Sisyphus

Sisyphus is a figure of Greek mythology associated with repeatedly pushing a large stone towards the top of a hill. His task provides a familiar image of strenuous work whose result does not remain in place.

Story Summary

In Book 11 of Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus describes seeing Sisyphus among the dead.

• Sisyphus braces himself with his hands and feet to push a heavy stone uphill.
• He brings it close to the crest.
• Before he can get it over the top, the stone turns back under its weight.
• It rolls down to the plain.
• Sisyphus strains to push it uphill again. Sweat and dust emphasise the physical effort involved.

The passage presents the repeated action without describing a successful final ascent. Homer: Odyssey, Book 11, lines 593-600

Background to the Story

The short scene in the Odyssey does not explain why Sisyphus has received this punishment. Other ancient traditions connect him with attempts to outwit death. A fragment attributed to the lyric poet Alcaeus describes Sisyphus believing himself master of Death, yet having to cross the river Acheron twice. This is a separate strand of the tradition, rather than an explanation supplied in Homer's scene. Ancient passages concerning Sisyphus and Death

The punishment also appears in ancient visual art. A vase painting reproduced by the Theoi Project shows Sisyphus pushing his rock while a Fury stands behind him with a whip. That image adds a visible figure enforcing the labour. Ancient vase painting of Sisyphus

Images and Movement in the Story

• Effort and position: Sisyphus and the stone move uphill, but the gained position is repeatedly lost.
• The crest: The action fails close to the point where the stone might pass onto the other side.
• Repetition: The descent returns the task to an earlier state and another ascent begins.
• The burden and the worker: The stone moves because Sisyphus pushes it. Its downward movement then determines what he must do next.

These are observations about the scene, available for comparison with other stories of labour, weight and repeated movement.

Figurative Language

Sisyphean work describes an arduous task that seems endless or repeatedly undone. An uphill struggle emphasises difficulty and resistance; it does not necessarily imply that every gain will be lost.

Related Pages

Rocks, Hills and Mountains, Burdens, Elevation, Wheels, Treadmills and Roundabouts.