Sisyphus

Sisyphus (Σίσυφος, Sísyphos) was a legendary person in Greek mythology.[1]

Sisyphus with his stone and the hill. English Engraving, 1792.

According to the ancient story, Sisyphus was forced to roll a big rock up a hill, but it rolled back down and the task was never finished.[2] He was forced to repeat this over and over again forever.[3]The word "Sisyphean", which relates to a task which is undertaken with great effort but is ultimately pointless, is derived from the myth.

References
  1. "Sisyphean," Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed., 2001; retrieved 2012-3-29.
  2. Littell, Robert S. (1849). The Living Age, Vol. 20, p. 53.
  3. Mythweb.com, "Sisyphus" Archived 2021-03-29 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-29.

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