Tantalus (Punishment)
heroKing invited to dine with the gods who stole nectar and ambrosia and served his son Pelops as a stew to test divine omniscience.
The Myth
He fed his own son to the gods to see if they could tell human flesh from divine food — and Demeter actually ate a piece. Tantalus was honored above all mortals: he dined on Olympus with Zeus. He abused this by stealing nectar and ambrosia, revealing divine secrets, and finally butchering his son Pelops and serving him as a feast. Every god recognized the meat except grief-stricken Demeter, who ate a shoulder. Zeus restored Pelops to life with an ivory shoulder replacement. Tantalus was sent to Tartarus, standing in water that receded when he tried to drink, beneath fruit that withdrew when he reached. His punishment gives us the word tantalize.
Parents
Symbols
Fun Fact
The word tantalize — to torment with something unreachable — comes directly from Tantalus's punishment.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
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