---
title: Ixion: The Man Who Was Tied to an Ever-Spinning Wheel
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Ixion/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2025-04-18
---
# Ixion: The Man Who Was Tied to an Ever-Spinning Wheel
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Ixion is the fiendishly wicked king of the Lapiths from [Greek mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Mythology/). In an attempted seduction of [Hera](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hera/), he was tricked by [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/) into making love to a cloud instead, from which was born Centaurus, the founder of the race of centaurs. Ixion's eternal punishment for his audacity and complete disrespect for both humanity and the gods was to be tied to an ever-spinning wheel of fire in [Hades](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hades/).
### Ixion & Eioneus
Ixion was the son of Phlegyas and king of the Lapiths, an ancient tribe in [Thessaly](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Thessaly/). He promised to marry Dia, the daughter of Eioneus, but in order to avoid paying the handsome bridal gifts he had promised her father, Ixion decided to do away with him instead. Inviting Eioneus to a banquet at the Lapith [palace](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/palace/), Ixion had prepared a trap by digging a concealed pit, at the bottom of which was a charcoal fire. Everything went to plan and the unsuspecting Eioneus fell into the pit and was duly burned to [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/). The gods were outraged at this terrible act, but Zeus, for reasons known only to himself, took pity on Ixion and offered to absolve him of his guilty crime with a dinner invite to Mt. Olympus thrown in.
### Ixion & Zeus
Ixion was only too happy to be a guest of the gods, but being a thoroughly bad character, he would not be on his best behaviour. The king had his heart set on wooing Hera, queen of the gods and wife of Zeus. Zeus, knowing all, pre-empted Ixion's seduction by creating a cloud which looked just like Hera. Ixion falling for the ruse, made love to the cloud, and from this union, Centaurus was born, he who would later create the race of centaurs. Ixion, back amongst mortals, was said to have boasted to all and sundry that he had slept with Hera. Zeus now unleashed a full set of punishments on Ixion. First, he was repeatedly lashed by [Hermes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hermes/) until he repeated the phrase 'benefactors deserve honour' as if he meant it. Then he was tied to a flaming wheel (perhaps the Sun) which was sent to spin forever through the heavens. In later tradition, this was changed to Hades, or perhaps the wheel and its cargo just ended up down there eventually. In an epilogue and to complete Zeus' revenge, in [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/)'s *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/)* it is mentioned that Zeus fell in love and slept with Dia, producing Peirithous, the future king of the Lapiths at whose wedding the Centaurs would famously run amok.
[  Sisyphus, Ixion and Tantalus Dan Diffendale (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/6370/sisyphus-ixion-and-tantalus/ "Sisyphus, Ixion and Tantalus")### Ixion in Art
Ixion appears on several red-figure [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) cups where he is shown captured by the [Furies](https://www.worldhistory.org/Furies/), or, in the case of a c. 450 BCE red-figure kantharos, held by Hermes and [Ares](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ares/) while about to learn his fate from Hera and with [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) in the background with the wheel at the ready. Alternatively, he is depicted spinning away on his wheel. An example of the latter scene is a c. 500 BCE red-figure cup now in the Museum of Art & History in Geneva. Interestingly, the figure is here tied to a wheel not with rope but snakes. That the myth travelled beyond the shores of [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) is evidenced in an [Etruscan](https://www.worldhistory.org/Etruscan_Civilization/) scarab which carries an engraving of the wicked trickster. It dates to the early 5th century BCE and is now in the British Museum, London. Ixion also appears on a [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) sarcophagus along with those other infamous evil-doers who likewise received eternal punishments from Zeus: [Sisyphus](https://www.worldhistory.org/sisyphus/) and [Tantalus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tantalus/). Dating to 160-170 CE, it is now on display in the Vatican Museums, [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/).
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- [Carpenter, T.H. *Art and Myth in Ancient Greece Paperback.* Thames & Hudson, 2017.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/B00RKQWI2A/)
- [Graves, R. *The Greek Myths.* Penguin UK, 2011.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0241952743/)
- [Homer. *The Iliad.* Penguin Classics, 1998.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140275363/)
- Hope Moncrieff, A.R. *Classical Mythology.* Senate, 1996
- [Hornblower, S. *The Oxford Classical Dictionary.* Oxford University Press, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199545561/)
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2017, February 22). Ixion: The Man Who Was Tied to an Ever-Spinning Wheel. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Ixion: The Man Who Was Tied to an Ever-Spinning Wheel." *World History Encyclopedia*, February 22, 2017. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Ixion: The Man Who Was Tied to an Ever-Spinning Wheel." *World History Encyclopedia*, 22 Feb 2017, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 22 February 2017. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.