The Crown of Sisyphus

Image licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license. Photographer: jonathanjoni.  This image has been modified from the original.  The original image can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanjo/2777882770/

 

 

Dear Reader,

 

Sisyphus was the King of Ephyra (now Corinth). Considered the craftiest, most scheming of men, he betrayed and tricked the gods, tried to kill his brother, deceived his wife, and was only interested in advancing his own welfare, heedless of what damage he did to others.  His punishment by Zeus was especially heinous, as he would forever push a heavy rock up a hill only to have it roll down before he reached the top.  Many of our own trials and tribulations feel like this.  No matter how hard we try, it seems we can never win.

 

Rick

 

 

The Crown of Sisyphus

     …The unjust trials of Life…

I wear the crown of Sisyphus¹

Upon my sweat-stained brow.

I’m not relation to that King

But bear his burden now

 

I’m not the son of Aeolus²

Ne’er killed my guests at feast³

Nor sought to kill Salmoneus⁴

Or tricked Lord o’er deceased⁵

 

I angered not the King of gods--

Told not Aegina’s hold⁶

And yet I bear burden unjust

As stone uphill I roll

 

I push this stone e’er up this hill

But down again it rolls

It is my curse to ne’er succeed--

Each failure takes its toll!

 

Yet once again, this stone I push

My muscles strained and raw

I dare not think I can’t succeed--

Perhaps that is my flaw

 

I try once more, then yet again

Unceasing, ‘tiI I die!

Oh how this burden brings me tears--

You’ll often hear me sigh

 

I wear the crown of Sisyphus

Upon a sweat-stained brow

Why were these labors made so hard?

...I'll struggle through somehow

 

 

 

©2013 Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

 

 

Notes:

 

¹Sisyphus, first King of Ephyra, now called Corinth.

 

²Aeolus was father to Sisyphus.

 

³Sisyphus was notorious for killing his guests.

 

⁴Salmoneus was the brother of Sisyphus.

 

⁵When Sisyphus arrived in Tartarus in the underworld, he tricked the god of death, Thanatos, and escaped.  With death trapped, humans couldn’t die, which greatly angered Ares, the god of war, who then intervened, returning Sisyphus to Tartarus.

 

⁶Aegina was one of the Asopides, daughters of Asopus, variously a mortal king or a river god.  Aegina was taken by Zeus and Sisyphus angered Zeus by telling Asopus her location.

Reviews

[Mark]

Rick, so much of your verse dwells in the ehtereal, the incalculable, and this is no exception...but for one whose very job is the investigation of Everything, at both ewnds of the size spectrum, should i be surprised at that? Edith Bulfinch was one of my first mentors, and her renderings of the mythologies of the Greeks and Romans has stayed with me lo! these many years. The punishment of Sisyphus was known to me, but not the indepth history. Your enlightening verse is a beacon to those of us who have opted to leave the rock in the vale betwixt hills, lean up against it and take a nap!

[Michael Kevin Spencer]

Neat historical mythological treasure, I like the academic concept.

[Arthur Henn]

Rick... I like this. This was well written and has my mind of thoughts spinning out of control. (That is a good thing)

I read this and got an idea of mans mind and a world of dimension of three emotional world dimensions of who we are, who we could of been... Could we be from another time of dimension of evolution of nature's season in time.

Each day, each hour, each growing year I think is a rock being pushed... rolled up-hill. Yes! We will tire, but each time it rolls back down and we look back over our shoulder we see, we feel the memories of good and bad.

I think if we don't let go of the bad the rock will be just as heavy as we become tired before we even start rolling all over again.

If we let go of the bad and keep the good we can move on into a new dimension of time of what man has created among themselves as a heaven and hell with the rock of earth in-between.... Just a personal thought... You have me spinning with all kinds of thoughts that have been waiting to be triggered if you are ok with me saying that... Thank You Rick!

[Marie]

I'm well acquainted with this legend, and I know it seems to apply to many of us. No matter how long we struggle with our burdens, they still have to be faced, day after day. Unlike Sisyphus, though; we have some hope.

A week ago I chanced on a cartoon about Sisyphus, and I e-mailed it to my daughter, asking "I wonder how many people will get this?" To my surprise, she didn't understand it herself.

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Fantastic Rick, glad Emma shared this one.

[Joanna Johnson]

Very well written! So this is where that legend comes from. I heard of it before, and I knew it was from Greeth mythology, but I just didn't know the story in full detail. Very insightful, only this reader is unjustly burdened with something that he didnt' bring upon himself. Very good.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I was a student of Greek and Roman mythology at age 10...I read everything I could find on the subject...then Homer... and by high school I had lost interest in favor of horror novels. But I still remember most of the stories. I do hope you reach the top of your mountain my friend...what was the other fellow that Zeus had a banquet prepared for and the Harpies came and stole his food every day? Hmmm I think Jason and the Argonauts freed him in the quest for the Golden Fleece...anyway...Zeus was nobody to mess with.

[Rick Puetter]

Hi Fabian,

Thanks for your kind review. Yes, it was Jason and the argonauts. They rescued blind Phineus, King of Thrace.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Yes...Phineus...those Kings were always getting in trouble with the gods...or their daughters were...hope tomorrow is brighter for you my friend.

[Rick Puetter]

Thanks Fabian. Life goes through cycles. Rise and fall. No worries.

Rick