Tantalus

Tantalus (Greek: Τάνταλος, Tántalos; Latin: Tantalus) is a figure from Greek mythology, known for his eternal punishment in the underworld. He was the son of Zeus and the nymph Plouto, and the king of Sipylus in Lydia, or of Asia Minor according to various sources. Tantalus is most infamous for his divine punishment of being subjected to eternal torture in the underworld, a condition known as Tantalus' punishment or Tantalus' torture. In this punishment, he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the water receding before he could take a drink, representing eternal frustration. The term tantalize is derived from his name, meaning to tease or torment with the sight or promise of something unattainable. In Hebrew, Tantalus is transliterated as טנטלוס (Tántalos). In Latin, his name remains Tantalus, and in French, it is Tantale. The myth of Tantalus serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of hubris and the abuse of divine hospitality.