The gods became even more outraged with Tantalus when they later discovered that he had also stolen nectar and ambrosia from their own feasts to share with his human friends. They destroyed Tantalus’s kingdom, and when he died and went to the underworld, they devised a special punishment for him.
Tantalus was suspended from the branches of a fruit tree laden with all kinds of luscious fruit, over the waters of a muddy lake. When he leaned down to drink, the waters of the lake retreated, so that he could never quench his thirst. When he tried to pluck some fruit to satisfy his hunger, the wind blew the branches out of his reach. In this way he was condemned to eternal thirst and hunger. The word tantalize, derived from his name, reminds us of his fate.
Meanwhile, Pelops and his followers gathered up the treasures of the realm and set out to found a new kingdom. One of the places they visited was Elis (a region in southern Greece), where Oenomaus was king.
Oenomaus had a beautiful daughter named Hippodameia. He guarded her very closely indeed because an oracle had told him that the man whom Hippodameia married would cause his death. Oenomaus challenged any
Right: This coastline forms part of the the Peloponnese. It is named after the ancient Greek hero Pelops and marks the territory he once controlled.
Suitor who asked for his daughter’s hand to a chariot race, after which the winner would be allowed to kill the loser. The stakes were so high because Oenomaus knew that he was nearly impossible to beat. The horses that were harnessed to his chariot had been given to him by his father, Ares, god of war, and could run faster even than the north wind. His charioteer, Myrtilus, was a son of Hermes, the speedy messenger god, and was famous throughout Greece for his driving skills.
In spite of the heavy odds against them, however, suitors continued to present themselves because Hippodameia was very beautiful and the kingdom of Elis was very rich. One by one, each of them lost the race, after which Oenomaus killed him and nailed his head to the palace gates.
World History
