How Much Is Enough?

Insatiable desires lead us down a path that may be lonely at the end

The Tantalus of Today by J.S. Pughe, 1897 (public domain - Library of Congress)

“I am indeed rich, since my income is superior to my expense, and my expense is equal to my wishes.” — Edward Gibbon, 1776

Tantalus had everything going for him.

He was the legendary king of Sipylus, a son of Zeus and Pluto, famous for his immense wealth, like Midas and Croesus.

But, like some people of privilege, too much simply wasn’t enough.

Tantalus was welcomed to Zeus’ table on Mt. Olympus—a great honor for a mortal. But he abused Zeus’ hospitality by stealing ambrosia and nectar and brought them back to his people to make them immortal and reveal the secrets of the gods.

Then, he offered up his son Pelops as a sacrifice, cutting him into pieces, cooking him, and serving him to the gods to test their powers of omniscience. When they discovered Tantalus’ treachery, the gods punished him with an eternal sentence befitting his offenses.

Tantalus was forced to stand in a pool of water, chained underneath a f…