Origin of the term “Procrustean bed”

The phrase comes from Greek mythology. Procrustes was a robber who lived in a place near Athens. He invited travelers to stay at his home pretending to be kind. But he had a strange and cruel bed made of iron.

If a guest was too short, he would stretch their body to make them fit the bed. If they were too tall, he would cut off their legs to make them fit. His only goal was to make everyone fit the bed exactly, no matter how much pain or damage it caused.

Eventually, the Athenian hero Theseus defeated Procrustes by making him fit his own bed, ending his cruelty.

Now, “Procrustean bed” is used to describe any system or rule that forces everyone to fit the same mold, rules or standard even if it causes harm or ignores individual needs. It criticizes rigid thinking or unfair standards.