When Tantalus, a figure from Greek mythology, invited the gods to a banquet, he served them his son Pelops, whom he had cut into pieces. He did so to test whether his guests were omniscient. As a punishment, Zeus sent Tantalus to Tartarus, the deepest part of the underworld, to suffer everlasting torture. The term ‘torment of Tantalus' refers to this predicament, representing things much desired but that are out of reach. Kevin Houben used the story of Tantalus as inspiration for this composition.