him their close-guarded mysteries. Little did they know Tantalus betrayed their trust. Despite his love for them, he stole their food from under their noses, handed it out to his people, and revealed to them the secrets of the gods.         To thank the Olympians for all the meals he had partaken of, Tantalus invited Zeus, and Poseidon, shaker of the shining trident, and the other gods on high, to his well-built halls for a splendid feast. Filled with devotion, he pledged to put before them only the very best. On his way home, however, he was beset by doubts, for he had no inkling how to fulfill his promise. As he stepped through the gates of the palace, his son Pelops ran up to greet him. There and then the king realized he had nothing finer to offer the gods. Without a word to Dione, he secretly led the boy away and slew him. He then hacked the body into pieces, set all to boil in a pure three-legged cauldron, and fixed a rich stew for his guests.         At the appointed hour the Olympians filed in and ranged themselves around the banquet table. Tantalus brought on the broken, boiled body of his son, served each god a share. The cut of honor – the left shoulder – he laid before Demeter, her, queen of mysteries. The indigo-robed goddess reached out, allayed her hunger. But before the other gods could tuck into their portions, Zeus' compassion moved him to command the flesh and bones be gathered up. He had them placed back in the cauldron,