The Myth of Sisyphus
An Allegory About the Human Condition in Life and Business
Greek mythology is filled with stories of the gods inflicting gruesome horrors on the mortals who angered them. Yet one of their most famous punishments is not remembered for its outrageous cruelty, but for its disturbing familiarity.
The Story
Sisyphus was the first king of Ephyra, now known as Corinth. He was a devious tyrant who killed visitors to show off his power. This violation of the sacred hospitality tradition greatly angered the gods. But Sisyphus may still have avoided punishment if it hadn't been for his reckless confidence and prosperous city.
The trouble began when Zeus kidnapped the nymph Aegina, carrying her away in the form of a massive eagle. Aegina’s father, the river god Asopus, pursued their trail to Ephyra, where he encountered Sisyphus.
In exchange for the god making a spring inside the city, the king told Asopus which way Zeus had taken the girl. When Zeus found out, he was so furious that he ordered Thanatos, or Death, to chain Sisyphus in the underworld so he couldn’t cause any more problems.
But Sisyphus lived up to his crafty reputation. As he was about to be imprisoned, the king asked Thanatos to show him how the chains worked — and quickly bound…
