Clytemnestra Chapter 5: The Tales of Tantalus – Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Early in the morning, Clytemnestra sits beside her father Tyndareus as her brothers, Castor and Polydeuces, argue over a Spartan warrior who took a comrade’s wife. When Tyndareus asks her opinion, Clytemnestra suggests summoning the woman and hearing her side—a decision that wins her father’s approval. After the brothers leave, Tyndareus asks about the Maeonian king Tantalus, and Clytemnestra admits she wants him to stay longer.

She becomes obsessed with Tantalus, aching for his presence. Helen calls this obsession foolish, but Clytemnestra believes Tantalus sees her differently. While collecting their mother’s tunic in the marketplace, women whisper and Helen reveals they called her teras (portent/freak), believing she is Zeus’s daughter, not Tyndareus’s. Clytemnestra is furious.

In the stables, Tantalus tells her he has heard of her fighting spirit and admits he is no match for her—a confession that surprises and intrigues her. They begin spending afternoons by the river, where Tantalus recounts tales of the Hittites, Crete, Niobe’s petrified sorrow, and Colchis, whose king Aeëtes is rumored to command dust warriors and dragons. Clytemnestra finds herself hanging on every word.

Watching her parents, she notes how Leda defers to Tyndareus and how Tyndareus flirts with servant girls. Clytemnestra wonders what a woman gives up in marriage and decides she will bow to no one, remembering her grandmother’s prophecy that she will be queen.

Castor and Polydeuces announce they will join Jason’s expedition to Colchis for the Golden Fleece. Clytemnestra takes a distressed Helen up Mount Taygetus to escape the gymnasium’s whispers. At dinner, the brothers are celebrated. Tantalus asks Clytemnestra what she was born for; she replies she was born to rule. When the hall empties, he asks what she wants. She tells him to stay, and they spend the night together. She recalls her first sexual experience with a village boy, then wakes beside Tantalus, feeling like a stranger in her own palace.

Key Events

Clytemnestra advises her father on a domestic dispute, demonstrating her judgment.
Tyndareus questions her about Tantalus; she asks him to remain in Sparta.
Helen is called teras in the marketplace; Clytemnestra confronts the gossip.
Tantalus admits his weakness and engages in a playful fight challenge.
Tantalus tells stories of foreign lands and myths by the river.
Clytemnestra observes her parents’ marriage and questions female autonomy.
Castor and Polydeuces reveal they will join Jason’s Argonaut expedition.
Clytemnestra comforts Helen on Mount Taygetus and shares her desire to travel.
At the farewell feast, Tantalus and Clytemnestra become intimate.
Clytemnestra reflects on her first sexual encounter and on her future.

Character Development

Clytemnestra: Begins to act on her own desires, balancing her father’s approval with her emerging agency. Her infatuation with Tantalus reveals a romantic, vulnerable side, while her observations of Leda show her questioning what power a woman can hold in marriage.
Tantalus: Presented as self-aware and different from Spartan men—willing to admit weakness and to let Clytemnestra lead. His storytelling and foreign perspective open new worlds to her.
Helen: Deeply wounded by whispers about her parentage. Her jealousy of Clytemnestra’s obsession with Tantalus is tempered by genuine care; she acknowledges the change she sees in her sister.
Tyndareus: Pragmatic ruler who values his daughter’s counsel but also treats marriage as a political arrangement.
Castor: Ambitious, eager to join a legendary expedition; he encourages Clytemnestra to follow her heart despite distance.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

Observation as Power: Clytemnestra studies her parents, Tantalus, and the court. She notes that Tantalus’s interest in her is different because he talks about her, not himself.
Desire and Agency: Clytemnestra actively chooses Tantalus, first by asking him to stay, then by inviting him to her bed. The chapter frames desire as a field where she exercises control.
Reputation and Identity: Helen’s label teras reflects how society defines women by birth. Clytemnestra resists this by asserting her own destiny.
Marriage as Sacrifice: Leda’s behavior around Tyndareus shows the limited power a queen holds; Clytemnestra vows not to repeat that pattern.
Storytelling and Foreignness: Tantalus’s tales of Niobe, Crete, and Colchis broaden the novel’s world and symbolize the allure of a life beyond Sparta.
The Golden Fleece Expedition: Introduces a mythic quest that will remove Clytemnestra’s brothers and signal her own coming journey.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter solidifies Clytemnestra’s romantic attachment to Tantalus and her decision to pursue a path separate from Sparta’s expectations. It also foreshadows her brothers’ departure for Colchis, a voyage that will feature in larger Greek mythology and that leaves Clytemnestra more isolated. The quiet moment atop Mount Taygetus with Helen echoes themes of sisterhood and female fate, while the intimate scenes with Tantalus mark the beginning of a relationship that will drive the rest of the story. Clytemnestra’s vow to bow to no one sets the stage for her later defiance and her own claim to rule.

Study Questions

How does Clytemnestra’s advice to her father about the warrior’s dispute reveal her leadership style?
She prioritizes hearing the woman’s account and acting based on truth, not vengeance. This shows she values justice and nuance, traits that will define her queenship.
What does Tantalus’s admission of “weakness” (that he never had to fight for anything) tell us about his character—and why does it attract Clytemnestra?
It reveals honesty and a willingness to be vulnerable, which is rare among Spartan men. It attracts Clytemnestra because he does not view her as a prize but as an equal whose strength he respects.
Why does the author include the story of Niobe in Tantalus’s repertoire?
The tale of a proud mother who loses all her children and is turned to stone serves as a warning about pride and the gods’ cruelty. It also mirrors Clytemnestra’s own future losses and her struggle between pride and vulnerability.