This archetype was described as Carl Jung as a person with great judgment and wisdom. The wise old man is sometimes referred to as the Sage. This archetype is characterized by being old, bearded, father-figure type who uses his great personal knowledge of the world and offer guidance through stories and may impress upon his [...]
According to Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a knave who was punished for all the trickery he had done against gods. His punishment was to roll a boulder uphill only to watch it roll back down everytime it reaches the top, yet he was compelled to push it up all over again. This never ending task requires continual effort that never quite pays off, hence the word Sisyphean.
Sisyphus was the deceitful son of King Aeolus. The punishment started when he revealed great god Zeus’ secrets who, in return ordered Hades to claim Sisyphus personally. Being the trickster that he was, he fooled Hades into restraining himself with a handcuff he had brought with him from the kingdom of dead. Hades was locked up in Sisyphus’ closet for days. Days gone by and nobody died because the lord of underworld was still confined until Ares came for him and freed him up.
Now, it’s Persophone’s turn for Sisyphus deceits. The queen of the dead fell on Sisyphus’ trick and let him live again. When Zeus found out about Sisyphus treachery, he was once and for all, punished without conviction.
Today, Sisyphean is used to describe an activity with a never ending nature, something close to repetitive. It is also used for tasks that are meaningless and unrewarding.
Tags: gods, greek mythology, Mythology
