Sisyphus in Greek Mythology

Overview

Sisyphus or Sisyphos was a figure in Greek mythology known as the founder and king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth).
He is infamous for his cleverness and deceit, notably cheating death.
Sisyphus was punished by the gods to eternally roll a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time it neared the top.
The term Sisyphean describes tasks that are laborious and futile.

Parents: Son of King Aeolus of Aeolia and Enarete.
Siblings: Athamas, Salmoneus, Cretheus, Perieres, Deioneus, Magnes, Calyce, Canace, Alcyone, Pisidice, Perimede.
Spouse: Merope, a Pleiad.
Children: Ornytion, Glaucus, Thersander, Almus.
Grandchildren: Bellerophon (via Glaucus), Minyas (via Almus).
Some myths suggest he was the father of Odysseus.

Conflict with Zeus: Sisyphus betrayed Zeus by revealing his secret to Asopus, thus incurring Zeus's wrath.
Conflict with Salmoneus: Engaged in a rivalry with his brother Salmoneus and consulted the Oracle of Delphi on how to kill him.
Defying Death: Tricked Thanatos (Death) by chaining him up, causing no deaths on Earth until Ares intervened.
Tricked Persephone: Persuaded Persephone to allow him to return to the living world, later dragged back by Hermes.

As punishment, Sisyphus was condemned to eternally push a boulder up a hill in Tartarus, embodying futile and endless labor.
His punishment is a symbol of human struggle, effort, and the absurdity of life.

Homer describes Sisyphus in both the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Ovid's account in Metamorphoses shows Sisyphus momentarily stopping his task, emotionally moved by the song of Orpheus.
Plato's Apology features Socrates desiring to question Sisyphus in the afterlife.
Albert Camus's essay "The Myth of Sisyphus" views Sisyphus as an absurd hero, suggesting "one must imagine Sisyphus happy."
Franz Kafka saw Sisyphus as a figure emblematic of solitary struggle.
Richard Taylor used Sisyphus to illustrate meaningless repetition.

Solar Theory: Sisyphus as a symbol of the sun rising and setting.
Political Allegory: Lucretius likens Sisyphus to politicians vainly seeking power.
Symbolism in Art: Depicted by artists like Titian and invoked in various cultural references.

Sisyphus's myth is used in discussions of labor, perseverance, and the human condition.
The term "Sisyphean task" applies to any task that feels endless and pointless.
Referenced in experiments about work motivation, illustrating the impact of perceived task meaning on effort.

Tantalus, Wu Gang, Jan Tregeagle, and Naranath Bhranthan are characters associated with endless tasks.
Sisyphus's tale remains a poignant metaphor for human perseverance against insurmountable odds.