Beskrivelse
Tantalus was a son of Zeus and King of Lidia which often made him feel of the utmost importance. His Godly blood allowed him to feast with the Olympians on occasion. He would sit at the same table as them and engage in conversation with them. From his seat he could hear all the conversations, gossip, and even secrets that the Gods cared to share at the dinner table. All the Gods welcomed him, gave him food, and kindly hosted him. Despite the Gods hospitality Tantalus at times was disrespectful to his godly hosts. After coming back home to the mortal world he spread the secrets of the Gods that he had gained from sitting with them at dinner. One time he even went as far as to steal nectar and ambrosia from the God’s table. Those foods were only for deities. All of the Gods were aware of the actions Tantalus committed but never confronted him because they liked him as company and decided against punishing him. Tantalus wanted to finally repay the God's hospitality and offered to have them over for a feast at his palace. Zeus, Hermes, and Demeter agreed to the invitation and confirmed they would be present. Tantalus wanted the feast to be just perfect because he thought he would retrieve more benefits from the Gods by giving them an ever so great feast. He called to his son Pelops to tell him “Today my son you will have the honor to share the table with no one else but the Gods of olympus.” Pelops graciously thanked his father and expressed his excitement to have the privilege Tantalus did. Pelops was eager and delighted of the opportunity to be in the presence of his mighty grandfather. After hearing this news Pelops went to his room to ready himself for the feast. The king Tantalus called to his cook and told him that he would make the most splendid meal today. He whispered something into the cook’s ear. The cook could not hide the concern he felt for what his ruler had just told him. Soon the dinner party started and the attendants arrived. They talked amongst themselves about this and that. The pleasant conversation ended when Zeus asked, “Where is my grandson, Pelop? You said he would join us.” The King told his Father not to worry for Pelop was only preparing a surprise for him. The time for the main dish arrived. The chef brought in a gorgeous stew with an unbeatable taste. Demeter devoured the stew for her daughter Persephone had just been taking to the underworld and she thought that eating may help quench her despair. Tantalus served the stew to Zeus and Hermes and looked at one another with suspicion painted across their faces. “Don’t you enjoy my offering to the Gods?” Tantalus asked Hermes and Zeus who did not touch their stew. Zeus responded by yelling at him, asking him why Tantalus would serve Human flesh. Tantalus told him that it wasn’t a simple human sacrifice, it was his greatest offering: the flesh of his firstborn son. Demeter started to feel disgusted for what she had just done. The Gods had finally had enough with him. They could not ignore what he had done. They sent him to the deepest pits of hell for his horrific punishment to match his horrific crime. He was put in a lake made of stunningly fresh water. All around him there were fruit trees. The waster reached his chin and the fruit was within reach which seemed just perfect because he was cursed with everlasting terrible hunger and terrible thirst. When he would drop down so he could drink water it spread out of his way, just far he couldn’t drink it. When he reached up to the trees the branches would rise up just high enough he couldn’t pick a piece of fruit. The Gods brought Pelops back to life. Pelops would be a king. His father would be tantalized forever: everything so close yet so far.