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Glite Dictionary
Tantalus

Tantalus

1 9.9
A wicked Greek king punished in the afterlife by food and water that always move away
  • proper noun
  • /ˈtæn.tə.ləs/
  • Literature
translation icon : Tántalo
  • The story of Tantalus illustrates the consequences of arrogance and betrayal against the gods.

Examples

  • Tantalus served his son Pelops to the gods for a meal and was punished by being unable to grasp the grapes he continually sought.

    Academic text (2006)

  • In Greek mythology, Tantalus was punished by being kept eternally hungry and thirsty in Hades.

  • "Do you know the story of Tantalus?"

    Fiction book (1994)

  • There is a Greek myth of Tantalus, a king who was sent to the land of the dead.

    Blog text (6)

  • The Greeks believed the shade of Tantalus was made to stand forever with thirst-quenching fruit and water just out of his reach.

    Blog text (29)

  • The mythological Tantalus, miscreant son of Zeus, is perpetually punished by being kept just out of reach of food and water.

    Academic text (2006)

  • According to legend, Tantalus suffers in the afterlife, unable to ever reach the food and water he craves.

Surface Forms

Tantalus main

Etymology

Tantalus is the name of a king in Greek myth who was punished in the underworld by standing in water that went away when he tried to drink and beneath fruit that moved away when he reached for it. That image gives us the verb tantalize, which means to 'tempt' or 'tease' someone with something they cannot have.