Sisyphus was a tricky man, and king of Corinth. So, when he found Asophus, a river God looking for his lost daughter, Aegina, he thought up a clever way to get a spring for his dry land. He knew perfectly well that Zeus had run off with Aegina, and so he bargained with Asophus to get a spring for his land in exchange for the information. Asophus naturally became enraged when he learned what had happened, and pursued Zeus and his daughter fiercely. To escape Zeus changed himself into a boulder and Aegina into an island. Now Asophus was furious because he had lost his daughter and Zeus was furious because he had lost his mistress. Sisyphus was in trouble.
Zeus then decided to ask Hades to take Sisyphus to the underworld as he was quite irritated at the annoying king. Hades was perfectly willing to do Zeus a favor, and went himself to fetch Sisyphus. Sisyphus pretended to be honored at this, and asked Hades why he, rather than Hermes had come for him. As Hades thought of a suitable answer, Sisyphus tied him up with a chain like a dog. (I can just see it… "Why am I coming for him? Am I my brother’s slave? Wait a second, I seem to be tied up") After this had happened, everything got very screwy. No one could die, the Fates got their strings tangled up, and all sorts of nasty things occurred. In order to get things straightened out, they had to ask Sisyphus to untie Hades in exchange for his life.
Well, Sisyphus knew perfectly well that as soon as they got things untangled that he would be the first to go. So, he instructed his wife to give him no burial, and bury him like a pauper. So, when he died he arrived in Hades as a pauper. This infuriated Hades, who sent him back (thinking for a short period of time) to teach his wife some manners.
Sisyphus lived a long, happy life. However, when he finally died for the last time, in order to ensure no further problems, he was sent to Tartarus to push a boulder up a steep hill. Every time he got near the top, the boulder would roll down again and he would begin anew.