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Ian, I could not bear to see what would come at last the disappointment in your face the look of hope gone from your eyes; your struggle to climb, and the struggle of no avail. Sisyphus had never such a task as you would have on the hill of life, if I left all behind here and went with you. You would try to hide it; but I would see you growing older hourly before my eyes.
Ixion was there, fastened to the circumference of a wheel ceaselessly revolving; and Sisyphus, whose task was to roll a huge stone up to a hill-top, but when the steep was well-nigh gained, the rock, repulsed by some sudden force, rushed again headlong down to the plain. Again he toiled at it, while the sweat bathed all his weary limbs, but all to no effect.
Tantalus, in spite of his thirst, stopped for a moment his efforts for water, Ixion's wheel stood still, the vulture ceased to tear the giant's liver, the daughters of Danaus rested from their task of drawing water in a sieve, and Sisyphus sat on his rock to listen. Then for the first time, it is said, the cheeks of the Furies were wet with tears.
The stone of Sisyphus has been brought to the brow of the hill only to rebound again to the bottom. The old battle has to be fought a second time, and, for all we can see, no closing victory will ever be in 'this country of Universe. Bunyan knew this but too well.
The constant wearing effort, the daily vexation, the inability to gain support, the binding of his hands from free action by the machinery of State regulations only applicable to home ecclesiastics, the continual making beginnings that never were allowed to progress or, as he himself called it, the continual rolling of the stone of Sisyphus could not but exhaust his powers, above all in such a climate; and that same sickly summer of 1822 which proved fatal to Felix Carey was his last.
Such is the legend of the Argonauts, which is typical of the naval adventures of the maritime Greeks, and their restless enterprises. Sisyphus was the son of Æolus, and founded this wealthy city. He was distinguished for cunning and deceit.
Those with whom legend is so busy I saw with my eyes Ixion, Sisyphus, the Phrygian Tantalus in all his misery, and the giant Tityus how vast, his bulk covering a whole field!
The Torture of Death The fabled pains of Tantalus, Sisyphus and all the rest of them show what an instinctive longing there is in all men both for end and endlessness of both good and ill, but as torture they are the merest mockery when compared with the fruitless chase to which poor Death has been condemned for ever and ever.
They are all to a man against our author. 'That speaks more to his credit than his own self-opinion, rejoined Ixion. 'A nous moutons! exclaimed Tantalus; 'I was about to observe that I am curious to learn for what reason our friend Sisyphus was doomed to his late terrible exertions. 'For the simplest in the world, replied the object of the inquiry; 'because I was not a hypocrite.
Verily, the stars flatter when they give me a type in this fool of war when they promise to the ardour of my wisdom the same results as to the madness of his ambition perpetual exercise no certain goal! the Sisyphus task, the mountain and the stone! the stone, a gloomy image! it reminds me that I am threatened with somewhat of the same death as the Epirote. Let me look again.
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