Motif
Impossible or endlessly repeated punishment
impossible_or_endlessly_repeated_punishment
A motif of the Divine Judgment and Moral Reckoning family, within the sub-family Hell and Punitive Fire. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
greek roman
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Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome MERCURY. / DIONYSUS (BACCHUS). / BACCHUS OR LIBER. / AIDES (PLUTO).; lines 4246-4341 confidence: high
Tantalus is favoured by the gods but offends Zeus, steals nectar and ambrosia, kills Pelops and serves him to the gods, and is punished with receding water and unreachable fruit.
Tantalus cannot reach water or fruit, Sisyphus endlessly rolls a stone that returns, Ixion is bound to a revolving wheel, and the Danaides try to fill a vessel full of holes.
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