Once upon a time in ancient Greece, there was a man so evil that the gods of the underworld put him in a pool of water that drained away every time he bent over to drink. A tree above his head whisked away its fruit every time he tried to pick one. Basically, he was tortured by what he couldn’t have.

We know the story a bit differently.

Hephaestus, the Greek god of blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes, also created a golden masterpiece, a great dog as big as a man. The dog, called a Mastiff, was given to the earth goddess, Rhea, to protect the infant Zeus. The Mastiff, however, was stolen by an evil wretch named “Tantalus.” This theft so angered the gods that Tantalus received an eternal punishment, and that was to be buried alive and have that which he desired denied him. The ancient myth is said to be the source of the word, “tantalize,” and it just goes to show you: Never mess with a Mastiff.  Or Greek gods.

Mastiff by Jennifer Brandon/Jache Studio
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