1. A Tantalizing Sisyphean Task: Greek Mythology in Popular Culture
The goal of this multi-media presentation is to illustrate the modern afterlife of the great sinners of the ancient Underworld. Unfortunately this is truly a Sisyphean task and I can only cover today the tip of the iceberg on this tantalizing topic. There are simply too many examples on an ever-growing list. My handout provides links to pages where I have posted these lists on the web. Nor does time permit detailed analysis of these adaptations many of which I can do little more today than mention. It is my hope, however, that the material in this presentation will be utile et dulce, utile as supplemental material for your mythology courses and dulce as pleasing illustrations of classical influence in the modern word. I hope I have now tantalized you to pursue this Sisyphean task with me today and later with your students.
Bibliography: “Greek Sinners in the Modern World”

2. TANTALUS IXION SISYPHUS
As Classicists we are all, of course, familiar with the myths of the great sinners of antiquity and with ancient illustrations of these myths, such as this Roman sarcophagus now in the Vatican Museum depicting Sisyphus, Tantalus, and Ixion.
TANTALUS IXION SISYPHUS

3. Sisyphus
But before we consider modern adaptations and uses of the myths of these sinners, a quick survey of some ancient visual treatments of these myths is in order. One early representation of Sisyphus is the one on the left, a detail from a vase by the Archelous Painter in which Persephone supervises as Sisyphus pushes his rock. A similar scene appears on the right in a detail from an Attic black-figure amphora.
Persephone supervising Sisyphus in the Underworld, Attic black-figure amphora, ca. 530 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen (Inv. 1494)
Achelous Painter
late 6th century BC

4. Tantalus Detail from a Italian vase Fourth-century B.C.
For Tantalus there is this Italian vase from the 300's BC depicting a version of the story in which Tantalus is held back from a basket of bread and a jug of water rather than standing in a pool of water.
Detail from a Italian vase
Fourth-century B.C.

5. “Tantalus Cup”
The ancient iconography of these sinners provides a context for studying the afterlife of their stories. One ancient model for such adaptations is this so-called “Tantalus cup” said to have been invented by Pythagoras in order to teach moderation to his students. If someone drank too much from the cup, the excess liquid flowed out through a special channel.
In the rest of this presentation I will offer selective illustrations of other ways that these myths have been used as paradeigms, symbols and models.

6. Sisyphus and Tantalus in the Literary World
There are many other modern literary works which use these sinners in their titles or use their myths as paradeigms. Some of their book covers are depicted here and are listed in my on-line bibliography, but time does not permit here closer examination of these literary uses.

7. Sisyphus in Art Titian. 1549 El Prado Madrid Franz von Stuck 1863-1928
These two paintings, one by Titian and one by von Stuck, show Sisyphus pushing his rock up the hill and are remarkably similar despite the fact that they were painted about 400 years apart.
Titian El Prado Madrid
Franz von Stuck

8. Tantalus Bernard Picart (1673-1733)
Tantalus’ appearances in art are more limited and tend to be engravings or drawings such as this one by Picard.
Bernard Picart ( )

9. Honore Daumier French Realist Illustrator, 1808-1879
Strip for Me. Sept
Scottish cartoonist
Douglas Noble
Honore Daumier French Realist Illustrator,
Here are three cartoon depictions of Tantalus’ punishment: Note how the nineteeth century French caricaturist Daumier creates humor with the bottles of wine, fish and tarts floating in the water while the other two artists emphasize the horror of Tantalus’ fate. Shanower shows the agony on Tantalus’ face while Noble has wrapped guts and entrails around Tantalus’ neck in a gory reminder of the fact that Tantalus had tried to feed the flesh of his own son Pelops as dinner for the gods.
But the afterlife of these sinners goes beyond the art world. They appear in many unexpected places.
Eric Shanower
Age of Bronze Special
1999

10. Tantalus Interactive http://www.tantalus.com.au/
The name of the computer gaming company Tantalus Interactive is clearly meant to suggest both enjoyment and the challenge one expects to receive from playing such games.

11. Zoology Sisyphus spinipes ↕ Chlorocebus tantalus Tantalus aethiopicus
In the zoological world there are Tantalus Monkeys noted for their long reach, the Tantalid waterbirds who stand in water just like Tantalus, and Sisyphus sinipes, an Australian dung beetle which rolls a ball of dung just as Sisyphus rolls his rock.
Tantalus aethiopicus

12. Tantalus Mountain Range
The Tantalus Mountain Range in the Pacific Northwest was apparently so named because of its tantalizing beauty. The names of individual peaks, by the way, bear the names of his wife Dione, his daughter Niobe and his son Pelops and that of Thyestes, Pelops' son.
The Tantalus Range is a small but spectacular sub-range of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains
in southern British Columbia, Canada.

13. Tantalum Symbol: Ta Atomic Number: 73
In chemistry there is the element Tantalum noted for its general non-reactivity. Tantalum sits among reagents and is unaffected by them just as Tantalus stood amid the food and drink and could not interact with them.

14. Commercial Products
Then there are commercial products: like the wines of the Tantalus winery and Elderton’s “Tantalus” wine label, all wines meant to tantalize the palate. As well as the Sisyphus Barley Wine brewed by Real Ale Brewing Company, a good laborer’s brew!

15. Why is this object called a tantalus?
Why is this object called a tantalus? Well, a tantalus is a stand, rack or chest which holds wine or other liquors contained in decanters but unreachable as they are secured with a lock. Like Tantalus, we can see the liquor but cannot reach it.
A three bottle rack style tantalus.

16. Boats HMS Tantalus USS Tantalus
A number of boats have been named after these sinners: HMS Tantalus was a British submarine launched in 1943.
The USS Tantalus (ARL-27) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II.
The TANTALUS at the upper right was one of six Victory class turbine steamers bought in 1946 from the US War Shipping Administration and converted to a merchant ship. 
The Ixion (at the lower right) was one of the Blue Funnel "H" class ships, built in Belfast in 1951 and served in the Australian mechant trade.
USS Tantalus

17. And in 1997 the TV series Stargate named its 10th episode “The Torment of Tantalus” because the plot revolved around a character who was obsessed by a quest for what he calls the "Meaning of Life Stuff“ and what he cannot possibly reach.

18. House f Tantalus John Barton’s epic play cycle Denver, 2000
Tantalus has had a more serious theatrical afterlife with John Barton’s epic play cycle: TANTALUS performed in Denver in 2000.
John Barton’s epic play cycle
Denver, 2000

19. Pop Music Sills, Stephen. "Myth of Sisyphus." In Stills (1975)
Are you troubled Feelin' bad And no one seems to care Got the myth of Sisyphus Fallin' on you like a rolling stone
Arena. “Tantalus.”
In Pepper’s Ghost (2005)
Standing in water, but dying of thirst This is my thanks and this is my curse Try as I might, the fruit on the trees All remain beyond reach, beyond wishes or pleading for One last chance Waiting for time to pass me by Waiting for freedom, waiting to die Where can I go, in a world without hope? There is never a place for a soul that has broken so Trust in no one - Trust in no one
These ancient sinners have also appeared on the Pop Music charts: Stephen Sills and Kenny Passerelli, for example, featured the sinner in a song called “The Myth of Sisyphus” in 1975 with lyrics including the lines:
Are you troubled Feelin' bad And no one seems to care Got the myth of Sisyphus Fallin' on you like a rolling stone
In 2005 the rock group Arena included a song called “Tantalus” on its Pepper’s Ghost. Listen to the first few lines of this song:

20. Yet Do I Marvel
by Countee Cullen
I doubt not God is good, well-meaning, kind,
And did He stoop to quibble could tell why
The little buried mole continues blind,
Why flesh that mirrors Him must someday die,
Make plain the reason tortured Tantalus
Is baited by the fickle fruit, declare
If merely brute caprice dooms Sisyphus
To struggle up a never-ending stair.
Inscrutable His ways are, and immune
To catechism by a mind too strewn
With petty cares to slightly understand
What awful brain compels His awful hand.
Yet do I marvel at this curious thing:
To make a poet black, and bid him sing.

21. A Tantalizing Sisyphean Task Tom Sienkewicz Monmouth College toms@monm
A Tantalizing Sisyphean Task Tom Sienkewicz Monmouth College
This slide is not an end but only a rest stop on a Sisyphean but tantalizing journey. Thank you for company along the way.
Bibliography: “Greek Sinners in the Modern World”
ICC 2009