I.
The crisp mountain air bit at Sisyphus's skin, a familiar sensation. He strained, muscles coiling, as the colossal stone groaned beneath his touch. It was a day like every other, the sun a benevolent eye in the sky, wildflowers nodding in the breeze. He pushed, like he had so many times before, the rhythm of his task was a familiar song, and a genuine smile stretched across his face.
Suddenly, a shimmering figure materialized at the edge of the path: Hermes, messenger of the gods, who looked utterly bewildered.
Hermes: (Eyes wide, a scroll clutched loosely in his hand) Sisyphus? What in the name of Olympus...? Are you... smiling?
Sisyphus: (Grunting with effort, but his smile unwavering) Ah, Hermes! I didn’t see you there. Lovely day for a stroll, wouldn't you say?
Hermes: (Stuttering) A stroll? Sisyphus, this is your eternal torment! You're supposed to be… despondent! Racked with existential despair! By all accounts you should be weeping, or perhaps gnashing your teeth!
Sisyphus: (Chuckles, giving the rock a final, powerful shove that sends it tumbling back down the slope with a distant rumble) Oh, that. Yes, well, I gave that a try for a few millennia. Got a bit repetitive, you know?
Hermes: Repetitive? The futility of your existence! The endless, meaningless labor!
Sisyphus: (Wiping sweat from his brow) Meaningless? Hermes, look around! I know every stone, every root on this mountain. I’ve met every thorn and thistle along this path. And the rock! It's an honest weight, a true challenge. Every push brings me closer to another victory, however brief it may be.
Hermes: But... it falls! Always! The cycle never breaks!
Sisyphus: (Beginning his descent, a spring in his step) Indeed it does. Which means I get to do it all over again, with more efficiency! It's consistent, reliable. No unexpected divine interventions, no petty squabbles. Just me, the rock, and the mountain. It's... liberating.
Hermes: (Pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly struggling to comprehend) Liberating? The gods designed this punishment to be the ultimate despair!
Sisyphus: (Reaching the bottom, patting the rock affectionately) And in their infinite wisdom, they gave me infinite time to overcome and master it. To find the perfect angle, the most effective place to direct my efforts. More chances to notice the way the light hits the valley at sunrise, or the scent of the pine trees after a rain. In this “eternal punishment”, I’ve created a purpose, a goal, however cyclical it seems.
Hermes: (Shaking his head, the scroll now discarded on the ground) So, you're... happy? With eternal, futile labor?
Sisyphus: (Grinning broadly, squaring his shoulders to begin the climb anew) Happy isn't the right word, perhaps. Content. Resolute. I choose to make each moment my own. Each day, a new opportunity to further master the mountain and improve upon my technique. The gods tried to define my existence by the falling rock. That grew stale, and I’ve since decided to define it by the climb. Today, Hermes; the climb is glorious! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a mountain to conquer. Again.
Hermes shook his head in an attempt to shake loose the confusion that had taken hold, but as he lifted over the mountain to make his ascent towards Olympus, he could hear a faint, almost pleasant tune coming from the mountain that sounded almost like a whistle.
