Greek heroes and characters

Ixión

In Greek mythology, Ixión is the son of the Lapithic king Phlegyus, who was punished for his cunning and arrogance.

Ixión was about to marry Dio (daughter of Éioneus), so he invited her father to the banquet. When Éioneas arrived at the house, however, he fell into a pit of hot coals and was burnt to death.

The lesser gods condemned this act and refused to exonerate Ixion. Only Zeus decided to cleanse him and even invited him to his table. Ixion was so brazen that he even sought out Zeus' wife, Hera. Zeus saw through this action and formed a copy of Hera out of a cloud. When the drunken Ixion approached the cloud, he immediately began to woo him in a very vulgar manner. After Zeus caught him in the act, he had him flogged and then cast him into Tartarus. Here Ixion was entangled in a wheel that is still turning.

Thus Ixion became another of the many sufferers in Tartarus (Sisyphus, Tantalos, etc.).