he tragic god of the indus-
trial West was once Prome-
theus, who still holds the
place of honor at the Rocke-
feller Center skating rink. If a-

statue for the year 2000 is needed, it perhaps should be of King Tan- talus, son of Zeus, who according to one account brought secrets-information rather than fire-from the gods to human- ity. For this theft he was cruelly punished in the netherworld: The water in which he was condemned eternally to stand would recede whenever he leaned over to...