Spartans, that they made a decree forbidding mention of the sub- ject. When the Spartans actually came no one dare give warning, and the town was taken. Hence the proverb, more silent than Amyclce.
Is “Amyclsean Silence” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.