What does tantalum flour mean in Ukrainian? “The throes of Tantalus” - the meaning and origin of phraseological units with examples? How did the expression “tantalum flour” come about?

17.12.2016

On the meaning of the famous phraseological unit “ tantalum flour“It’s very difficult to guess if you don’t have information about its origin. However, turnover is quite common in various media. In addition, it can be heard in the conversations of the intelligentsia. Let's try to understand the meaning of the expression “tantalum flour” by considering its history of origin and meaning.

A phraseological unit consists of two elements. The meaning of the word “torment” is clear to everyone: even when people encounter the expression for the first time, they immediately understand that we're talking about about someone's suffering and torture. But the element “tantalum” (the form “Tantalus” is used less often) is understandable only to those who at one time became acquainted with Greek mythology.

The fact is that in Ancient Greece there was a myth about King Tantalus, who had offended the gods and was doomed to eternal torment. Tantalus was the son of Zeus, and his life was the epitome of true happiness. The gods loved the earthly king very much, showered him with gifts and even invited him to Olympus.

So how was Tantalus able to anger his patrons? Everything is very simple. Tantalus was very proud of his position, allowed himself a lot, was not afraid to divulge the secrets of his powerful parent, and, once, arrogantly declared that he lived much happier than all the Olympian gods.

Of course, such behavior could not go unpunished. The last straw for Zeus was the terrible criminal act of Tantalus: the earthly king chopped his son Pelops into pieces, prepared treats from him, which he served on the table for the gods who descended from Olympus. With this, the earthly king wanted to check whether the gods are as omniscient as they are commonly said to be.

Of course, the gods revealed Tantalus’ terrible plan and doomed him to eternal suffering in the underground Kingdom of Hades. According to Homer, the “torment of Tantalus” consisted in the fact that he had to forever stand in a lake up to his neck in water, but not be able to drink it. Also above the punished king there were branches fruit trees, which rose up from strong wind, as soon as Tantalus extended his hand to them.

Thanks to this description, the meaning of the phraseological unit in question becomes clear. “Tantalum's pangs” are pleasures and benefits that seem so close, but in fact are absolutely unattainable, no matter how hard you try. This is the most common interpretation.

There is another version. The poet Pindar described the torment of Tantalus somewhat differently. According to his version, a huge block of stone hung over the king, which instilled unbearable eternal horror in a person, since it seemed that this stone would break off and fall at any moment.

Which have been used unchanged for many years. Behind such turns of phrase - historical facts and events of the past, even real people. These expressions are combinations of words that individually often mean something completely different and have a different meaning. Such phrases are called phraseological units. Sometimes they use proper names. Often in our speech we encounter the following phrases: “Pandora’s box”, “Achilles’ heel” or “Tantalus’s torment”. The meaning of a phraseological unit of this type can only be understood if you know the events that led to the appearance of this expression. Most of these phrases are taken from ancient Greek culture.

Myths - the source of phraseological units

Ancient Greek culture has accumulated a huge layer of myths and legends about the deeds of gods and heroes. They have been a source of stable expressions for many centuries. One of them is the “torment of Tantalus”. The meaning of phraseological units becomes clear if you know mythology. lived on Olympus. They had the same vices as people and spent a lot of time in feasts and fun.

Mortals were sometimes invited to these meetings - children of the gods and ordinary people. The Phrygian king Tantalus was also awarded this honor. He was the nymph Pluto, and the gods loved him, often invited him to Olympus and visited his luxurious palace. He was very rich and lived happily. Why is it that only the expression “the torment of Tantalus” has been preserved in history? Its meaning will become clear if we study the further fate of this king. Tantalus became arrogant, became proud and committed several unseemly acts, for which he was punished by the gods. He was cast into Tartarus and subjected to terrible torture.

Why was Tantalus punished?

1. According to one version, he became so proud that he boasted a lot to people about his friendship with the gods and even betrayed their secrets.

2. According to another opinion, Tantalus wanted to steal ambrosia and divine nectar from Olympus in order to give them to people. But since they bestowed immortality, Zeus could not allow this.

3. The most common version of the appearance of the expression “the torment of Tantalus” is his murder of his son. The gods often dined in his palace. And one day the king wanted to test the all-vision of the gods and, having slaughtered his son, served them a dish of his meat for lunch. But the gods did not eat it, they loved Pelops, so they revived him, and Tantalus himself was severely punished. He was banished to hell so that he could atone for his guilt through suffering.

Torments of Tantalus

What tests was the former favorite of the gods subjected to in Tartarus? He experienced excruciating thirst, terrible hunger and fear. Therefore, the phraseology “torment of Tantalus” is not

very different from his original value. The Phrygian king stood up to his neck in clear water, but was very thirsty. After all, when he wanted to drink, the water quickly disappeared. There were many ripe fruits hanging over Tantalus's head, but he was experiencing terrible hunger. After all, as soon as he extended his hand, the branches moved away from him. In addition, he was in constant fear because a huge rock was hanging over his head, ready to collapse. This is how the torment of Tantalus is described in myths.

The meaning of phraseological units today

The punishment of the Phrygian king was so revealing and cruel that this story is still instructive. People consider the torment of Tantalus very cruel. The meaning of a phraseological unit in modern speech is various experiences or torment caused by the inability to achieve a coveted and so close goal. This is what they say about a person who endures cruel torment, endless suffering.

Often the expression “torment of Tantalus” is used when there is a lack of some vital things - for example, food or sleep. But sometimes this phraseological unit is used in relation to phenomena that are not very important, but have great value for a person. It seems easy to achieve the goal, but it is impossible. The expression “tantalum flour” can also be used in figurative meaning to give speech an ironic meaning.

Most phraseological units originating in ancient Greek mythology are used mainly in fiction and journalism. The expression “torment of Tantalus” is no exception. Its meaning is unclear to many people, and it is almost never used in ordinary conversations. But everyone is cultural and educated person should know what it means.

Tantalum flour(meaning) - unbearable torment caused by the contemplation of the proximity of the desired goal and the consciousness of powerlessness, the impossibility of achieving it (Explanatory Dictionary, 1935-1940).

According to ancient Greek myth, King Tantalus of Phrygia was a favorite of the gods and was often invited to their feasts. But, being proud, he offended the gods. For this, as punishment, he was sent to Tartarus, where he stands up to his neck in water, but cannot get drunk. The water recedes from him as soon as he lowers his head to drink. Luxurious fruits hanging above his head deviate from his hands. Therefore, he is forever doomed to experience unbearable pangs of hunger and thirst.

"Later I saw Tantalus, executed with a terrible execution:
In the bright lake he stood up to his neck in water and, languid,
With a burning thirst, he tried in vain to choke on water.
585 Just now he bowed his head to her, hoping to get drunk,
She ran away noisily; below under your feet it appeared
Black bottom, and it was drained in an instant by the demon.
Many fruitful trees grew above his head,
Apple trees, and pears, and pomegranates, abundant in golden fruits,
590 Also sweet fig trees and olive trees, blooming luxuriously.
Tormented by hunger, as soon as he stretched out his hand to the fruits,
At once all the branches of the trees rose dark to the clouds."

The myth of Tantalus according to Kuhn N.A.

“In Lydia, near Mount Sipila, there was a rich city, called by the name of Mount Sipila. In this city, the favorite of the gods, the son of Zeus Tantalus, ruled. The gods rewarded him with everything in abundance. There was no one on earth who was richer and happier than King Sipila , Tantalus. The richest gold mines on Mount Sipila gave him innumerable wealth. No one had such fertile fields, no one brought such. beautiful fruits gardens and vineyards. In the meadows of Tantalus, the favorite of the gods, huge herds of fine-wool sheep, steep-horned bulls, cows and herds of horses as fast as the wind grazed. King Tantalus had an abundance of everything. He could have lived in happiness and contentment until a very old age, but excessive pride and crime ruined him.

The gods looked at their favorite Tantalus as their equal. The Olympians often came to the golden halls of Tantalus and feasted merrily with him. Even to the bright Olympus, where no mortal ascends, Tantalus more than once ascended at the call of the gods. There he took part in the council of the gods and feasted at the same table with them in the palace of his father, the thunderer Zeus. Tantalus became proud from such great happiness. He began to consider himself equal to even the cloud-killer Zeus himself. Often, returning from Olympus, Tantalus took with him the food of the gods - ambrosia and nectar - and gave them to his mortal friends, feasting with them in his palace. Even those decisions that the gods made when conferring on bright Olympus about the fate of the world, Tantalus informed people; he did not keep the secrets that his father Zeus confided to him. One day, during a feast on Olympus, the great son Cronus turned to Tantalus and said to him:

My son, I will fulfill whatever you wish, ask me for whatever you want. Out of love for you, I will fulfill any of your requests.

But Tantalus, forgetting that he was only a mortal, proudly answered his father, the aegis-powerful Zeus:

I don't need your favors. I do not need anything. The lot that has befallen me is more beautiful than the lot of the immortal gods.

The Thunderer did not answer his son. He frowned menacingly, but restrained his anger. He still loved his son, despite his arrogance. Soon Tantalus twice cruelly insulted the immortal gods. Only then did Zeus punish the arrogant one.

In Crete, the homeland of the Thunderer, there was a golden dog. She once guarded the newborn Zeus and the wonderful goat Amalthea who fed him. When Zeus grew up and took away the power over the world from Cronus, he left this dog in Crete to guard his sanctuary. The king of Ephesus, Pandareus, seduced by the beauty and strength of this dog, secretly came to Crete and took it away on his ship from Crete. But where to hide this wonderful animal? Pandarey thought about this for a long time during his journey across the sea and finally decided to give the golden dog to Tantalus for safekeeping. King Sipila hid the wonderful animal from the gods. Zeus was angry. He called his son, the messenger of the gods Hermes, and sent him to Tantalus to demand the return of the golden dog. In the blink of an eye, fast Hermes rushed from Olympus to Sipylus, appeared before Tantalus and said to him:

The king of Ephesus, Pandareus, stole a golden dog from the sanctuary of Zeus in Crete and gave it to you for safekeeping. The gods of Olympus know everything, mortals cannot hide anything from them! Return the dog to Zeus. Beware of incurring the wrath of the Thunderer!

Tantalus answered the messenger of the gods this way:

It is in vain that you threaten me with the wrath of Zeus. I have not seen a golden dog. The gods are wrong, I don’t have it.

Tantalus swore a terrible oath that he was telling the truth. With this oath he angered Zeus even more. This was the first insult inflicted by Tantalus on the gods. But even now the Thunderer did not punish him.

Tantalus brought upon himself the punishment of the gods as the next, second insult to the gods and a terrible crime. When the Olympians gathered for a feast in the palace of Tantalus, he decided to test their omniscience. King Sipila did not believe in the omniscience of the Olympians. Tantalus prepared a terrible meal for the gods. He killed his son Pelops and served his meat to the gods during a feast under the guise of a wonderful dish. The gods immediately comprehended Tantalus's evil intent; none of them touched the terrible dish. Only the goddess Demeter, full of grief for her daughter Persephone, who was kidnapped from her, thinking only about her and not noticing anything around in her grief, ate the shoulder of young Pelops. The gods took the terrible dish, put all the meat and bones of Pelops in a cauldron and placed it on a brightly blazing fire. Hermes, with his charms, again revived the boy. He appeared before the gods even more beautiful than he was before, the only thing missing was the shoulder that Demeter had eaten. By order of Zeus, the great Hephaestus immediately made Pelops a shoulder from shiny Ivory. Since then, all descendants of Pelops have a bright white spot on their right shoulder.

The crime of Tantalus overflowed the patience of the great king of gods and people, Zeus. The Thunderer overthrew Tantalus into the dark kingdom of his brother Hades; there he suffers a terrible punishment. Tormented by thirst and hunger, he stands in clear water. It reaches all the way to his chin. He only has to bend down to quench his painful thirst. But as soon as Tantalus bends down, the water disappears, and under his feet there is only dry black earth. The branches of fertile trees bend over Tantalus's head: juicy figs, ruddy apples, pomegranates, pears and olives hang low above his head; Heavy, ripe bunches of grapes almost touch his hair. Exhausted by hunger, Tantalus stretches out his hands for the beautiful fruits, but a gust of stormy wind blows in and carries away the fruitful branches. Not only hunger and thirst torment Tantalus, eternal fear squeezes his heart. A rock hangs over his head, barely holding on, threatening every minute to fall and crush Tantalus with its weight. This is how King Sipila, the son of Zeus Tantalus, suffers in the kingdom of the terrible Hades with eternal fear, hunger and thirst."

Examples

“At this time, loud applause and the pretty voice of Princess Rozhkina were heard outside the door, singing “I am again before you...” The secretary’s heart began to flutter. Torments of Tantalus were beyond his strength."

Some call Tantalus the husband of the famous Omphale, but others say that his children are Pelops, Niobe and Broteus - were born either by the daughter of the river god Pactolus, Euryanassa, or by Eurythemis, the daughter of the god of another river - Xanthus.

Myths ancient Greece. Tartarus. Cursed by the gods. Episode 10

Before anyone had time to find out about this crime, he committed an even more terrible one. Having invited the Olympian gods to a feast, Tantalus discovered that there was not enough food in his pantries for everyone. Either in order to test how omniscient Zeus was, or in order to feed the celestials to their heart's content, he cut his son Pelops into pieces and offered his meat to the gods under the guise of a wonderful dish. All the gods immediately realized what dish they were being treated to and turned away in horror. Only the goddess Demeter, full of grief over her daughter Persephone, who was kidnapped by the gloomy Hades and not noticing anything around, ate the shoulder of young Pelops.

For these two crimes of Tantalus, his kingdom was destroyed, and he himself was cast by Zeus into the underground kingdom of the dead and condemned to eternal torment, like other great sinners - Ixion, Sisyphus , Tityus, Danaids and others. Since then, Tantalus has stood in clear water, forever tormented by thirst and hunger. The waves of the lake splash at his waist, sometimes even reaching his chin, but as soon as he bends down to quench his thirst, the water disappears without a trace. Even if he manages to scoop up a handful, the moisture runs between his fingers, and he only wets his chapped lips, which only intensifies his thirst. Beautiful fruits hang over Tantalus's head - plump apples, sweet dates, ripe olives and pomegranates, but as soon as he reaches out to these delicacies, the wind blows, the branches bend and the fruit becomes out of reach.

That's what it is tantalum flour. In addition, a huge stone - a cliff from Mount Sipylus - hangs over the tree and constantly threatens to crush Tantalus's head. So he was punished for the third crime - theft aggravated by perjury. This is how Tantalus accomplished it. When Zeus was still a child in Crete and was nursed by the goat Amalthea, Hephaestus made for Zeus’s mother, Rhea, a golden dog that was supposed to guard the child. But the Lydian Pandareus decided to steal the dog and give it to Tantalus, so that he would hide it on Mount Sipylus. When the noise about the theft subsided, Pandareus demanded that Tantalus return the dog, but Tantalus began to swear by Zeus that in his life he not only had not seen the golden dog, but had also never heard anything about it.

Zeus heard this oath and ordered Hermes to investigate the matter. Tantalus continued to swear, denying everything. However, Hermes discovered the dog by force or cunning, and Zeus threw Tantalus under one of the cliffs of Mount Sipylus. Pandareus and his wife Harmothea fled to Athens, and then to Sicily, where they ended their lives ingloriously.

Others claim that Tantalus himself stole the golden dog and entrusted it to guard Pandareus. For a false oath that he had never seen the golden dog, the enraged gods killed Pandareus and his wife or turned them into stone.

Having punished Tantalus, Zeus revived the unfortunate Pelops, for which he ordered Hermes to collect all the members of his severed body and boil them again in the same cauldron. After this, Zeus cast a spell over the cauldron, and Moira Clotho returned Pelops’ body to its previous appearance. Demeter gave him a strong ivory shovel instead of the one she had gnawed, Rhea breathed life into him, and the goat-footed Pan began to dance around him with joy.

Pelops emerged from the magic cauldron so beautiful that Poseidon took him with him to Olympus in a chariot drawn by golden horses. There he appointed Pelops as his cupbearer and bedmaster and began to feed him ambrosia. Pelops later became famous for his equestrian competition with King Oenomaus. After the death of Pelops, his ivory shoulder blade was kept in the city of Pisa.

The idiomatic expression “tantalum's torment” or “torment of Tantalus” is one of such phraseological units, the meaning of which is impossible to guess without knowing the history of its origin. The word “torment” makes it clear that we are talking about torment, but the word “Tantalum” is understandable only to those who are well acquainted with Greek mythology and the name of King Tantalus, who offended the gods and was punished for eternal torment.

The myth of Tantalus gives a fairly clear idea of ​​what tantalum flour is. The meaning of the phraseological unit is derived from the entire story of King Tantalus, retold in many sources.

Who was Tantalus

Tantalus' torment does not fit in with Tantalus's happy life. He was the son of Zeus, ruled in Lydia, in the city of Sipylus. The name of the city was given by Mount Sipila, near which this prosperous city was located. The image of Tantalus during his reign is the embodiment of happiness and luck. The city ruled by Tantalus is rich; on Mount Sipile there were inexhaustible gold mines; the fields near the city were fertile; vineyards and orchards brought the richest harvests. There was an abundance in the herds of sheep and bulls, and in the herds of fleet-footed horses. All this abundance was sent to Tantalus by the gods, who loved him so much that they not only descended from Olympus to his domain to feast, but also allowed him to come to Olympus for their feasts.

What did Tantalus do to deserve his torment?

In the palace of his father Zeus, Tantalus felt equal to the gods and became proud of his happiness, for which he was eventually punished by the gods. The phraseology “Tantalum's torment,” the meaning of which is associated with this punishment, goes back to the myth of how Tantalus aroused the wrath of his father Zeus and doomed himself to torment.

Returning from feasts with the gods, Tantalus allowed the gods to take drink (nectar) and food (ambrosia) with him and treated people to this. In addition, being aware of the decisions of the gods regarding the lives of people, he communicated them to mortals. Tantalus was not afraid to divulge the secrets of his father, and once told him that his own life happier life gods. With this arrogance and comparison of himself with the gods, Tantalus for the first time aroused the real anger of Zeus.

The second time Tantalus angered his father with an even greater insult to the gods. He hid a golden dog that King Pandareus stole from Zeus. The gods found out about this and sent Hermes to get Zeus's favorite dog. Tantalus swore a terrible oath that he did not have a golden dog. However, this time Zeus did not punish his beloved son.

The punishment followed the third insult. Tantalus decided to test how omniscient the gods really are, and committed a terrible crime. He chopped his son Pelops into pieces and prepared a dish from him, which he treated to the gods who came down to him. The gods understood Tantalus' plan and were horrified by his crime. No one touched the dish except Demeter. She was deeply saddened by the disappearance of her daughter, Persephone, and ate the boy's shoulder. The gods revived Pelops: he became even more beautiful, but he did not have a shoulder. Then Zeus ordered Hephaestus to make a shoulder for the boy from ivory.

For this crime of Tantalus, the gods doomed him to eternal torment in the kingdom of Hades. They are called “tantalum flour”. Phraseologism becomes clear after getting acquainted with what exactly the gods punished Tantalus with.

Description of the torment of Tantalus in Homer

Tantalum's torment is described in detail in Homer's poem "Odyssey". According to Homer, Tantalus stands forever in a lake, the water of which reaches his chin. Old man Tantalus is very thirsty, but as soon as he bows his head to drink from the water so close to him, the water disappears, recedes from him, and he sees black earth - it is being drained by a deity.

Standing chin-deep in water, Tantalus sees above him the branches of fruit trees leaning towards him, heavy with juicy ripe fruits. Tantalus sees pears, apples, pomegranates, figs and olive berries above him and wants to be satisfied with them. But as soon as he tries to pick one of the fruits and raises his hand to it, the wind throws up the branches, the fruit becomes unattainable.

It is with this punishment that the expression “tantalum torment” is usually associated. The meaning of a phraseological unit is associated with pleasures that seem close, but which can never be achieved.

Description of the torment of Tantalus by Pindar

Pindar describes tantalum torments differently. Zeus punished Tantalus by having a huge stone, like a rock, hanging over him, and he was forced to remain forever terrified that the stone could break off and fall on him at any moment.

The idiom “Tantalum's torment,” the meaning of which is significantly expanded by this version of the myth, can thus be understood as eternal unbearable suffering.

The meaning of the phraseological unit “tantalum flour”

All elements of the myth of Tantalus are symbolic in their own way, but not all of them are usually related to the phraseology “torment of Tantalus.” Most often, when using this expression, it does not mean that someone is specifically punished with torment or that someone is suffering because of their pride.

This phraseological unit is usually used when they want to express the idea that someone is doomed to constantly feel approaching a cherished goal, but not be able to achieve it. Somewhat less commonly, this idiom refers to endless suffering associated with anxiety and impending threat.