The Pythagoras Cup

The Pythagoras Cup (also known as Greedy Cup or Tantalus Cup) forces its user to drink only in moderation. Due to its clever construction you can only fill it to a certain height, so that the moderate drinker can enjoy her/his drink in peace. The greedy one on the other hand, who fills the cup above this level, will find that the contents will drain completely through a hole in the bottom of the cup, leaving her/him with an empty vessel.

It is said that Pythagoras invented this cup to teach his workers moderation in the consumption of wine.