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Metamorphoses Book 6: Pelops
When the people of Thebes were mourning the grief recently visited on their city, only Pelops, the son of Tantalus, felt pity for Niobe. Pelops had an ivory shoulder because his father killed him and served him as a meal to the gods to test their omniscience. Ceres accidentally ate Pelops' shoulder in her distraction over the loss of Proserpine. When the gods rejoined Pelops, they had to replace his eaten shoulder with a piece of ivory. Tantalus was sent to the Underworld where he was allowed to become very hungry and thirsty. He is surrounded by water and luscious fruit, but each time he tries to eat the fruit or drink the water, they move just out of his reach.
