Sisyphus

Sisyphus (, Sísyphos) was a legendary figure in Greek mythology. "Sisyphean," Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed., 2001; retrieved 2012-3-29. 

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was the founder and king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth), one of the most important cities in Ancient Greece. It is said that Sisyphus witnessed Zeus abduct Aegina, daughter of the river God Asopus, who he then told. This greatly angered Zeus, who then sent Thanatos, the god of Death, after Sisyphus. Through a series of incredible feats of wit and cunning, Sisyphus was able to trick multiple of the many Greek gods into delaying his inevitable damnation. When Sisyphus was finally no longer able to delay his punishment, it was decided that he would be forced to roll a massive boulder up a hill for eternity, as punishment for his crimes against the Gods. The word "Sisyphean", which relates to a task which is undertaken with great effort but is ultimately pointless, is derived from the myth.

References

Other websites

 "Sisyphus," Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed. (1911) 

Category:People in Greek mythology