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Tantalize means to taunt or tempt/sway someone with something. It comes from the greek myth of Tantalus, a man who once invited the greek pantheon to dinner. However, he thought to pull a trick on them, and thus fed them his son. They soon discovered his ruse, and revived his son, giving him a metal arm for Demeter had absent-mindedly chewed it (in some myths she did not, for the thought of them doing such was appalling and contradictory to their image.) For his treachery, Tantalus was sent to Hades, where he was forced to live in the shade of a tree which would revolt if ever he tried to eat it, and water that would recide if he tried to lap it. Thus he was cursed to be forever tantalized, taunted by the unobtainable water, and thus forever starved and thirsty.

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12y ago

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