Table Of Content1
Aeschylus, PrometheusVinctus
Enter FORCEandVIOLENCEcarryingPROMETHEUS,andHEPHAESTUS.
FORCE
Nowwehavecometothelandat theendoftheearth,
totheScythians’road, a desert wherearenomortals.
Hephaestus, youmust looktotheorders
Father Zeus laidon you, tofetter
this insolent creaturetothehigh-craggedrocks
inadamantine-chainedunbreakablebonds.
Forhestole yourbloom,thebrightness ofall-craftingfire,
andbestowedit onhumans. Forthis offence
hemust paytheirpriceto thedeities,
so that hemaylearntoloveZeus’s rule
andceasefrom his custom ofcaringformortal men.
HEPHAESTUS
Violence, Force,through youthewill of Zeus
has its way,andnothingcanobstruct it.
But Ilackthedaringtobindbyviolence
acousin-deitytothis bittercliff.
And yet somehow Imust findthepresumptionfor this;
agravethingit is toignoretheFather’s word.
High-thinkingchildofThemis ofright judgement,
unwillingIwill hammer unwillingyou
withunloosablebronzetothis abominablerock
where you will seeneithershapenorsound ofmen.
Thebloom of yourskinblisters offinthesun’s
fiercePhoebus-flame.Youronlyrelief
as anageof griefseeps out ofeachmoment’s evil
is whenthe glitteringrobeofnight-frost hides that fire
till againthesunrisestrips off yourdawn-timeice.
Onlyone can respite you; he's not yet alive.
Andthis yourrewardfor your custom ofcaringfor men.
Youa god,unshrinkingbeforethe gods’anger,
bestowedonmortals anhonouroutrunningtheirvengeance.
Forthis you will standguardtothis sullenstone,
sleepless,at attention,kneeunbent.
Countless will be yourcries, your groans unheeded;
forprayers donot deflect themindofZeus.
Everyoneis harsh whose dominionis new.
FORCE
Whythendo youpitywhenpityis invain?
Whydon’t youhatethis godmost hostiletogods,
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this thiefof your fire,betrayertomenof yourpride?
HEPHAESTUS
Kinshipandfriendshipcannot bedenied.
FORCE
Igrant youthat.Soignoringthe Father’s will,
nodifficultythere, andnothingill?
HEPHAESTUS
As for you—youarepitiless always, presumption-full.
FORCE
Tosinglaments for him is ajobforafool.
Donot labourinvainonwhat cannot be fixed.
HEPHAESTUS
But what ahateful work ofhandis this!
FORCE
Whyshould youhateit? Iwill sayit again:
It’s not yourworkthat causes him his pains.
HEPHAESTUS
Yet Iwish this hadbeensomebodyelse’s job.
FORCE
All tasks weary,except beingkingofthe gods;
nooneintheworldis free—noonebut Zeus.
HEPHAESTUS
So Ihavelearnedhere; a lesson Icannot refuse.
FORCE
You'velearnedthis, have you?Thenget to your work
beforetheAll-Highest spies yourslothful shirk.
HEPHAESTUS
His chains are madealready.Heretheyare.
FORCE
Thenget them onhis wrists. Layonhis bars
withbatteringof yourhammer,stakehim out.
HEPHAESTUS
Yourcommission's performednot neglected,have nodoubt.
FORCE
But hammerhim harder, twist him in,turnuponturn.
From evenimpossiblebonds this onecouldbreak free.
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HEPHAESTUS
Seeaforearm here fastenedbeyondall release.
FORCE
Thenshackletheothersecurelytoo; hemust learn,
forall his wisdom,that heis afool next toZeus.
HEPHAESTUS
Noonewhoknows myworkfaults it; except inthis use.
FORCE
Andnowdrivethat pitiless fang,that pinofsteel,
Clearthroughhis ribs withall theforce youcan wield.
HEPHAESTUS
Alas forPrometheus! HowsharplyIfeel what you feel!
FORCE
Youshrinkbackagain?Yougroanfor Zeus's foes?
What ifZeus made you groanover—yourownwoes?
HEPHAESTUS
Youseeasight that noeyes evershouldsee.
FORCE
IseePrometheus punishedinduedegree.
Goon.Girthinhis thighs withmoreconstraint.
HEPHAESTUS
Since Iact ofnecessity,spareme commandandcomplaint.
FORCE
Command you Iwill,andhound youandharryyoutoo.
Looktohis legs, bindhim andhoophim below.
HEPHAESTUS
That Ihavedonealready, not spun out mychores.
FORCE
Hammerthenails home! Piercehim withfull force!
Heavythejudgement that judges yourworkmanship!
HEPHAESTUS
Yourtonguesings asongas uglyas yourshape.
FORCE
Youcanbesoft if youlike; yet youneednot gape
toseemyset moodandtheharshness ofmywrath.
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HEPHAESTUS
His limbs havetheirbonds. Enoughnow,let us beoff.
Exit.
FORCE
Strut yourinsolencethere; steal the gods’gifts there;
From therebestowthem oncreatures whoselifespan’s aday.
Youthink yourhumans canwind youout ofthese woes?
Thegods called you Forethought, Pro-metheus;
thegods were wrong.What forethought have you taken,
what could youtake,to wriggleout ofthis?
Exit FORCEandVIOLENCE.
PROMETHEUS
Ontheheaventhat has Zeus init,ontheswift-flyingwinds,
ontheriver-springs and ontheinfinitelaughter
oftheunrestingwaves of thesea,andon you,motherEarth,
andontheall-seeingdisc ofthesun Icall
towitness what I,a god, endurefrom the gods.
Seewithwhat torments
tortured Iwrestle
millennialong.
Suchis myshameful
imprisonment madeby
thenewlordofheaven’s throng.
Igroanat mypresent
andfuturepain; whowill command
aclosetothis anguish, this wrong?
But thesewords arevain. In advance I'm aware
andexactlyof all that is coming.
Nosurpriseinmypain. Imerelymust bear
afate Iforesee—as Ican; must merelyadmit
necessity’s strengthis unwavering.
Yet aburdenlikemine! Howcan Ibesilent—
or yet howspeak? Innecessity’s chains
Ihangherebecause Ihelpedhumans.
Ifoundfirst thestolensprings of fire,
hidinafennel-stalkfire, theteacherofmen
inall kinds ofskill,firetheirgreat resource.
Exposedtothefourwinds, chainedupandimpaled,
that’s theoffencefor which Iam payinghere.
Aiai!
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Enter CHORUS.
Ah,ah...
Iseenoone,but what sound,what scent is this?
Has somebeingdivine,ormortal,ormixed
comewheretheedgeoftheworldis fixed
togapeat myanguish?
Whyelsewouldtheycome?
Thengape at mychains!At thegodofill doom,
at Zeus’s foe,whom all thegods hate
whohangas his courtiers at Zeus’s gate,
whostooptocrawl intoZeus’s small hutch;
andhatemewhy? Ilove mortals toomuch.
Alas alas, what flutteringis this
andcloseat hand
offlyingthings?
Thewideair rustles
is swerving-spanned
withbeatingwings.
Whateverhops near
brings medarkfear
inmysuffering.
CHORUS
Yet donot fear.
Withplumycommotion
onwings ofpeace
ourkindlyflight,
bypleas barelyreleased
from ourfatherOcean,
bears downtoalight.
Swift thebreezeliftingus blewmeon;
so deepourcave echoed withclangingofbronze
changingourhidden-facedmodestyintoalarm;
barefoot inourhurry,bornebythesewings, here weare.
PROMETHEUS
Owoeonme,woe!
YouchildofTethys the many-mother,
youdaughters ofthe Ocean,oftheworld-encircling
sleepless sea-stream's father,
lookat me,lookwithwhat chains'encumberings
Iam nailedtothewall of hell,
onwhat bitterpeak Imust leaptoZeus'torturings
theall-scornedsentinel.
CHORUS
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Iam looking,Prometheus, but tomyeyes
comes thefear-filledmist as mytears arise
as Isee yourframestretchedtowasteonthis rock
inthewitheringsteel gripofZeus's mock.
Anewhelmsmanrules in Olympus all right.
Zeus skews thelaws just toshowoffhis might.
Theancient powers have all vanishedfrom sight.
PROMETHEUS
Wouldhehadhiddenme
deepunder ground,
belowcorpse-swallowingHades
atTartarus'ultimatebound,
hadstakedmeout there withcruel chains that no onecanrelease,
therewhereno godormortal mocks becausenoonesees.
But here,raiseduplike a tatteredflagbleachedinthewind,myname
is theopenjoyofmyenemies andmyshame.
CHORUS
No; whichofthe gods is so cruel
as totakejoyin this?
Whichgodis not secret-outragedat your ruin
except Zeus?
But he,always vengefully
padlockinghis mind,
chases downmercilessly
Ouranos's kind:
hewill not giveup
till he's gluttedhis heart-spite,
orthelocks ofhis kingdom
arepickedbysomehand-sleight.
PROMETHEUS
Hand-sleight?
Yes, onedaythat sheikh
ofthesilkenblest
though Ihanghereinirons
pierced,tortured,andpressed
will needmeas informer.
Athreat,atheat against him andhis clique!
Wherethenwill hefindit,
thehoneytocharm meto speak?
What paincouldhepossiblythreatenmewith?
No,hemust growmeek,
must unchainmeandpaymethepriceofmypain
before Iwill speak.
CHORUS
Youarethrawn,andso unconfined
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byyourowncrushingendless woe
that toofreelyyouspeak offreedom.But mymind
is embattledandtornbyfear what fate youwill know,
what harbour from pain youmust seeas yourend assigned.
Cronus's son is unreachableinhis ways,
his mindis inexorable,shut against what anyone says.
PROMETHEUS
Brutish Zeus, rackingandscrewinginjail
his court-hostagejustice...Yet his moodwill fail,
will turntosoft policies soonwhenhetoois broken.
Thenhewill havetobite backhis unsubtlerage,
comebeggingafriendandallytothis cage,
speakbacktome words ofpact—once Ihavespoken.
CHORUS
Tell thefull story; explaintous why
Zeus binds you, convictedoftreachery,
inthis bittershameso dishonours youhere.
Intellingus this, thereis noharm tofear.
PROMETHEUS
Noharm, yousay? Just tospeakofit hurts.
Yet silencepains too.All myways are cursed.
Thinkbackwhentheswift-kindledwrathofthe gods
raisedcivil war amongthem.Ontheoneside
thosewhoaimedat deposingCronos from rule,
supplantinghim withZeus; andontheother
Cronos's host,resolvedtokeep Zeus down.
Iintervened.Mykindly-meant counsels for
theTitanrace,divine-bornofOuranos
andofthe goddess Earth, persuadednone.
Scorningmyslyindirections, withbrash force
theythought toconquer heaven at astroke.
But mymotherThemis whois motherEarth,
sheofoneform,manynames, hadtoldmeoften
that not thestrengthofoverwhelmingmight,
but astratagem,wouldwinthewarinheaven.
Iarguedall this out tothem inwords
that theyweighednot at all; not evenalook.
Inthis predicament it seemedbest tome
andtomymotherThemis tolendinstead
ourwillingcounsel toa willingZeus.
Mycounsel,then,sankCronos andhis friends
toTartarus'darkvoidwherenowtheywrithe.
Thetyrant ofthe gods, hetookmyhelp,
andinexchangehetortures mewiththis.
This diseasecosts atyrant all his friends:
that hehates most thoseonwhom hemost depends.
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But youask meofhis pretext forthis crime.
Let me reveal that now,inits owntime.
Zeus'first enactment whenhecametorule,
mountinghis father's throne,allottedpowers,
dominions, thrones, lordships, eachtoeach,
tothevarious gods. But his planformortals,
forthehelpless sons of earth,was genocide;
tokill them andreplacethem withsomebetterbreed.
Andnot onegodstoodupforthem but me.
Ialonebravedhim,andsosavedmankind
from bitterdestructionanddescent todeath.
Forthis am Itwistedinsuchtorments here,
pitiful towatchandpainful toendure.
Pityingmortals, Ihavefoundnopity;
formeamerciless sentenceis decreed.
Thus Ibecomethesymbol ofZeus'shame.
CHORUS
Prometheus, hehas aheart ofsteel,
heis madeofstone,who looks on you
outragedandis not outragedtoo,
whocansee youandnot feel what you feel.
Betternot toseesuchbitterthings,
thesight that snaps theheart's overstrainingstrings.
PROMETHEUS
Yes, thesight ofmebrings pity—tomyfriends.
CHORUS
Is theremoretotell? Didyou gofurther yet?
PROMETHEUS
Itaught them not tosit andwait fordeath.
CHORUS
What anaestheticdulls men's hearts'despair?
PROMETHEUS
Hopethat is blind; andthat's what Iput there.
CHORUS
Hope's a great gift,whethertruth-tellingoraliar.
PROMETHEUS
Thenbesides hope,mygift tothem was fire.
CHORUS
What!Firebestowedonthosecreatures of aday?
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PROMETHEUS
Fire,the first step,forthem,onscience's way.
CHORUS
Andthis is theaccusationonwhich Zeus—
PROMETHEUS
—torments meinthesechains that nonecanloose.
CHORUS
Andhewill torture youlikethis until...?
PROMETHEUS
Until not torturingmebecomes his will.
CHORUS
Howcouldit behis will?What hopeofthat?
Do younot seethewrong you'vedone?Awrong
that speakingofwouldpain you,not pleaseme.
But let that be,andthink on your escape.
PROMETHEUS
Howquicktheyarewhosefeet areout ofthetrap
tobringadviceandsermons totheensnared.
But Iknowall this, know that Ichose—
yes chose—thewayofwrong. Idon't denyit:
settingfreehumans, Ienjailedmyself,
but neverdreamt howharsh mypunishment:
tobestarvedtothebone onamid-airprecipice,
left tofate's chance,transfixedamidnothingness...
But enoughofwailingforme,whatevermywoes.
Bestill andhearhowfatecrept uponme,
so youmayunderstandit all.Hearme,
hearandsharemysuffering.Thepainthat squats
andgrins and gluts onmetoday—it roams;
tomorrowit will hunchoverotherprey.
CHORUS
Hearme, yousay.Yes, we'll willinglyhear.
Onquickfeet wecomedownnowtogive ear,
leavingtheholypathofthebirds, smoothair,
ontotheharsh jaggedrocks wherewewill benear,
tobetoldthelongcrushingtallyof your care—
Enter OCEANUS,ridingonacreatureof theair.
OCEANUS
Icometotheendofthis wearystretchofplain
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andreach youonthis speed-wingedcreature,tamed
not byabridlebut mereforceofmind.
Bythese yourfortunes—knowit!—Iam pained;
wouldbeforcedto grieve, Ithink,byourshared kind
evenif Ihonourednoonemoreinmymind.
Youwill knowthis as atruthmadesureandplain;
inmenoflatterer's nimbletonguespeaks vain.
Justindicatewhat helpthereis tolend.
ThanOceanus there's no sounderfriend.
PROMETHEUS
Oceanus?Another gawpingghoul,
spectatorofmypain? Howdared youleave
thestream youcalledafter yourself,the gravelled rocks
you grubbedbeneathtohide youinthedepths,
tocometothelandthat gives theworldits iron?
Yousayyou'vecometoseeandsharemypain?
Thengaze yourfill onme,theson ofGod,
coequal stablisherof Zeus's tyranny,
andwatchwhat torments Zeus heretwists mewith.
OCEANUS
Prometheus, Isee you.Youaresubtle,
and yet I'll trytogive youbest advice.
Begintoknow yourself. Begintobend,
tofit newways to yournewkinginheaven.
Forif youfireoffjavelin words likethese,
besure Zeus hears you, evenfrom afar,
besurethat he canmake this crowdofwoes
that presses on younow, seem childish nothings.
In wretchedness,let drop thewrath youclutch,
andseekreprievefrom this yourpunishment.
Perhaps youthink you’veheard all this before.
But what yousufferhere is all thewage
of yourownpride andwindiness ofmouth.
Evennowunhumbled,makingnotrucewithills,
youseem insearchoffurthersufferings.
But beadvised: don’t bare yourback forflogging.
Youseethis savagedespot’s unaccountable.
Yet Iwill goon embassy; will try
if Icanwinreprievefor youfrom punishment.
And you,wait quiet here andcurb yourspeech;
orcanit bethat you,so wise-acute,
don’t seethe cost yourrunningtongueexacts?
PROMETHEUS
Ienvyyou.You'vefound awaytoshare,
so daringas youare,inthesemypains
that leaves youfreeofblame? No,let it be.
Description:Aeschylus, Prometheus Vinctus. Enter FORCE and VIOLENCE carrying .. And you, wait quiet here and curb your speech; or can it be that you,
