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In Greek mythology, Sisyphus stood out as the most devilishly cunning among men. He took on the leadership of the splendid city of Corinth but was condemned for a multitude of crimes and is tormented by endless punishment in the underworld.

Sisyphus was the son of Aeolus and Enarete. In some versions of the myth, Aeolus, the god of the winds, was Sisyphus's father. In other versions, Sisyphus's father was another Aeolus, the king of Thessaly. Sisyphus was a complex character. He was notorious for his cunning and intelligence while also being a successful leader who founded the Isthmian Games, athletic competitions held every two years near Corinth. However, there are stories depicting him as a selfish, crafty, and wicked man who robbed unsuspecting travelers and seduced women.

Sisyphus's wife was Merope, one of the Pleiades, the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas, who were later turned into stars. The great hunter Orion wanted to marry Merope, but she chose Sisyphus. Some say that since Merope was the only one of the Pleiades to marry a mortal, she was humiliated, and her star is the dimmest as she "hides" her face in shame. With Merope, Sisyphus had four children, including Glaucus, who became the father of the hero Bellerophon.

However, Sisyphus had relationships with other women. One of them was Tyro, who was the daughter of his brother, Salmoneus, a person he disliked. Sisyphus heard from the oracle that if Tyro bore his children, they would kill Salmoneus. In some versions of the myth, Sisyphus married his niece, while in other cases, he acquired her by force. In any case, Tyro and Sisyphus had two sons. To avoid the prophecy, Tyro killed her children... to no avail. Zeus became enraged with Salmoneus because he considered himself equal to the god and struck him with a thunderbolt.

Another story about Sisyphus involves the theft of his herd by the famous thief Autolycus. The cunning Sisyphus intended to catch the culprit red-handed: he crafted lead seals that inscribed the phrase "Autolycus stole me" on the animals' hooves and then followed the tracks of his missing herd. Thus, he revealed Autolycus when he mentioned that the herd itself accused him of the theft, while he denied it. Another version states that Sisyphus seduced Autolycus's daughter, Anticlea, to get revenge. Anticlea later gave birth to Odysseus. Consequently, according to this mythological story, the hero of the Trojan War and the Odyssey was truly a descendant of Sisyphus, not Laertes, which explains Odysseus's clever and cunning nature.

The city of Corinth was a powerful and ancient city, the remnants of which can still be seen today. According to some sources, the great city of Ephyra is believed to have been founded by Sisyphus and later renamed Corinth. Other sources mention that the sorceress Medea gave Sisyphus the city of Corinth, making him its king.

According to one myth, Sisyphus managed to acquire a source of fresh water for Corinth by striking a deal with the river god Asopus. Asopus's daughter had been abducted by Zeus, and Asopus sought Sisyphus's help, who provided the necessary information. This angered Zeus, and the god of gods sent Death to take Sisyphus's life.

However, Sisyphus managed to trap Death and keep him imprisoned. This captivity meant that Death could no longer take the souls of the deceased, resulting in people ceasing to die. In response, the gods sent Ares, the god of war, to free Death and claim Sisyphus's soul. In this case, Sisyphus truly died, but before Death took him, Sisyphus instructed Merope not to bury him properly.

The lack of a proper burial angered Pluto, who ruled the underworld, and for this reason, Sisyphus was sent back to the living to correct his funeral rites. However, once again, Sisyphus displayed his cunning and refused to return to the underworld, living many years on earth.

When Sisyphus finally died, Zeus and the other gods agreed on a terrible punishment for him. Sisyphus was to push a massive boulder up a steep hill. Every time the boulder reached the top, it would roll back down, and Sisyphus was forced to start again. Thus, this torturous punishment, associated with the myth of Sisyphus, would continue forever.