The Cunningness of Sisyphus – Sisyphus and Autolycus
Sisyphus, called “the craftiest of men” by Homer, was extraordinarily clever. His ingenuity came in handy when Autolycus began grazing cattle near the herds of Sisyphus.
Autolycus was a notorious thief. He would steal anything he could get his hands on. But he always escaped detection because he could change the form or color of anything he stole. Horned cattle would lose their horns; brown cattle would become white.
Autolycus repeatedly stole cattle from Sisyphus’s herd. Sisyphus noticed that cattle were missing—and that the herd of Autolycus seemed to be expanding in number, but could not prove any theft.
In an attempt to catch Autolycus in the act, Sisyphus secretly marked the inside of the hooves of his cattle. Some say he wrote the words “Stolen by Autolycus,” while others maintain he wrote only the letters “SS”. The later discovery of his mark on cows in Autolycus’s herd proved that his neighbor was a thief.
Sisyphus was not satisfied merely with proving Autolycus a thief and recovering his cattle. Seeking revenge, he seduced Anticleia, the daughter of Autolycus and later the mother of Odysseus . Given the cunning that Odysseus later demonstrated, many have suggested that Sisyphus, rather than Anticleia’s husband Laertes, was his father.