literary techniques - Is there a word to describe a highly desirable cursed treasure?

Is there a single word to describe an object or idea that is so desirable that everyone wants to attain it but once they have it they are immediately cursed?

The idea is often used in literature—some examples:

• In Lord of the Rings, the 'one ring' is a perfect example of this.


• In Guy de Maupassant's story The Necklace, the necklace might be considered to be this.


• There are many stories of people making deals with the devil (see question: What does "Faustian bargain" mean?), or being granted three wishes by a Djinn or fairy, which inevitably turn out bad.


• In the Twilight Zone episode Time Enough at Last, Bemis's desire to be left alone with his books would be an example of this word.

'Bane' covers the cursed part, but no one desires it. Is there a single word to describe a most highly desired treasure that (knowingly or unknowingly) comes with a curse?

Answer

I can find plenty of other examples for such objects but most of them revolve around a character's inability to resist the object more than the object's desirability. The best example I found was the lure of immortality.

As far as terms go, the best I could do was honeypot and bug zapper. The latter is a perfect description of such an object but isn't very cool sounding and only really applies to things attracted to light. A more romantic twist brings us to limerence which is defined as:

An involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction for another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated.

I find the idea of focusing such an attraction on an object instead of a romantic partner useful and would be happy with a word such as "limerent" for the appropriate noun. Unfortunately, the desired reciprocation implied by limerence is completely irrelevant in this context so it -- although interesting -- is unable to satisfy the need.

Other words that seem intwined with this concept are paradox and fated. Paradox because of the crazy, irrational pull of the object even after the curse is discovered. (This is one of the problems with honeypot: The curse is hidden.) Fated is apt due to the irresistibility of the object along with its implied horrid ending.

Two-word terms seem to be a little easier to find as you can simply prepend cursed, malevolent or insatiable to words such as lure or attractor. (Or honeypot.)

In other words, this is a most excellent question.

Edit:

I remembered the word gambit which is defined as

An opening in chess, in which a minor piece (often a pawn) is sacrificed to gain an advantage.

The term's usage extends to include nearly any strategy that sacrifices something to gain something else and is generally considered extremely high risk with unpredictable outcomes. This usage note is helpful:

Critics familiar with the nature of chess gambits have sometimes maintained that the word should not be used in an extended sense except to refer to maneuvers that involve a tactical sacrifice or loss for some advantage.

The note continues by reminding us that "gambit" is fully excepted as general ploy or maneuver. But the sacrificial aspect is what makes it useful in this context.

The word is, again, not a perfect match but it completely conveys the dual attraction and potential danger. It also has the advantage that people will know exactly what you are referring to if you say, "Eve's gambit" or "the immortality gambit." You can stretch the term to refer to nearly every obvious example:

• Eve's gambit


• the immortality gambit


• the Midas gambit


• the djinn or genie gambit