This is the world’s limit that we have come to; this is the Scythian country, and untrodden desolation. Hephaestus, it is you that must heed the commands the Father laid upon you to nail this malefactor to the high craggy rocks in fetters unbreakable of adamantine chain. For it was your flower, the brightness of fire that devises all, that he stole and gave to mortal men; this is the sin for which he must pay the Gods the penalty – that he may learn to endure and like the sovereignty of Zeus and quit his man-loving disposition.
HEPHAESTUS
Might and Violence, in you the command of Zeus has its perfect fulfilment: in you there is nothing to stand in its way. But, for myself, I have not the heart to bind violently a God who is my kin here on this wintry cliff. Yet there is constraint upon me to have the heart for just that, for it is a dangerous thing to treat the Father’s words lightly.
High-contriving son of Themis of Straight Counsel: this is not of your will nor of mine, yet I shall nail you in bonds of indissoluble bronze on this crag far from men. Here you shall hear no voice of mortal; here you shall see no form of mortal. You shall be grilled by the Sun’s bright fire and change the fair bloom of your skin. You shall be glad when Night comes with her mantle of stars and hides the Sun’s light; but the Sun shall scatter the hoar-frost again at dawn. Always the grievous burden of your torture will be there to wear you down; for he that shall cause it to cease has yet to be born.
Such is the reward you reap of your man-loving disposition. For you, a God, feared not the anger of the Gods, but gave honors to mortals beyond what was just. Wherefore you shall mount guard on this unlovely rock, upright, sleepless, not bending the knee. Many a groan and many a lamentation you shall utter, but they shall not serve you. For the mind of Zeus is hard to soften with prayer, and every ruler is harsh whose rule is new.
MIGHT
Come, why are you holding back? Why are you spending a ruthless pity? Why is it that you do not hate a God whom the Gods hate most of all? Why do you not hate him, since it was your honor that he betrayed to men?
HEPHAESTUS
Our kinship has strange power; that, and our life together.
MIGHT
Yes. But to turn a deaf ear to the Father’s words – how can that be? Do you not fear that more?
HEPHAESTUS
You are always pitiless, always full of ruthlessness.
MIGHT
There is no good singing dirges over him. It is you who spend your labor uselessly at a task that doesn’t help.
HEPHAESTUS
O handicraft of mine – that I deeply hate!
MIGHT
Why do you hate it? In simple frankness be it said, your craft is in no way the author of his present troubles.
HEPHAESTUS
Yet would another had had this craft allotted to him.
MIGHT
There is nothing without discomfort involved except the overlordship of the Gods. For only Zeus is free.
HEPHAESTUS
I know. I have no answer to this.
MIGHT
Hurry now. Throw the chain around him that the Father may not look upon you tarrying.
HEPHAESTUS
There are the fetters, there: you can see them.
MIGHT
Put them on his hands: strong, now with the hammer: strike. Nail him to the rock.
HEPHAESTUS
It is being done now. I am not idling in my work.
MIGHT
Hammer it more; put in the wedge; leave it loose nowhere. He’s a cunning fellow at finding a way even out of hopeless difficulties.
HEPHAESTUS
Look now, his arm is fixed immovably!
MIGHT
Nail the other safe, that he may learn, for all his cleverness, that he is duller-witted than Zeus.
HEPHAESTUS
No one, save Prometheus, can justly blame me.
MIGHT
Drive the obstinate jaw of the adamantine wedge right through his breast: drive it hard.
HEPHAESTUS
Alas, Prometheus, I groan for your sufferings.
MIGHT
Are you pitying again? Are you groaning for the enemies of Zeus? Have a care, lest some day you may be pitying yourself.
HEPHAESTUS
You see a sight that hurts the eye.
MIGHT
I see this rascal getting his deserts. Throw the girth around his sides.
HEPHAESTUS
I am forced to do this; do not keep urging me.
MIGHT
Yes, I will urge you, and hound on you as well. Get below now, and hoop his legs in strongly.
HEPHAESTUS
There now, the task is done. It has not taken long
MIGHT
Hammer the piercing fetters with all your power, for the Overseer of our work is severe.
HEPHAESTUS
Your looks and the refrain of your tongue are alike.
MIGHT
You can be soft-hearted. But do not blame my stubborness and harshness of temper.
HEPHAESTUS
Let us go. He has the harness on his limbs.
MIGHT (to Prometheus)
Now, play the insolent: now, plunder the Gods’ privileges and give them to creatures of a day. What drop of your sufferings can mortals spare you? The Gods named you wrongly when they called you Forethought; you yourself need Forethought to extricate yourself from this contrivance.
Translated by David Green (The University of Chicago Press, 1942)