None of us are perfect.....

I used to be fascinted with Greek mythology, of all the stories, the one of Ixion used to fascinate me most. Here is an AI summary (the full story is even more interesting). 

The Murder of His Father-in-Law

The conflict: Ixion promised a rich bride price (dowry) to his father-in-law, Eioneus (or Deioneus), when he married Dia. When he failed to pay, Eioneus took some of Ixion’s horses as collateral 
The betrayal: Ixion hid his anger, invited Eioneus to a feast, and pushed him into a concealed pit filled with burning coals and wood.
The outcast: This act of kin-slaying and violation of xenia (guest-host hospitality) shocked the mortal world, and no one would perform the ritual purification required to cleanse his guilt.

Offense Against the Gods

Forgiveness on Olympus: Zeus took pity on Ixion, brought him up to Mount Olympus, and even offered him a place at the table of the gods. 
Hubris: Instead of showing gratitude, Ixion grew arrogant and lusted after Zeus’s wife, Hera.
The cloud trick: Zeus caught wind of his intent and formed a living cloud shaped like Hera—named Nephele—to trick him. Ixion coupled with the cloud, which later gave birth to the Centaurs (half-man, half-horse creatures).

Eternal Punishment

Tartarus: For his extreme ingratitude, arrogance, and betrayal, Zeus blasted Ixion with a thunderbolt and cast him out of Olympus.
The fiery wheel: Zeus ordered Hermes to bind Ixion to an eternally spinning, winged fiery wheel in Tartarus (the deep underworld), where he would whirl in agony forever.

I have always found the Greek mythology fascinating. It is filled with strange ideas, concepts and morality. The thing that intrigued me, as a child, brought up a Roman Catholic, to believe that there was one God, who was all powerful and all knowing, was just how human and petty the behaviour of the Greek Gods seemed to be. The story of Ixion is a  bit of an outlier, with Zeus showing fogiveness and giving Ixion a chance of repentenance. However Ixion, a vain and arrogant man, his response to his second chance is perhaps more interesting. He simply couldn't help himself. His personality reminds me of a certain promenant world leader. Sadly, I've met a few people who remind me of Ixion over the years, although thankfully, most don't hang around for too long. 

I think that such tales aare useful cautinary tales. Is there a bit of Ixiom in all of us? Are we truly grateful for our blessings. Do we recognise when we are being given a second chance? Do we show gratitude in such situations, or do we get caught up in our own hubris. 

We all make mistakes. I certainly do. When I do, I believe that the best thing to do is to apologise and move on. I there are amends to be made, make them. We don't have to win every argument. If you know you are right, isn't that enough? Sometimes, I do silly things, make silly comments, make bad decisions that affect people in a negative manner. I have learned that seeking to justify the unjustifiable is foolish. Far better to say "I screwed that up, how can i make amends and learn". Only fools never learn.

The punishments meted out by the Greek Gods are another thing that fascinate me. If Ixion lived, he would have lived around 1300-1200 BC. That means he's been stuck on the fiery wheel for over 3,200 years. I wonder if he's learned his lesson yet? Just remember Every turning wheel, every broken promise between kin, and every guest who forgets the laws of hospitality carries some echo of Ixion, the first mortal to dine with the gods and the first to be cast into their deepest prison.