Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Tantalus

behindthismask:

Tantalus had been a monarch while alive, and the gods had bestowed on him many favors. But in spite of this he committed many grave crimes, even killing his own son. When he died he was condemned to suffer a never-ending punishment. He found himself standing in clear water that barely touches his chin; and right above his head there hung branches of all manner of fruit trees, weighed down with ripe and tempting fruit. Tantalus, constantly tortured with hunger and thirst, sought ever to sip the water and to grasp the fruit. But it was always in vain-always the water receded from his panting lips and the branches moved away from his grasping hands. 

 Worst part is that he tried feeding his own son to the gods. Obviously, they weren’t too happy about that.

Tantalus had been a monarch while alive, and the gods had bestowed on him many favors. But in spite of this he committed many grave crimes, even killing his own son. When he died he was condemned to suffer a never-ending punishment. He found himself standing in clear water that barely touches his chin; and right above his head there hung branches of all manner of fruit trees, weighed down with ripe and tempting fruit. Tantalus, constantly tortured with hunger and thirst, sought ever to sip the water and to grasp the fruit. But it was always in vain-always the water receded from his panting lips and the branches moved away from his grasping hands. 

 Worst part is that he tried feeding his own son to the gods. Obviously, they weren’t too happy about that.

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