Myth of Er

Epimenides paradox

Epimenides of Knossos (Crete) was a semi-mythical 7th or 6th century BC Greek seer and philosopher-poet.
While tending his father's sheep, Epimenides is said to have fallen asleep for fifty-seven years in a Cretan cave sacred to Zeus, after which he reportedly awoke with the gift of prophecy (Diogenes Laërtius i. 109–115). Plutarch writes that Epimenides purified Athens after the pollution brought by the Alcmeonidae, and that the seer's expertise in sacrifices and reform of funeral practices were of great help to Solon in his reform of the Athenian state. The only reward he would accept was a branch of the sacred olive, and a promise of perpetual friendship between Athens and Knossus (Plutarch, Life of Solon, 12; Aristotle, Ath. Pol. 1).

Paradox
Epimenides was a 6th-century BC philosopher and religious prophet who, against the general sentiment of Crete, proposed that Zeus was immortal, as in the following poem:

They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high oneThe Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever,For in thee we live and move and have our being. (Epimenides, Cretica)

Epimenides paradox is as follows: "Epimenides the Cretan says, 'that all the Cretans are liars,' but Epimenides is himself a Cretan; therefore he is himself a liar. But if he be a liar, what he says is untrue, and consequently the Cretans are veracious; but Epimenides is a Cretan, and therefore what he says is true; saying the Cretans are liars, Epimenides is himself a liar, and what he says is untrue. Thus we may go on alternately proving that Epimenides and the Cretans are truthful and untruthful.

Pheidippides

Painting of Pheidippides as he gave word of the Greek victory over Persia at the Battle of Marathon to the people of Athens.Luc-Olivier Merson, 1869

Pheidippides is the central figure in a story that was the inspiration for a modern sporting event, the marathon race. Pheidippides is said to have run from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of a military victory against the Persians at the Battle of Marathon.The traditional story relates that Pheidippides (530 BC–490 BC), an Athenian herald or hemerodrome (translated as "day-runner""courier" "professional-running courier" or "day-long runner, was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, Greece. He ran about 240 km (150 mi) in two days. He then ran the 40 km (25 mi) from the battlefield near Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) with the word nikomen "We win!", as stated by Lucian chairete, nikomen ("hail, we are the winners")and then collapsed and died.

Pheidippides

Sisyphus punishment

Persephone supervising Sisyphus in the Underworld, Attica black-figure amphora (vase), 530 BC

Sisyphus