Lead-in

Introduction

Directions: Spot Dictation

Whether it’s being chained to a burning wheel, turned into a spider, or having an eagle eat one’s liver, Greek mythology is filled with stories of the gods inflicting gruesome horrors on mortals who angered them. Yet one of their most famous punishments is not remembered for its outrageous cruelty, but for its disturbing familiarity.

Section 1: Sisyphus’s Background and Actions

Directions: Note-taking and Gap-filling

Section 2：Sisyphus's Hubris and the Inevitable Reckoning

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True if the statement agrees with the information

False if the statement contradicts the information

Not Given if there is no information on this

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  1. Sisyphus evaded punishment because of his cautious and humble nature. F
  2. Asopus extended his gratitude to Sisyphus for his giveaway. NG
  3. Incensed by Sisyphus’s audacity, Zeus commanded Thanatos to incarcerate him in the underworld to forestall any further transgressions. T
  4. Sisyphus was cunning in his actions. T

Section 3: Sisyphus’s Deceptions and Defiance of Death

Multiple Choice

  1. Why did Ares decide to free Thanatos?
    1. He wanted to help Zeus punish Sisyphus.
    2. He was upset that battles were no longer entertaining.
    3. He was ordered to do so by Persephone.
    4. He feared Sisyphus's growing power.
      • Key
  2. What did Sisyphus ask his wife, Merope, to do after his death?
    1. Hide his body to prevent the gods from finding it.
    2. Perform rituals to secure his safe passage to the underworld.
    3. Bury him near the river Styx.
    4. Discard his body in a communal area.
      • Key
  3. How did Sisyphus convince Persephone to let him return to the land of the living?
    1. He promised to retrieve his body from the Styx.
    2. He offered to serve the gods as a penance.
    3. He claimed his wife disrespected him by not performing proper burial rites.
    4. He misled Persephone by fabricating a story about his wife’s betrayal.
      • Key
  4. How many times did Sisyphus escape death?
    1. Once
    2. Twice
    3. Three times
    4. He never escaped death
      • Key

Section 4: Sisyphus’s Eternal Punishment and Its Symbolism

Table Completion(NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS)

Aspect Details
Who dragged Sisyphus to Hades? The messenger Hermes
Why did Zeus punish Sisyphus? Because Sisyphus thought he was more clever than the gods.
What was Sisyphus's punishment? Rolling a (massive) boulder up a hill repeatedly.
What happened when the the rock reached the top? It would roll/rolled back down, forcing Sisyphus to start again.
Possible origin of the myth Ancient myths stem from the rising and setting sun, or other natural cycles.
Symbolism of the myth The vivid image of someone condemned to endlessly repeat a futile task, and the story has resonated as an allegory for repetitive struggles in life.

Section 5: Camus’s Existential Interpretation of Sisyphus

In his classic essay The Myth of Sisyphus, existentialist philosopher Albert Camus compared the punishment to humanity’s futile search for meaning and truth in a meaningless and indifferent universe. Instead of despairing, Camus imagined Sisyphus defiantly meeting his fate as he walks down the hill to begin rolling the rock again. And even if the daily struggles of our lives sometimes seem equally repetitive and absurd, we still give them significance and value by embracing them as our own.

Section 6: Idioms to Learn