Beyond the Boulder: Mythic Letters of Sisyphus and Atlas

Dear Atlas,

Greetings, my celestial friend!

Another day, another uphill journey. 

I’m eager to get down to business! 

The boulder gets heavier, but I'm certain "today will be the day."

Lunch was a feast of wild pomegranates and roasted lamb.

Pythagoras swung by, talking angles and approaches.

Remember, persistence conquers all!

With optimism,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Your optimism, it befuddles me.

I bear ze weight of ze vorld on my shoulders.

Ze vorld casts a shadow, leavin' me alone in darkness.

Today, perhaps, is ze day I let it slip.

It has alvays been a matter of time. Zen kaput. Lights out. Back to the drawin' board.

Had me veekly shover dis mornin'.

Tilted the globe and a bit of the Atlantic Ocean rolled over me.

Got a touch of seawater in mein nose. Nearly sneezed.

It could have been Biblical.

Must stay vigilant!

One sneeze, and a typhoon might rage across Asia.

Or turn the Sahara into a dusty vhirlvind, obscurin' ze sun.

Zat vould be a catastrove.

Strengz must not vaver.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

The puzzle is almost solved!

Momentum builds day-by-day.

Lunch featured figs, dried apricots, and the wisdom of Archimedes.

Levers and pulleys, Atlas! 

Of course. Why had I never thought of it?

I’ve dropped a post to Noah to see if he could work on a great lever arm for me that would ease the load.

You mustn't lose sight of hope; even the most intimidating tasks can be brought into submission. 

If I can chain death, a little hill certainly won’t get the best of me.

Onward,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Your vords, zey resonate vithin mein wery soul.

Today, ze veight, it feels un-bear-a-ble.

I am thinkin’ of cashing in my chips.

Sneezing, it's a constant threat.

If only I could vind someone to scratch mein nose.

Ze torment, it's like fire. A lonely fire. A fire of vone.

If I vere you, I'd consider ending zis charade and retreating below.

Cherish your freedom to ring ze bell and shove off ze mortal coil—some of us, ve carry ze vorld's veight on our shoulders, you see.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

Your perseverance moves me. Encouraging, indeed!

Momentum is on my side! 

I feel sure that "today will be the day." 

I have a fire in my belly.

Lunch was divine - a mix of dates and lamb chops with a healthy dose of cabarnet.

Galileo spoke of inertia and momentum. 

He kept saying of the boulder, “and yet it moves.” 

It made me think of you pulling the world along its course. 

You already have momentum on your side, don’t you see! 

This could be the key to it all.

Could you find a way let the Earth go, pulled along only by its own momentum?

What a glorious thing to consider.

Your strength might free us both!

With purpose,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

The vorld's path, unchanging like mein fate.

Monotony reigns.

Today feels like ze day it all ends.

Two coins for ze ferryman, and all zat.

No one else writes, Sisyphus, only you.

Silence so loud I could hear a gunshot on Pluto!

Keep pushin'; maybe I’ll follow your lead. For ze pushin ze daises, zat is.

I hope ze boulder doesn't roll back and crush you.

As for me, ze Earth is so heavy, it may flatten me in ze end.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

Our struggles are linked, don’t you think? 

I push a rock uphill against gravity, trying to maintain the momentum to lift it over the peak.

You carry a rock against gravity to prevent it falling into the void. 

Hasn’t the similarity of these tasks dawned on you? 

They are mirrors, friend. 

We must hang together.

We two are different sides of the same coin! 

Momentum grows... boulder inching upward... inch by precious inch. It is a game of inches and degrees.

I made a hatch mark this morning—farthest yet—eight cubits! 

Top of the hill is in sight! 

Have you considered levitating the world? Imagine the freedom! 

I lunch on macadamia nuts, dark chocolate, wormwood brew, and wisdom from great minds.

Persistence shall prevail! Gather your strength.

With resolve,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Levitating ze world, a vild dream.

Today, gravity feels like a curse.

I sneezed today. Couldn’t hold it in. 

Spun a tsunami zat vashed off an island in Indonesia. 

Your optimism is somesing to admire.

Cherish your freedom.

I'd trade it all for un moment's relief. Ahhh…. Ahhhcchh…. 

Zat vas a close one, friend.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

The climax approaches... momentum surges... destiny awaits!

The boulder crests the hill, just a push away. 

So close!! 

As I near triumph, could you release the world?

Would it orbit of its own accord?

Send me progress.

Tell me what--anything, anything that brings hope.

Do not despair... hold the course... literally!

For all our sake.

With hope,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Release ze vorld. 

Are you nuts? 

Today, ze weight is excrusiating. 

I had to pucker mein ass—a fart and all vould be undone.

Clenching tight. 

Vigilance,

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

An exciting twist!

The philosopher Diogenes visited today, lantern in hand, preaching that rolling that boulder was akin to seeking an honest man.

Isn't life a puzzle?

Speaking of which, my lunch featured a Charcuterie board of prosciutto, saucisson, sopressata, goat cheese, brie, and strong chardonnay.

My lover, Penelope, shared her tales of patience, echoing my uphill journey.

It has been so long since I’ve seen her!

As I dream under the stars, I feel freedom's whisper growing stronger.

I look up at all the constellations and converse with our kin—and they give me inspiration to go on—as my eyes close with excitement for tomorrow and what will come.

Have you spoken to the stars?

With dreams ablaze,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Diogenes, a queer man, much like mein fate... queer, indeed.

Today, ze sun scorches as I orbit, an’ my nose and cheeksies burn from ze rays.

My back aches, my shoulders bear sores, an’ my sandals ze scrape along stray comets, nearly tripping me and bringing ze vorld to ruin.

Constellations taunt me, from Orion's chase to ze Gemini twins' – zey mumble and snicker under zeir breath and make ze sly suggestions.

Can I trust zem, Sisyphus?

Vhy must zey taunt me…. Do zey not see I am in torment?

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

Today, I shared a goblet of wine with Dionysus, debating the finer points of embracing freedom.

He believes I could walk off my task, and Zeus could do little about it.

But I'm not giving up until I launch that boulder up and over!

Heave, ho! Up and over, Atlas, Up and over, hell be damned!!

Lunch was a symphony of flavors and reminds me there are more things in this world to enjoy than our feeble minds can guess.

Pythagoras suggested I approach the rock from prime angles.

Geometry guides me.

Keep holding true, dear Atlas, and let the cosmos guide your steps.

Square and compass. Right angles. Stay true.

With resolve,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Dionysus, ze god of exzess, offers vild ideas.

Look ver ze got him, hmmph! 

Got me drunk vonce during ze Younger Dryas and I stumbled zo bad zat I caused a vorldvide flood!

By ze time I sobered up ze vorld vas on a tilt and has been ever since. 

Today, mein burden is over-vhel-ming.

The sun scorches in a fit of blazes, and I fend off ze asteroids and ze gusts of solar vinds.

Voe is mein!

Itches plague me in places I can't reach.

My sandals snag on ze spiral arms of ze Milky Vay.

Ze twins, Gemini, vith zer curves and coy geztures, vhisper zat I could “Let Go!”

Imagine!

But Sagittarius' teasing arrows zip past like shooting stars and remind me not to trust illusions.

Mizerable, mizerable. Ze vind blows vhere it vills. Vearisome.

Vhen vill ze torture end?

I may fall off ze toilet.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

A splendid debate with Dionysus.

Don’t you see, his musing suggest a plot twist!

Today's uphill climb was invigorating. 

Another PB (Personal Best). 

And I have the hatch-mark to prove it!! 

Only a few cubits from victory now and staying the course.

Lunch's feast of Turkish delight and Baklava fueled my determination.

Nicolaus Copernicus shared his heliocentric theory. 

He says, get this, “the world orbits on its own!”

Could this be true? Could your curse be just an illusion?

Your endurance inspires the cosmos, dear Atlas.

With astronomical hopes,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Copernicus' theory it dares challenge ze establitched order.

But, mein feet zay othervise. 

My shoulders, zey cry bullsh*t!

Today, the cold void zreatens mein bones as I travel away from ze sun into the cold depzs of ze deep end of ze pool.

Mein shoulders, zey are raw from ze friction, und mein face, it freezes en ze cold.

I swerve to dodge Orion's pursuit, nearly skipping a step und zrowing ze Gregorian calendar into chaos.

Canis Major and Centaurus jest said I'm no longer necessary.

Pegasus mocks.

Do I trust zese cosmic jesters?

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

Today, the boulder teeters at the precipice!

Not a cubit hence.

A culmination of wisdom and determination.

Pythagoras, Copernicus, and Galileo are all transfigured in the heavens for sharing these methods.

They will share the glory for my great and daring deeds!

Lunch was a grand celebration - olives, figs, and cheeses to honor progress.

Apollo whispered to me, "Today is the day, Sisyphus."

As I push, I can almost taste victory's sweet embrace.

The metallic taste of blood as I clench my jaw so hard my gums bleed and hunch my shoulders with all my might—it makes me see stars—the stars of victory—in my sights!

A hare’s breath hence now!!

More later… I am so close…

With fervor,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Progress, a stranger en mein vorld.

Today, ze cold void numbs mein resolve.

My pinky toe froze solid, again.

Ze burden of ze constellations strains my shoulders to breaking. 

Orion's pursuit distracts.

Canis Major and Centaurus' vords echo.

Is it time to let go?

Shall I buy ze farm?

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

A revelation, my friend!

The boulder flew over the top of the hill!

Up and over, Atlas!! Up and over!!!

And it went tumbling down the back side of Olympus.

It did not return! Gone forever! 

An eternity of tries, and one true stroke… boom… done!

Triumph at last!

Could it be, Atlas, that as I conquered my rock, you too will be freed from your burdens?

Almost there, old friend.

You can do it!!!!!!

With anticipation,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

Freedom. Is such a thing—real? 

You make it seem vorz ze risk.

Today, I have had enough. 

I take a deep breath and steady myself.

I shift my veight and ze vorld rolls over to mein left shoulder—a giant earthquake.

But it rests zere.

Fascinating.

It rests zere!

It didn’t take all mein veight to hold it.

The Gemini twins look enticing dancing, lithe und slender in ze midst of ze nebula—and I wish to join zem—to be free of ze burden.

As Orion chases and mocks, I grow braver.

I bring ze Earth down to ze crook of mein arm, cradling it like a child.

It rests zere!!

Alas, I hold it out in my hand, like a giant beachball, no heavier than ze air.

It rests zere!!!

At last ay poise ze world on only a finger.

The tip of mein finger.

It rests zere!!!!

Pulling it along wiz ze tiniest of nudges, by ze guiding force of ze digit.

Have I lost all sense!!!

Dare I let it go entirely and cast off zis weight forever?

I dare!

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

Our reward is at hand, Atlas!

The boulder's crest, the world’s revolution.

Momentum, geometry, and celestial whispers got us here.

And one thing more—courage, old friend—courage.

And friendship. A boon to the gods!

The universe holds secrets yet untold.

Let go, my friend, let go, and the cosmos shall cradle you.

With cosmic hope,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

The sun scalds mein back.

I watch in amazement as ze world travels vithout me.

Ze twins tend to mein vounds, irresistible now in zeir feminine charm, zey vhisper entizements, pour oil on ze shoulders and brush my hair vith a comb und feed me ze grapes as I recline in ze stars.

I pinch myself.

I must be dreaming.

Ze big sleep no doubt.

Atlas

* * *

Dear Atlas,

It is a bittersweet day. There is a cloud over me.

All I thought of was cresting that hill.

Done, and done. 

Now what?

I never thought what came after?

And you?

What is the next challenge?

I am not one for resting on my laurels.

Liberation Atlas! I knew you could do it! I knew we both could.

With introspection,

Sisyphus

* * *

Sisyphus,

I miss ze Earth.

My back feels empty.

Off to ze glue factory, I guess.

Atlas

* * *

My Dearest Challengers,

Congratulations on passing my grand tests! Sisyphus, your optimism carried a boulder over a boundless peak—you learned that no hill is insurmountable to a willing heart. Atlas, your transformation led to cosmic liberation—you learned that no one man holds the world in its course, and no calamity strikes when one let’s that weight go. You faced your challenges, embracing the incontestable and finding surpassing will. Remember, life's challenges, while heavy, shape us, and provide the tools to best their worst. I am proud of you both!

Join me for a feast and celebration,

Zeus