Sisyphus
Sisyphus is a prominent figure in Greek mythology, known primarily as the cunning king of Corinth. Born into nobility, he founded his own kingdom after being cheated out of the throne of Thessaly by his brother, Salmoneus. Sisyphus is most famously recognized for his cleverness, particularly in his defiance of the gods. One of his notable exploits involved tricking Thanatos, the god of death, by trapping him in chains, which led to a temporary halt in death across the mortal realm. However, this act of hubris ultimately resulted in severe punishment from the gods.
After deceiving the goddess Persephone to gain a temporary reprieve from the underworld, Sisyphus returned to Earth but did not keep his promise to return. Upon his natural death, he was condemned by both Zeus and Hades to an eternal punishment in Tartarus, where he was forced to roll a massive boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time he neared the top. This myth serves as a powerful allegory about the futility and endless struggle inherent in certain aspects of life, prompting reflections on perseverance and the human condition.
On this Page
Sisyphus
Sisyphus was a mythical Greek king. According to the Greek writer Homer, Sisyphus ruled the city of Corinth and was best known for routinely outwitting and outmaneuvering the gods. On one occasion, Sisyphus trapped death itself, which meant nothing in the mortal world would die. As punishment for his crimes, Sisyphus was forced to perform pointless labor for eternity.
Overview
The Greek mythological figure Sisyphus was born a noble in central Greece. He was cheated by his brother, Salmoneus, who took Sisyphus's rightful place ruling the city of Thessaly. In spite of this setback, Sisyphus founded the kingdom of Corinth, becoming its first king.
As king of Corinth, Sisyphus married Merope, one of the daughters of the titans Atlas and Pleione. Together they had three children: Ornytion, Sinon, and Glaucus. These children would each have a role in Greek mythology.
According to the famed Greek writer Homer, Sisyphus was one of the most cunning Greek kings. While he routinely clashed with Salmoneus, his most famous exploits were with the gods. When the Greek god Asopus was looking for his lost daughter, Sisyphus saw a chance for profit. The king of Corinth knew where Asopus's daughter had gone but would only tell Asopus once the god had created an endless spring of water in his town.
Once Aspus created the spring, Sisyphus revealed that Zeus, king of the Greek pantheon, had kidnapped Asopus's daughter. In revenge, Zeus sent Thanatos, the Greek god of death, to kill Sisyphus. The king managed to outsmart Thanatos, trapping the god in a set of chains.
As long as Thanatos was bound, no living thing could die. However, this unnatural state caused problems throughout the world. Sisyphus knew that as soon as Thanatos was released, he would be punished. As part of a new scheme, Sisyphus instructed his wife to withhold any funerary arrangements for his body when he died. Soon afterwards, the Greek god Ares freed Thanatos, who immediately hunted down Sisyphus. The Corinthian king was punished with death.
When Sisyphus arrived in the underworld, he immediately sought out the goddess Persephone, wife of Hades. He showed the goddess that no funeral had been conducted, a great disrespect in Greek society. Sisyphus begged to return to the surface for just three days. He told Persephone that three days would be enough time to arrange for his funeral and punish his wife, showing the world that the gods of the underworld were to be respected. Moved by his begging, Persephone granted his request.
Sisyphus returned to the surface, fully restored to life. However, the king had no intention of honoring his deal with Persephone. Instead, Sisyphus fled the gods, living out the rest of his natural life on Earth.
When Sisyphus died of old age, he was forced to face the wrath of both Hades and Zeus. The gods condemned Sisyphus to spend eternity laboring in Tartarus, the prison of the underworld. The former king was forced to push a heavy rock to the top of a mountain. Whenever the rock reached the top, it would simply slide back down. He was forced to carry on this pointless, difficult labor forever.
Bibliography
Cartwright, Mark. "Sisyphus." Ancient History, 14 Dec. 2016, www.ancient.eu/sisyphus/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
"Greek Mythology." History.com, 2009, www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/greek-mythology. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
Mileff, Geri. "Why Ancient Greek Mythology Is Still Relevant Today." OwlCation, 8 June 2016, owlcation.com/humanities/Why-Ancient-Greek-Mythology-is-Still-Relevant-Today. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
Rawda, Juliette. "The Myth of Sisyphus and How It Translates into Everyday Life." Le Moyne College, 8 Sept. 2015, www.theodysseyonline.com/the-myth-of-sisyphus-and-how-it-translates-into-everyday-life. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
"Sisyphus." Ancient Mythology, 2017, www.ancient-mythology.com/greek/sisyphus.php. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
"Sisyphus." Greek Mythology, 2017, www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
"Sisyphus." Mythweb, www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/sisyphus.html. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.
"The Myth of Sisyphus." NYU.edu, www.nyu.edu/classes/keefer/hell/camus.html. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.