Sisyphus' work is a popular expression originated from Greek mythology, referring to every kind of work or situation that is endless and useless.
The contemporary meaning of this phrase is related to the idea that no matter how much work and effort one makes in relation to something, the results are always fruitless, irrelevant and frustrating.
Some scholars, such as the French writer and philosopher Albert Camus, used the principles of Sisyphus' work in Greek mythology to explain some characteristics of the human condition.
The lives of human beings, according to Camus, would be similar to the work of Sisyphus, as they live to follow a daily and repetitive routine of activities, usually without a concrete purpose.
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Myth of Sisyphus
The myth of Sisyphus, considered the most cunning mortal of his time, tells the story of this man (the first king of Corinth) who became known as one of the greatest offenders of the Greek gods.
According to legend, after disrespecting the orders of Zeus, god of gods, he sent Thanatos, the god of death, take Sisyphus to Tartarus – land of the dead of the underworld that was reigned by Hades.
Sisyphus, however, tricked Thanatos, praising his beauty and offering him a necklace. This necklace was actually a collar, making Sisyphus manage to keep death as his prisoner. So, during this time, no person on Earth could die.
Hades, upon discovering Sisyphus's act, became very angry and released Thanatos, ordering him to take the king of Corinth immediately to the underworld.
When saying goodbye to his wife before going to the land of the dead, Sisyphus asked him not to bury her body, as he had a plan.
Upon reaching Tartarus, the cunning king pleaded with Hades to let him return to the world of the living, claiming that his wife had not yet buried his body and needed to ask her to do that quickly.
Hades eventually granted Sisyphus's wish and allowed him to return to the living world for a day. However, the king cheated death a second time and fled with his wife.
Find out more about the meaning of Mythology.
Ultimately, Zeus managed to capture him and, having deceived and aroused the wrath of the gods, he was condemned to spend eternity pushing a stone to the top of a mountain. However, whenever the stone was about to reach its objective, it would roll down the mountain and Sisyphus had to go back to doing the job all over again.
From this episode on, currently, when someone says they have a "Sisyphus job" it is because they have an impossible or endless task to fulfill.
Learn about the meaning of other expressions, such as “please Greeks and Trojans" and "Achilles' heel”.
