Specimens of Greek Tragedy | Page 8

ignominious bonds. Who was it
that to these new deities Their attributes apportioned? Who but I? Of

that no more; to you as well as me The tale is known; but list while I
recount How vile was man's estate, how void was man Of reason, till I
gave him mind and sense. Not that I would upbraid the race of men: I
would but show my own benevolence. Eyesight they had, yet nothing
saw aright; Ears, and yet heard not; but like forms in dreams, For ages
lived a life confused, nor bricks Nor woodwork had to build them
sunny homes, But dwelt beneath the ground, as do the tribes
Diminutive of ants, in sunless caves. Nor had they signs to mark the
season's change, Coming of winter or of flowery spring Or of boon
summer; but at random wrought In all things, till I taught them to
discern The risings and the settings of the stars; The use of numbers,
crown of sciences, Was my invention; mine were letters too, The
implement of mind in all its works. First I trained beasts to draw
beneath the yoke, The collar to endure, the rider bear, And thus relieve
man of his heaviest toils. First taught the steed, obedient to the rein, To
draw the chariot, wealth's proud appanage. Nor, before me, did any
launch the barque With its white wings to rove the ocean wave. These
blessings, hapless that I am, have I Devised for man, and yet device
have none Myself to liberate from these fell bonds.
CHORUS.
Sad is thy lot, to thy unwisdom due. Now, like a bad physician that
himself Has into sickness fallen, thou dost despair And hast no
medicine for thine own disease.
PROMETHEUS.
Hear what remains, and thou wilt wonder more At all the feats of my
inventive mind. Greatest of all was this; when they fell sick Men had
no help, no medicine edible, Potion or ointment, but for lack of cure
Wasted away and perished, till my skill Taught them to mix the juice of
sovran herbs, With which they now ward off all maladies. Of
divination many ways I traced, Laid down the rules for telling which of
dreams Would be fulfilled, and of foreboding sounds The mystery
unfolded. Then I taught What sights are ominous to wayfarers. I
showed which of the birds that wing the heavens Were lucky, which
unlucky, and what were Their loves and hatreds and foregatherings.

Then what the flesh of victims signified, Of its appearances which
pleased the gods, How shaped, how streaked each part behoved to be,
And the burnt offerings on the altar laid, Thighs wrapped in fat and
chine. I read the signs Of sacrificial flames unread before. More yet I
did; the wealth that lurks for man In earth's dark womb,--gold, silver,
iron, brass,-- Who was it brought all this to light but I? All others lie
who would the honour claim. In one short sentence a long tale is told
Alone Prometheus gave all arts to man.
CHORUS.
Take heed; be not to mortals overkind, But to thyself in this dire strait
unkind. Good hope have I, one day to see thee stand Free from those
bonds and mate the power of Zeus.
PROMETHEUS.
Not yet that consummation fate ordains. A thousand years of agony
must pass Before my tortured frame puts off this chain. For skill is
weak matched with necessity.
CHORUS.
Who, then, is pilot of necessity?
PROMETHEUS.
Fates three, and the unchanged Erinnyes.
CHORUS.
And have these powers the mastery over Zeus?
PROMETHEUS.
Not Zeus himself can baffle destiny.
CHORUS.

What is his destiny but endless rule?
PROMETHEUS.
I may not tell thee; importune me not.
CHORUS.
Dread is the secret that thou hidest thus.
PROMETHEUS.
Think of some other question; this to tell The time is not yet ripe; deep
in my breast The secret must be buried; thus alone May I from chains
and tortures be set free.
* * * * *
PROMETHEUS DEFIES ZEUS.
LINES 928-1114.
PROMETHEUS.
Yet, yet shall Zeus, for all his proud self-will, Be humbled. On a
wedlock he is bent Whereof the fateful offspring shall one day Hurl
him from sovereignty to nothingness, And so fulfil the curse old
Chronos spake, When from his immemorial throne he fell. And this his
doom how to escape not one Of all the gods can rede him saving I. But
to me all is known. Then let him sit Triumphant while his thunders roll
through heaven, And his hand grasps the flaming thunderbolt; All his
artillery shall not save its lord From utter shame and ruin bottomless.
Such the antagonist himself arrays Against himself, dread and
invincible, One who a fiercer than the lightning's flame, A louder than
the thunder's peal shall find,