看到这句话：
To assert one's individuality in his imperial court would have been an invitation to disaster.
这里有个搭配要注意一下，assert one's individuality，类似汉语的“耍个性”，动词搭配还有express, show, maintain等等。
但是重点想说的是invitation, 汉语中常说的做什么就是“自寻死路”, 用这个词就很好使。
科林斯这样解释这个词：
If you believe that someone's action is likely to have a particular resut, especially a bad one, you can refer to the action as an invitation to that result.
分享几个例句：
1）Leaving the doors unlocked in a high-crime neighborhood is an invitation to theft.
2）Spending more than you earn is an invitation to debt and financial trouble.
3）His aggressive comments during the meeting were an invitation to an argument.
