Though the ancient Greeks were as horrified by cannibalism as modern people are, there are a surprising number of stories in Mythology involving human flesh being served as a meal. Cannibalism in Mythology is almost always used as a method of revenge or punishment – usually it is a father being served his children. The Greek poets often stretched tragic ideas to their limits (like Oedipus committing the worst possible crime – killing his father and marrying his mother), and this notion of cannibalism was used as the most atrocious and potent method of vengeance.