The text seems to be from: The series seem to be illustrations from the story of Orpheus as he enters and passes through Hades seeing the punishments of the Damned. The subject here appears to be Tantalus: Ovid's Metamorphoses Book 10 trans. Allen Mandelbaum - Passing through Hell, Orpheus charmed the inhabitants "... Tantalus, no longer tried to catch the fleeting waves; Ixion''s wheel stood still - entranced, amazed;"