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→The deeds of Sisyphus
Sisyphus founded, according to some sources, the city of Ephyra, which was the original name of Corinth. However, other sources credit the foundation of the town to another mythological character. Corinth was to become one of the most important in all the Hellenic World and later founded many colonies. Sisyphus had a great vision, and he promoted navigation and trade. Later Corinth was to become famous for its merchants and ships. Later, ages were to credit Sisyphus with the growth and prosperity of Corinth.<ref>Graves, Robert. Greek Myths (London, Pelican, 1985), p. 113</ref>
However, while he had many virtues'' he also had a great many vices. He was power-hungry, greedy, and cruel and is often portrayed as a tyrant. The son of Aeolus ruled with an iron fist and killed anyone who deified defied him. In ancient Greek, it was considered essential that hospitality be extended to travelers and strangers; this was a characteristic of a civilized person. Moreover, travelers were protected by Zeus, and anyone who ill-treated them was disrespecting the Olympian.
Sisyphus was as greedy as he was cruel, and he often killed and robbed those who visited his palace. Often, people who asked for hospitality in Corinth were murdered, and his body their bodies disappeared. This was an act of hubris or disrespect against Zeus, and he could not let the king go unpunished.
However, the king of Ephyra was able to assuage Zeus, who spared his life. The king was so crafty that he could even get his way with the King of the Gods. Sisyphus began to covet the throne of his brother Salmoneus, who was king of Eilis. He even consulted the Oracle at Delphi on the best way to take his brother's crown. Sisyphus came up with a terrible plan he first seduced Salmoneus daughter Tyro, (his niece) and had children with her. Then he encouraged her to join with him in deposing her father.
Tyro was so enraged that she killed all her children. Sisyphus witnessed Zeus carry off the daughter of Aulous, a river god. He told the god what had happened on condition that he provided an eternal spring of water on the acropolis of Corinth. Aulous Aeolus agreed, and the city ruled by Sisyphus had a perennial supply of water.
Then Zeus found out, and he was so enraged that he ordered the God of Death, Thanatos, to take Sisyphus down to Tartarus, the eternal abyss, a kind of Greek Hell. When Sisyphus saw Death approaching, he immediately developed a plan. Once he realized the chains that were meant to bind him, he pretended to be interested in them. He then grabbed the chains and suddenly bound Death.
