But there are rascals, you say, among them, and
they commit adultery and make war and mar ry their
sisters and plot against their fathers. Why, are
there not plenty of them among us? Yet, of course,
fone could not on this account blame Heaven and
Earth for creating us. Again, you may perhaps say
that we have to undergo a great deal of annoyance
in taking care of them. Well, then, on that principle

 

the herdsman ought to be vexed over having his herd
because he has to take care of it. But this toilsome
task is also sweet, and, in general, business is not devoid of pleasure, for it affords occupation. Why, what
should we do if we had not them to provide for?
 
Be
idle and drink our nectar and eat our ambrosia without doing anything! But what sticks in my throat
most is that although you censure me for making
men “and particularly the women,” you fall in love
with them just the same, and are always going down
below, transformed now into bulls, now into satyrs
and swans, and you deign to beget gods upon
them! 
Perhaps, however, you will say that men should
have been made, but in some other form and not like
us. What better model could I have put before
myself than this, which I knew to be beautiful in
every way? Should I have made my creatures
unintelligent and bestial and savage? Why, how
could they have sacrificed to gods or bestowed all
the other honours upon you if they were not as
they are? You gods do not hang back when they
bring you the hecatombs, even if you have to go to
the river of Ocean,
 to the Ethiopians guileless, Ilad1, 423. 

yet
you have crucified him who procured you your
honours and your sacrifices.
 

So much for men; and now, if you wish, I shall
pass to fire and that reprehensible theft! In the
name of the gods answer me this question without
any hesitation; have we lost any fire since men
have had it too? You can’t say that we have.
The nature of that possession is such, I suppose,
that it is not diminished if anyone else takes some


 

of it, for it does not go out when a light is procured
from it. But surely it is downright stinginess to
prevent things from being shared with those who
need them when it does you no harm to share them.
Inasmuch as you are gods, you ought to be kindly
and
 bestowers of blessings Od, 8, 325. 
and to stand aloof
from all stinginess. In this case even if I had filched
all your fire and taken it down to earth without
leaving a bit of it behind, I should not be guilty
of any great wrong-doing against you, for you yourselves have no need of it, as you do not get cold and
do not cook your ambrosia and do not require artificial light.

 

On the other hand, men are obliged to
use fire, not only for other purposes but above all for
the sacrifices, in order that they may be able “to fill
the ways with savour” and to burn incense and consume meat on the altars. Indeed, I notice that you
all take particular pleasure in the smoke and think it
the most delightful of banquets when the savour
comes up to heaven

 curling about the smoke. Iliad1, 317. 


This criticism, therefore, is directly opposed to your
own desire. I wonder, moreover, that you haven’t
prevented the sun from shining on men, for he is fire
too, and of a far more divine and ardent sort. Do
you find fault with him for dissipating your property?
I have said my say. Now then, Hermes and
Hephaestus, if you think I have said anything wrong
take me to task and confute me, and I will plead in
reply.

 HERMES 
It is not an easy matter, Prometheus, to rival such
an accomplished sophist. You are lucky, however,

 

that Zeus did not hear you say all this, for I am
very sure he would have set sixteen vultures upon
you to pull out your vitals, so eloquently did you
accuse him in seeming to defend yourself. But I
am surprised that as you are a prophet you did not
know in advance that you would be punished for all
this.
 PROMETHEUS 
I did know it, Hermes, and I also know that
I shall be set free again; before long someone will
come from Thebes, a brother of yours, Heracles. to shoot
down the eagle which you say will fly to me.
 HERMES 
I hope so, Prometheus, and I hope to see you at
large, feasting with us all—but not serving our meat !