Sisyphus
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus or Sisyphos was the founder and king of Ephyra. Hades punished him for cheating death twice by forcing him to roll an immense boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down every time it neared the top, repeating this action for eternity. Through the classical influence on modern culture, tasks that are both laborious and futile are therefore described as Sisyphean.