---
title: "Prometheus Bound · Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης"
author: "Aeschylus"
translator: "Herbert Weir Smyth"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/
cite: "Aeschylus, tr. Herbert Weir Smyth, Prometheus Bound · Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/"
---

# Prometheus Bound · Προμηθεὺς δεσμώτης

*Aeschylus, tr. Herbert Weir Smyth*

Chained to a rock for giving fire to mortals, Prometheus defies Zeus.

> Greek: ed. Herbert Weir Smyth, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0085.tlg003, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Herbert Weir Smyth, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0085.tlg003.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–564](https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/1.md)
2. [Lines 552–1093](https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/2.md)

## 1. Lines 1–564

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/1/#p-N

[¶0] Enter Power and Force, bringing with them the captive Prometheus; also Hephaestus.
Power:
To earth’s remotest limit we come, to the Scythian land, an untrodden solitude. And now, Hephaestus, yours is the charge to observe the mandates laid upon you by the Father—to clamp this miscreant
upon the high craggy rocks in shackles of binding adamant that cannot be broken. For your own flower, flashing fire, source of all arts, he has purloined and bestowed upon mortal creatures. Such is his offence; for this he is bound to make requital to the gods,
so that he may learn to bear with the sovereignty of Zeus and cease his man-loving ways.

> Greek: Κράτος:
Χθονὸς μὲν ἐς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,
Σκύθην ἐς οἷμον, ἄβατον εἰς ἐρημίαν.
Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς
ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις
ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.
τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,
θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν. τοιᾶσδέ τοι
ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,
ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

[¶1] Hephaestus:
Power and Force, for you indeed the behest of Zeus is now fulfilled, and nothing remains to stop you. But for me—I do not have the nerve myself
to bind with force a kindred god upon this rocky cleft assailed by cruel winter. Yet, come what may, I am constrained to summon courage to this deed; for it is perilous to disregard the commandments of the Father. Lofty-minded son of Themis who counsels straight, against my will, no less than yours, I must rivet you with brazen bonds
no hand can loose to this desolate crag, where neither voice nor form of mortal man shall you perceive; but, scorched by the sun’s bright beams, you shall lose the fair bloom of your flesh. And glad you shall be when spangled-robed night shall veil his brightness and
when the sun shall scatter again the frost of morning. Evermore the burden of your present ill shall wear you out; for your deliverer is not yet born. Such is the prize you have gained for your championship of man. For, god though you are, you did not fear the wrath of the gods, but
you bestowed honors upon mortal creatures beyond their due. Therefore on this joyless rock you must stand sentinel, erect, sleepless, your knee unbent. And many a groan and unavailing lament you shall utter; for the heart of Zeus is hard,
and everyone is harsh whose power is new.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
Κράτος Βία τε, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς
ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·
ἐγὼ δʼ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν
δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ.
πάντως δʼ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·
ἐξωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.
τῆς ὀρθοβούλου Θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,
ἄκοντά σʼ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασι
προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδʼ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ
ἵνʼ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν
ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δʼ ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ
χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος. ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι
ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,
πάχνην θʼ ἑῴαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·
ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ
τρύσει σʼ· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.
τοιαῦτʼ ἐπηύρω τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.
θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον
βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.
ἀνθʼ ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν
ὀρθοστάδην, ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·
πολλοὺς δʼ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς
φθέγξῃ· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες.
ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.

[¶2] Power:
Well, why delay and excite pity in vain? Why do you not detest a god most hateful to the gods, since he has betrayed your prerogative to mortals?

> Greek: Κράτος:
εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην;
τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,
ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

[¶3] Hephaestus:
A strangely potent tie is kinship, and companionship as well.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θʼ ὁμιλία.

[¶4] Power:
I agree; yet to refuse to obey the commands of the Father; is this possible? Do you not fear that more?

> Greek: Κράτος:
σύμφημʼ· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων
οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

[¶5] Hephaestus:
Yes, you are ever pitiless and steeped in insolence.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
αἰεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

[¶6] Power:
Yes, for it does not good to bemoan this fellow. Stop wasting your labor at an unprofitable task.

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι. σὺ δὲ
τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

[¶7] Hephaestus:
Oh handicraft that I hate so much!

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.

[¶8] Power:
Why hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.

> Greek: Κράτος:
τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ
τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

[¶9] Hephaestus:
Nevertheless, i wish it had fallen to another’s lot!

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

[¶10] Power:
Every job is troublesome except to be the commander of gods;

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἅπαντʼ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

[¶11] no one is free except Zeus.

> Greek: ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.

[¶12] Hephaestus:
I know it by this task; I cannot deny it.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

[¶13] Power:
Hurry then to cast the fetters about him, so that the Father does not see you loitering.

> Greek: Κράτος:
οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,
ὡς μή σʼ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

[¶14] Hephaestus:
Well, there then! The bands are ready, as you may see.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

[¶15] Power:
Cast them about his wrists and with might strike with your hammer; rivet him to the rocks.

> Greek: Κράτος:
βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει
ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

[¶16] Hephaestus:
There! The work is getting done and not improperly.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

[¶17] Power:
Strike harder, clamp him tight, leave nothing loose; for he is wondrously clever at finding a way even out of desperate straits.

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.
δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

[¶18] Hephaestus:
This arm, at least, is fixed permanently.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
ἄραρεν ἥδε γʼ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.

[¶19] Power:
Now rivet this one too and securely, so that he may learn, for all his cleverness, that he is a fool compared to Zeus.

> Greek: Κράτος:
καὶ τήνδε νῦν πόρπασον ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα
μάθῃ σοφιστὴς ὢν Διὸς νωθέστερος.

[¶20] Hephaestus:
None but he could justly blame my work.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
πλὴν τοῦδʼ ἂν οὐδεὶς ἐνδίκως μέμψαιτό μοι.

[¶21] Power:
Now drive the adamantine wedge’s stubborn edge straight
through his chest with your full force.

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἀδαμαντίνου νῦν σφηνὸς αὐθάδη γνάθον
στέρνων διαμπὰξ πασσάλευʼ ἐρρωμένως.

[¶22] Hephaestus:
Alas, Prometheus, I groan for your sufferings.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
αἰαῖ, Προμηθεῦ, σῶν ὑπερστένω πόνων.

[¶23] Power:
What! Shrinking again and groaning over the enemies of Zeus? Take care, so that the day does not come when you shall grieve for yourself.

> Greek: Κράτος:
σὺ δʼ αὖ κατοκνεῖς τῶν Διός τʼ ἐχθρῶν ὕπερ
στένεις; ὅπως μὴ σαυτὸν οἰκτιεῖς ποτε.

[¶24] Hephaestus:
You see a spectacle grievous for eyes to behold.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
ὁρᾷς θέαμα δυσθέατον ὄμμασιν.

[¶25] Power:
I see this man getting his deserts. Come, cast the girths about his sides.

> Greek: Κράτος:
ὁρῶ κυροῦντα τόνδε τῶν ἐπαξίων.
ἀλλʼ ἀμφὶ πλευραῖς μασχαλιστῆρας βάλε.

[¶26] Hephaestus:
I must do this; spare me your needless ordering.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
δρᾶν ταῦτʼ ἀνάγκη, μηδὲν ἐγκέλευʼ ἄγαν.

[¶27] Power:
Indeed, I’ll order you, yes and more—I’ll hound you on. Get down below, and ring his legs by force.

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωύξω γε πρός.
χώρει κάτω, σκέλη δὲ κίρκωσον βίᾳ.

[¶28] Hephaestus:
There now! The work’s done and without much labor.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
καὶ δὴ πέπρακται τοὔργον οὐ μακρῷ πόνῳ.

[¶29] Power:
Now hammer the piercing fetters with your full force; for the appraiser of our work is severe.

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἐρρωμένως νῦν θεῖνε διατόρους πέδας·
ὡς οὑπιτιμητής γε τῶν ἔργων βαρύς.

[¶30] Hephaestus:
The utterance of your tongue matches your looks.

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
ὅμοια μορφῇ γλῶσσά σου γηρύεται.

[¶31] Power:
Be softhearted then,
but do not attack my stubborn will and my harsh mood.

> Greek: Κράτος:
σὺ μαλθακίζου, τὴν δʼ ἐμὴν αὐθαδίαν
ὀργῆς τε τραχύτητα μὴ ʼπίπλησσέ μοι.

[¶32] Hephaestus:
Let us be gone, since he has got the fetters on his limbs. Exit

> Greek: Ἥφαιστος:
στείχωμεν, ὡς κώλοισιν ἀμφίβληστρʼ ἔχει.

[¶33] Power:
There now, indulge your insolence, keep on wresting from the gods their honors to give them to creatures of a day. Are mortals able to lighten your load of sorrow?

> Greek: Κράτος:
ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε καὶ θεῶν γέρα
συλῶν ἐφημέροισι προστίθει. τί σοι
οἷοί τε θνητοὶ τῶνδʼ ἀπαντλῆσαι πόνων;

[¶34] Falsely the gods call you Prometheus, for you yourself need forethought to free yourself from this handiwork. Exeunt Power and Force
Prometheus:
O you bright sky of heaven, you swift-winged breezes, you river-waters, and
infinite laughter of the waves of ocean, O universal mother Earth, and you, all-seeing orb of the sun, to you I call! See what I, a god, endure from the gods.

> Greek: ψευδωνύμως σε δαίμονες Προμηθέα
καλοῦσιν· αὐτὸν γάρ σε δεῖ προμηθέως,
ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῆσδʼ ἐκκυλισθήσῃ τέχνης.
Προμηθεύς:
ὦ δῖος αἰθὴρ καὶ ταχύπτεροι πνοαί,
ποταμῶν τε πηγαί, ποντίων τε κυμάτων
ἀνήριθμον γέλασμα, παμμῆτόρ τε γῆ,
καὶ τὸν πανόπτην κύκλον ἡλίου καλῶ.
ἴδεσθέ μʼ οἷα πρὸς θεῶν πάσχω θεός.

[¶35] Look, with what shameful torture I am racked and must wrestle
throughout the countless years of time apportioned me. Such is the ignominious bondage the new commander of the blessed has devised against me. Woe! Woe! For present misery and misery to come I groan, not knowing where
it is fated that deliverance from these sorrows shall arise.

> Greek: δέρχθηθʼ οἵαις αἰκείαισιν
διακναιόμενος τὸν μυριετῆ
Προμηθεύς:
χρόνον ἀθλεύσω.
τοιόνδʼ ὁ νέος ταγὸς μακάρων
ἐξηῦρʼ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ δεσμὸν ἀεικῆ.
φεῦ φεῦ, τὸ παρὸν τό τʼ ἐπερχόμενον
πῆμα στενάχω, πῇ ποτε μόχθων
χρὴ τέρματα τῶνδʼ ἐπιτεῖλαι.

[¶36] And yet, what am I saying? All that is to be I know full well and in advance, nor shall any affliction come upon me unforeseen. I must bear my allotted doom as lightly as I can, knowing that
the might of Necessity permits no resistance. Yet I am not able to speak nor be silent about my fate. For it is because I bestowed good gifts on mortals that this miserable yoke of constraint has been bound upon me. I hunted out and stored in fennel stalk the stolen
source of fire that has proved a teacher to mortals in every art and a means to mighty ends. Such is the offence for which I pay the penalty, riveted in fetters beneath the open sky.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
καίτοι τί φημι; πάντα προυξεπίσταμαι
σκεθρῶς τὰ μέλλοντʼ, οὐδέ μοι ποταίνιον
πῆμʼ οὐδὲν ἥξει. τὴν πεπρωμένην δὲ χρὴ
αἶσαν φέρειν ὡς ῥᾷστα, γιγνώσκονθʼ ὅτι
τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἔστʼ ἀδήριτον σθένος.
ἀλλʼ οὔτε σιγᾶν οὔτε μὴ σιγᾶν τύχας
οἷόν τέ μοι τάσδʼ ἐστί. θνητοῖς γὰρ γέρα
πορὼν ἀνάγκαις ταῖσδʼ ἐνέζευγμαι τάλας.
ναρθηκοπλήρωτον δὲ θηρῶμαι πυρὸς
πηγὴν κλοπαίαν, ἣ διδάσκαλος τέχνης
πάσης βροτοῖς πέφηνε καὶ μέγας πόρος.
τοιῶνδε ποινὰς ἀμπλακημάτων τίνω
ὑπαιθρίοις δεσμοῖς πεπασσαλευμένος.

[¶37] Ha! Behold!
What murmur, what scent wings to me, its source invisible, heavenly or human, or both? Has someone come to this crag at the edge of the world to stare at my sufferings—or with what motive? Behold me, an ill-fated god, chained,
the foe of Zeus,
hated of all who enter the court of Zeus, because of my very great love for mankind. Ha! What’s this? What may be this rustling stir of birds I hear
again nearby? The air whirs with the light rush of wings. Whatever approaches causes me alarm. The Daughters of Oceanus enter on a winged car
Chorus:
Do not fear! For our group has come in swift rivalry of wings to this crag
as friend to you, having won our father’s consent as best we might. The swift-coursing breezes bore me on; for the reverberation of the clang of iron pierced the depths of our caves and drove my grave modesty away in fright;

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἆ ἆ ἔα ἔα.
τίς ἀχώ, τίς ὀδμὰ προσέπτα μʼ ἀφεγγής,
θεόσυτος, ἢ βρότειος, ἢ κεκραμένη;
ἵκετο τερμόνιον ἐπὶ πάγον
πόνων ἐμῶν θεωρός, ἢ τί δὴ θέλων;
ὁρᾶτε δεσμώτην με δύσποτμον θεόν
τὸν Διὸς ἐχθρόν, τὸν πᾶσι θεοῖς
Προμηθεύς:
διʼ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθόνθʼ ὁπόσοι
τὴν Διὸς αὐλὴν εἰσοιχνεῦσιν,
διὰ τὴν λίαν φιλότητα βροτῶν.
φεῦ φεῦ, τί ποτʼ αὖ κινάθισμα κλύω
πέλας οἰωνῶν; αἰθὴρ δʼ ἐλαφραῖς
πτερύγων ῥιπαῖς ὑποσυρίζει.
πᾶν μοι φοβερὸν τὸ προσέρπον.
Χορός:
μηδὲν φοβηθῇς· φιλία
γὰρ ἅδε τάξις πτερύγων
θοαῖς ἁμίλλαις προσέβα
τόνδε πάγον, πατρῴας
μόγις παρειποῦσα φρένας.
κραιπνοφόροι δέ μʼ ἔπεμψαν αὖραι·
κτύπου γὰρ ἀχὼ χάλυβος
διῇξεν ἄντρων μυχόν, ἐκ
δʼ ἔπληξέ μου τὰν θεμερῶπιν αἰδῶ·

[¶38] unsandalled I have hastened in a winged car.

> Greek: σύθην δʼ ἀπέδιλος ὄχῳ πτερωτῷ.

[¶39] Prometheus:
Alas! Alas! Offspring of fruitful Tethys and of him who with his sleepless current encircles the whole earth, children of your
father Oceanus, behold, see with what fetters, upon the summit crag of this ravine, I am to hold my unenviable watch.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ,
τῆς πολυτέκνου Τηθύος ἔκγονα,
τοῦ περὶ πᾶσάν θʼ εἱλισσομένου
χθόνʼ ἀκοιμήτῳ ῥεύματι παῖδες
πατρὸς, Ὠκεανοῦ,
δέρχθητʼ, ἐσίδεσθʼ οἵῳ δεσμῷ,
προσπορπατὸς τῆσδε φάραγγος
σκοπέλοις ἐν ἄκροις
φρουρὰν ἄζηλον ὀχήσω.

[¶40] Chorus:
I see, Prometheus;
and over my eyes a mist of tears and fear spread as I saw your body withering ignominiously upon this rock in these bonds of adamant. For there are new rulers in heaven, and Zeus governs with
lawless customs; that which was mighty before he now brings to nothing.

> Greek: Χορός:
λεύσσω, Προμηθεῦ· φοβερὰ
δʼ ἐμοῖσιν ὄσσοις ὀμίχλα
προσῇξε πλήρης δακρύων
σὸν δέμας εἰσιδούσᾳ
πέτραις προσαυαινόμενον
ταῖσδʼ ἀδαμαντοδέτοισι λύμαις.
νέοι γὰρ οἰακονόμοι
κρατοῦσʼ, Ὀλύμπου· νεοχμοῖς
δὲ δὴ νόμοις Ζεὺς ἀθέτως κρατύνει.
τὰ πρὶν δὲ πελώρια νῦν ἀιστοῖ.

[¶41] Prometheus:
Oh if only he had hurled me below the earth, yes beneath Hades, the entertainer of the dead, into impassable Tartarus,
and had ruthlessly fastened me in fetters no hand can loose, so that neither god nor any other might have gloated over this agony I feel! But, now, a miserable plaything of the winds, I suffer pains to delight my enemies.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
εἰ γάρ μʼ ὑπὸ γῆν νέρθεν θʼ Ἅιδου
τοῦ νεκροδέγμονος εἰς ἀπέρατον
Τάρταρον ἧκεν,
δεσμοῖς ἀλύτοις ἀγρίως πελάσας,
ὡς μήτε θεὸς μήτε τις ἄλλος
τοῖσδʼ ἐπεγήθει.
νῦν δʼ αἰθέριον κίνυγμʼ ὁ τάλας
ἐχθροῖς ἐπίχαρτα πέπονθα.

[¶42] Chorus:
Who of the gods is so hard of heart as to exult in this? Who does not sympathize with your woes—save only Zeus? But he in malice, has set his soul inflexibly
and keeps in subjection the race sprung from Uranus; nor will he stop, until he has satiated his soul or another seizes his impregnable empire by some device of guile.

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς ὧδε τλησικάρδιος
θεῶν, ὅτῳ τάδʼ ἐπιχαρῆ;
τίς οὐ ξυνασχαλᾷ κακοῖς
τεοῖσι, δίχα γε Διός; ὁ δʼ ἐπικότως ἀεὶ
θέμενος ἄγναμπτον νόον
δάμναται Οὐρανίαν
γένναν, οὐδὲ λήξει, πρὶν ἂν ἢ κορέσῃ κέαρ ἢ παλάμᾳ τινὶ
τὰν δυσάλωτον ἕλῃ τις ἀρχάν.

[¶43] Prometheus:
Truly the day shall come when, although I am tortured in stubborn fetters,
the prince of the blessed will need me to reveal the new design whereby he shall be stripped of his sceptre and his dignities. Not by persuasion’s honeyed enchantments will he charm me;
and I will never, cowering before his dire threats, divulge this secret, until he releases me from my cruel bonds and provides compensation for this outrage.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἦ μὴν ἔτʼ ἐμοῦ, καίπερ κρατεραῖς
ἐν γυιοπέδαις αἰκιζομένου,
χρείαν ἕξει μακάρων πρύτανις,
δεῖξαι τὸ νέον βούλευμʼ ὑφʼ ὅτου
σκῆπτρον τιμάς τʼ ἀποσυλᾶται.
καί μʼ οὔτι μελιγλώσσοις πειθοῦς
ἐπαοιδαῖσιν θέλξει, στερεάς τʼ
οὔποτʼ ἀπειλὰς πτήξας τόδʼ ἐγὼ
καταμηνύσω,
πρὶν ἂν ἐξ ἀγρίων δεσμῶν χαλάσῃ
ποινάς τε τίνειν
τῆσδʼ αἰκείας ἐθελήσῃ.

[¶44] Chorus:
You are bold, and do not yield to your bitter pangs; you give too much license to your tongue. But my soul is agitated by piercing fear, and I am in dread about your fate,
wondering to what haven you must steer your ship to see an end of your voyage of sorrow. For the heart of Cronus’ son is hardened against entreaty and his ways are inexorable.

> Greek: Χορός:
σὺ μὲν θρασύς τε καὶ πικραῖς
δύαισιν οὐδὲν ἐπιχαλᾷς,
ἄγαν δʼ ἐλευθεροστομεῖς.
ἐμὰς δὲ φρένας ἐρέθισε διάτορος φόβος·
δέδια δʼ ἀμφὶ σαῖς τύχαις,
πᾷ ποτε τῶνδε πόνων
χρή σε τέρμα κέλ-
σαντʼ ἐσιδεῖν· ἀκίχητα γὰρ ἤθεα καὶ κέαρ
ἀπαράμυθον ἔχει Κρόνου παῖς.

[¶45] Prometheus:
I know that Zeus is harsh and
keeps justice in his own hands; but nevertheless one day his judgement will soften, when he has been crushed in the way that I know. Then, calming down his stubborn wrath, he shall at last bond with me in union and friendship,
as eager as I am to welcome him.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οἶδʼ ὅτι τραχὺς καὶ παρʼ ἑαυτῷ
τὸ δίκαιον ἔχων Ζεύς. ἀλλʼ ἔμπας [ὀίω]
μαλακογνώμων
ἔσται ποθʼ, ὅταν ταύτῃ ῥαισθῇ·
τὴν δʼ ἀτέραμνον στορέσας ὀργὴν
εἰς ἀρθμὸν ἐμοὶ καὶ φιλότητα
σπεύδων σπεύδοντί ποθʼ ἥξει.

[¶46] Chorus:
Unfold the whole story and tell us upon what charge Zeus has caught you and painfully punishes you with such dishonor. Instruct us, unless, indeed, there is some harm in telling.

> Greek: Χορός:
πάντʼ ἐκκάλυψον καὶ γέγωνʼ ἡμῖν λόγον,
ποίῳ λαβών σε Ζεὺς ἐπʼ αἰτιάματι,
οὕτως ἀτίμως καὶ πικρῶς αἰκίζεται·
δίδαξον ἡμᾶς, εἴ τι μὴ βλάπτει λόγῳ.

[¶47] Prometheus:
It is painful to me to tell the tale,
painful to keep it silent. My case is unfortunate every way. When first the heavenly powers were moved to wrath, and mutual dissension was stirred up among them—some bent on casting Cronus from his seat so Zeus, in truth, might reign; others, eager for
the contrary end, that Zeus might never win mastery over the gods—it was then that I, although advising them for the best, was unable to persuade the Titans, children of Heaven and Earth; but they, disdaining counsels of craft, in the pride of their strength
thought to gain the mastery without a struggle and by force. Often my mother Themis, or Earth (though one form, she had many names), had foretold to me the way in which the future was fated to come to pass. That it was not by brute strength nor through violence,
but by guile that those who should gain the upper hand were destined to prevail. And though I argued all this to them, they did not pay any attention to my words. With all that before me, it seemed best that, joining with my mother, I should place myself,
a welcome volunteer, on the side of Zeus; and it is by reason of my counsel that the cavernous gloom of Tartarus now hides ancient Cronus and his allies within it. Thus I helped the tyrant of the gods
and with this foul payment he has responded; for it is a disease that is somehow inherent in tyranny to have no faith in friends. However, you ask why he torments me, and this I will now make clear.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἀλγεινὰ μέν μοι καὶ λέγειν ἐστὶν τάδε,
ἄλγος δὲ σιγᾶν, πανταχῇ δὲ δύσποτμα.
ἐπεὶ τάχιστʼ ἤρξαντο δαίμονες χόλου
στάσις τʼ ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν ὠροθύνετο,
οἱ μὲν θέλοντες ἐκβαλεῖν ἕδρας Κρόνον,
ὡς Ζεὺς ἀνάσσοι δῆθεν, οἱ δὲ τοὔμπαλιν
σπεύδοντες, ὡς Ζεὺς μήποτʼ ἄρξειεν θεῶν,
ἐνταῦθʼ ἐγὼ τὰ λῷστα βουλεύων πιθεῖν
Τιτᾶνας, Οὐρανοῦ τε καὶ Χθονὸς τέκνα,
οὐκ ἠδυνήθην. αἱμύλας δὲ μηχανὰς
ἀτιμάσαντες καρτεροῖς φρονήμασιν
ᾤοντʼ ἀμοχθεὶ πρὸς βίαν τε δεσπόσειν·
ἐμοὶ δὲ μήτηρ οὐχ ἅπαξ μόνον Θέμις,
καὶ Γαῖα, πολλῶν ὀνομάτων μορφὴ μία,
τὸ μέλλον ᾗ κραίνοιτο προυτεθεσπίκει,
ὡς οὐ κατʼ ἰσχὺν οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸ καρτερόν
χρείη, δόλῳ δὲ τοὺς ὑπερσχόντας κρατεῖν.
τοιαῦτʼ ἐμοῦ λόγοισιν ἐξηγουμένου
οὐκ ἠξίωσαν οὐδὲ προσβλέψαι τὸ πᾶν.
κράτιστα δή μοι τῶν παρεστώτων τότε
ἐφαίνετʼ εἶναι προσλαβόντα μητέρα
ἑκόνθʼ ἑκόντι Ζηνὶ συμπαραστατεῖν.
ἐμαῖς δὲ βουλαῖς Ταρτάρου μελαμβαθὴς
κευθμὼν καλύπτει τὸν παλαιγενῆ Κρόνον
αὐτοῖσι συμμάχοισι. τοιάδʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ
ὁ τῶν θεῶν τύραννος ὠφελημένος
κακαῖσι ποιναῖς ταῖσδὲ μʼ ἐξημείψατο.
ἔνεστι γάρ πως τοῦτο τῇ τυραννίδι
νόσημα, τοῖς φίλοισι μὴ πεποιθέναι.
ὃ δʼ οὖν ἐρωτᾶτʼ, αἰτίαν καθʼ ἥντινα
αἰκίζεταί με, τοῦτο δὴ σαφηνιῶ.

[¶48] As soon as he had seated himself upon his father’s throne, he immediately assigned to the deities their several privileges and apportioned to them their proper powers. But of wretched mortals he took no notice, desiring to bring
the whole race to an end and create a new one in its place. Against this purpose none dared make stand except me— I only had the courage; I saved mortals so that they did not descend, blasted utterly, to the house of Hades. This is why I am bent by such grievous tortures,
painful to suffer, piteous to behold. I who gave mortals first place in my pity, I am deemed unworthy to win this pity for myself, but am in this way mercilessly disciplined, a spectacle that shames the glory of Zeus.

> Greek: ὅπως τάχιστα τὸν πατρῷον ἐς θρόνον
καθέζετʼ, εὐθὺς δαίμοσιν νέμει γέρα
ἄλλοισιν ἄλλα καὶ διεστοιχίζετο
ἀρχήν· βροτῶν δὲ τῶν ταλαιπώρων λόγον
οὐκ ἔσχεν οὐδένʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀιστώσας γένος
τὸ πᾶν ἔχρῃζεν ἄλλο φιτῦσαι νέον.
καὶ τοῖσιν οὐδεὶς ἀντέβαινε πλὴν ἐμοῦ.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐτόλμησʼ· ἐξελυσάμην βροτοὺς
τὸ μὴ διαρραισθέντας εἰς Ἅιδου μολεῖν.
τῷ τοι τοιαῖσδε πημοναῖσι κάμπτομαι,
πάσχειν μὲν ἀλγειναῖσιν, οἰκτραῖσιν δʼ ἰδεῖν·
θνητοὺς δʼ ἐν οἴκτῳ προθέμενος, τούτου τυχεῖν
οὐκ ἠξιώθην αὐτός, ἀλλὰ νηλεῶς
ὧδʼ ἐρρύθμισμαι, Ζηνὶ δυσκλεὴς θέα.

[¶49] Chorus:
Iron-hearted and made of stone, Prometheus,
is he who feels no compassion at your miseries. For myself, I would not have desired to see them; and now that I see them, I am pained in my heart.

> Greek: Χορός:
σιδηρόφρων τε κἀκ πέτρας εἰργασμένος
ὅστις, Προμηθεῦ, σοῖσιν οὐ συνασχαλᾷ
μόχθοις· ἐγὼ γὰρ οὔτʼ ἂν εἰσιδεῖν τάδε
ἔχρῃζον εἰσιδοῦσά τʼ ἠλγύνθην κέαρ.

[¶50] Prometheus:
Yes, to my friends indeed I am a spectacle of pity.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
καὶ μὴν φίλοις ⟨γʼ ⟩ ἐλεινὸς εἰσορᾶν ἐγώ.

[¶51] Chorus:
Did you perhaps transgress even somewhat beyond this offence?

> Greek: Χορός:
μή πού τι προύβης τῶνδε καὶ περαιτέρω;

[¶52] Prometheus:
Yes, I caused mortals to cease foreseeing their doom.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
θνητούς γʼ ἔπαυσα μὴ προδέρκεσθαι μόρον.

[¶53] Chorus:
Of what sort was the cure that you found for this affliction?

> Greek: Χορός:
τὸ ποῖον εὑρὼν τῆσδε φάρμακον νόσου;

[¶54] Prometheus:
I caused blind hopes to dwell within their breasts.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τυφλὰς ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐλπίδας κατῴκισα.

[¶55] Chorus:
A great benefit was this you gave to mortals.

> Greek: Χορός:
μέγʼ ὠφέλημα τοῦτʼ ἐδωρήσω βροτοῖς.

[¶56] Prometheus:
In addition, I gave them fire.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
πρὸς τοῖσδε μέντοι πῦρ ἐγώ σφιν ὤπασα.

[¶57] Chorus:
What! Do creatures of a day now have flame-eyed fire?

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ νῦν φλογωπὸν πῦρ ἔχουσʼ ἐφήμεροι;

[¶58] Prometheus:
Yes, and from it they shall learn many arts.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἀφʼ οὗ γε πολλὰς ἐκμαθήσονται τέχνας.

[¶59] Chorus:
Then it was on a charge like this that Zeus—

> Greek: Χορός:
τοιοῖσδε δή σε Ζεὺς ἐπʼ αἰτιάμασιν—

[¶60] Prometheus:
Torments me and in no way gives me respite from pain.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
αἰκίζεταί τε κοὐδαμῇ χαλᾷ κακῶν.

[¶61] Chorus:
And is there no end assigned to your ordeal?

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδʼ ἔστιν ἄθλου τέρμα σοι προκείμενον;

[¶62] Prometheus:
No, none except when it seems good to him.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οὐκ ἄλλο γʼ οὐδέν, πλὴν ὅταν κείνῳ δοκῇ.

[¶63] Chorus:
But how will it seem good to him? What hope is there? Do you not see that you have wronged? And yet it is not pleasant for me to talk about how you have wronged, and for you it is pain. So, let us quit this theme; and may you seek some release from your ordeal.

> Greek: Χορός:
δόξει δὲ πῶς; τίς ἐλπίς; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι
ἥμαρτες; ὡς δʼ ἥμαρτες οὔτʼ ἐμοὶ λέγειν
καθʼ ἡδονὴν σοί τʼ ἄλγος. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν
μεθῶμεν, ἄθλου δʼ ἔκλυσιν ζήτει τινά.

[¶64] Prometheus:
It is easy for him who keeps his foot free from harm to counsel and admonish him who is in misery. I have known this all the while. Of my own will, yes, of my own will I erred—I will not deny it. By helping mortals I found suffering for myself;

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἐλαφρὸν ὅστις πημάτων ἔξω πόδα
ἔχει παραινεῖν νουθετεῖν τε τὸν κακῶς
πράσσοντʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦθʼ ἅπαντʼ ἠπιστάμην.
ἑκὼν ἑκὼν ἥμαρτον, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι·
θνητοῖς ἀρήγων αὐτὸς ηὑρόμην πόνους.

[¶65] nevertheless I did not think I would be punished in this way—wasting away upon cliffs in mid-air, my portion this desolate and dreary crag. And now, bewail no more my present woes; alight on the ground and listen to my
oncoming fortunes so that you may be told them from end to end. Consent, I beg you, oh consent. Take part in the trouble of him who is now in sore distress. In truth, affliction wanders impartially abroad and alights upon all in turn.

> Greek: οὐ μήν τι ποιναῖς γʼ ᾠόμην τοίαισί με
κατισχνανεῖσθαι πρὸς πέτραις πεδαρσίοις,
τυχόντʼ ἐρήμου τοῦδʼ ἀγείτονος πάγου.
καί μοι τὰ μὲν παρόντα μὴ δύρεσθʼ ἄχη,
πέδοι δὲ βᾶσαι τὰς προσερπούσας τύχας
ἀκούσαθʼ, ὡς μάθητε διὰ τέλους τὸ πᾶν.
πίθεσθέ μοι πίθεσθε, συμπονήσατε
τῷ νῦν μογοῦντι. ταὐτά τοι πλανωμένη
πρὸς ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλον πημονὴ προσιζάνει.

[¶66] Chorus:
Not to unwilling ears have you made this appeal,
Prometheus. And so now with light foot I will quit my swift-speeding seat and the pure air, the pathway of birds and draw near to this rugged ground; for I want to hear
the whole story of your sorrows.
Enter Oceanus on a winged steed

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἀκούσαις ἐπεθώυξας
τοῦτο, Προμηθεῦ.
καὶ νῦν ἐλαφρῷ ποδὶ κραιπνόσυτον
θᾶκον προλιποῦσʼ, αἰθέρα θʼ ἁγνὸν
πόρον οἰωνῶν, ὀκριοέσσῃ
χθονὶ τῇδε πελῶ, τοὺς σοὺς δὲ πόνους
χρῄζω διὰ παντὸς ἀκοῦσαι.

[¶67] Oceanus:
I have come to the end of a long journey in my passage to you, Prometheus, guiding by my own will, without a bridle, this swift-winged bird.

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ἥκω δολιχῆς τέρμα κελεύθου
διαμειψάμενος πρὸς σέ, Προμηθεῦ,
τὸν πτερυγωκῆ τόνδʼ οἰωνὸν
γνώμῃ στομίων ἄτερ εὐθύνων·

[¶68] For your fate, you may be sure, I feel compassion. Kinship, I think, constrains me to this; and, apart from blood ties, there is none to whom I should pay greater respect than to you.

> Greek: ταῖς σαῖς δὲ τύχαις, ἴσθι, συναλγῶ.
τὸ τε γάρ με, δοκῶ, συγγενὲς οὕτως
ἐσαναγκάζει,
χωρίς τε γένους οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτῳ
μείζονα μοῖραν νείμαιμʼ ἢ σοί.

[¶69] You shall know this for simple truth and that it is not in me to utter vain and empty words; come, tell me; what aid can I render you? For you shall never say that you have a friend more loyal than Oceanus.

> Greek: γνώσῃ δὲ τάδʼ ὡς ἔτυμʼ, οὐδὲ μάτην
χαριτογλωσσεῖν ἔνι μοι· φέρε γὰρ
σήμαινʼ ὅ τι χρή σοι συμπράσσειν·
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἐρεῖς ὡς Ὠκεανοῦ
φίλος ἐστὶ βεβαιότερός σοι.

[¶70] Prometheus:
Ha! What have we here? So then you too have come to stare upon my sufferings? How did you summon courage to quit the stream that bears your name and the rock-roofed caves you yourself have made and come to this land, the mother of iron? Is it that you have come
to gaze upon my state and join your grief to my distress? Look upon me here—a spectacle, the friend of Zeus, who helped him to establish his sovereign power, by what anguish I am bent by him!

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἔα· τί χρῆμα λεύσσω; καὶ σὺ δὴ πόνων ἐμῶν
ἥκεις ἐπόπτης; πῶς ἐτόλμησας, λιπὼν
ἐπώνυμόν τε ῥεῦμα καὶ πετρηρεφῆ
αὐτόκτιτʼ ἄντρα, τὴν σιδηρομήτορα
ἐλθεῖν ἐς αἶαν; ἦ θεωρήσων τύχας
ἐμὰς ἀφῖξαι καὶ συνασχαλῶν κακοῖς;
δέρκου θέαμα, τόνδε τὸν Διὸς φίλον,
τὸν συγκαταστήσαντα τὴν τυραννίδα,
οἵαις ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πημοναῖσι κάμπτομαι.

[¶71] Oceanus:
I see, Prometheus; and I want to give you
the best advice, although you yourself are wily. Learn to know yourself and adapt yourself to new ways; for new also is the ruler among the gods. If you hurl forth words so harsh and of such whetted edge, perhaps Zeus may hear you,
though throned far off, high in the heavens, and then your present multitude of sorrows shall seem but childish sport. Oh wretched sufferer! Put away your wrathful mood and try to find release from these miseries. Perhaps this advice may seem to you old and dull;

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ὁρῶ, Προμηθεῦ, καὶ παραινέσαι γέ σοι
θέλω τὰ λῷστα, καίπερ ὄντι ποικίλῳ.
γίγνωσκε σαυτὸν καὶ μεθάρμοσαι τρόπους
νέους· νέος γὰρ καὶ τύραννος ἐν θεοῖς.
εἰ δʼ ὧδε τραχεῖς καὶ τεθηγμένους λόγους
ῥίψεις, τάχʼ ἄν σου καὶ μακρὰν ἀνωτέρω
θακῶν κλύοι Ζεύς, ὥστε σοι τὸν νῦν ὄχλον
παρόντα μόχθων παιδιὰν εἶναι δοκεῖν.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ, ἃς ἔχεις ὀργὰς ἄφες,
ζήτει δὲ τῶνδε πημάτων ἀπαλλαγάς.
ἀρχαῖʼ ἴσως σοι φαίνομαι λέγειν τάδε·

[¶72] but your plight, Prometheus, is only the wages of too boastful speech. You still have not learned humility, nor do you bend before misfortune, but would rather add even more miseries to those you have. Therefore take me as your teacher
and do not add insult to injury, seeing that a harsh monarch now rules who is accountable to no one. So now I will depart and see whether I can release you from these sufferings. And may you hold your peace and be not too blustering of speech.

> Greek: τοιαῦτα μέντοι τῆς ἄγαν ὑψηγόρου
γλώσσης, Προμηθεῦ, τἀπίχειρα γίγνεται.
σὺ δʼ οὐδέπω ταπεινὸς οὐδʼ εἴκεις κακοῖς,
πρὸς τοῖς παροῦσι δʼ ἄλλα προσλαβεῖν θέλεις.
οὔκουν ἔμοιγε χρώμενος διδασκάλῳ
πρὸς κέντρα κῶλον ἐκτενεῖς, ὁρῶν ὅτι
τραχὺς μόναρχος οὐδʼ ὑπεύθυνος κρατεῖ.
καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν εἶμι καὶ πειράσομαι
ἐὰν δύνωμαι τῶνδέ σʼ ἐκλῦσαι πόνων.
σὺ δʼ ἡσύχαζε μηδʼ ἄγαν λαβροστόμει.

[¶73] Or, can it be that for all your exceeding wisdom, you do not know that chastisement is inflicted on a wagging tongue?

> Greek: ἢ οὐκ οἶσθʼ ἀκριβῶς ὢν περισσόφρων ὅτι
γλώσσῃ ματαίᾳ ζημία προστρίβεται;

[¶74] Prometheus:
I envy you because you have escaped blame for having dared to share with me in my troubles. So now leave me alone and let it not concern you.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ζηλῶ σʼ ὁθούνεκʼ ἐκτὸς αἰτίας κυρεῖς
τούτων μετασχεῖν καὶ τετολμηκὼς ἐμοί.
καὶ νῦν ἔασον μηδέ σοι μελησάτω.

[¶75] Do what you want, you cannot persuade him; for he is not easy to persuade. Beware that you do not do yourself harm by the mission you take.

> Greek: πάντως γὰρ οὐ πείσεις νιν· οὐ γὰρ εὐπιθής.
πάπταινε δʼ αὐτὸς μή τι πημανθῇς ὁδῷ.

[¶76] Oceanus:
In truth, you are far better able to admonish others than yourself. It is by fact, not by hearsay, that I judge.

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
πολλῷ γʼ ἀμείνων τοὺς πέλας φρενοῦν ἔφυς
ἢ σαυτόν· ἔργῳ κοὐ λόγῳ τεκμαίρομαι.

[¶77] So do not hold back one who is eager to go. For I am confident, yes, confident, that Zeus will grant me this favor, to free you from your sufferings.

> Greek: ὁρμώμενον δὲ μηδαμῶς ἀντισπάσῃς.
αὐχῶ γὰρ αὐχῶ τήνδε δωρεὰν ἐμοὶ
δώσειν Δίʼ, ὥστε τῶνδέ σʼ ἐκλῦσαι πόνων.

[¶78] Prometheus:
I thank you for all this and shall never cease to thank you; in zeal you lack nothing, but do not trouble yourself; for your trouble will be vain and
not helpful to me—if indeed you want to take the pain. No, keep quiet and keep yourself clear of harm. For even if I am in sore plight, I would not wish affliction on everyone else. No, certainly, no! since, besides, I am distressed by the fate
of my brother Atlas, who, towards the west, stands bearing on his shoulders the pillar of heaven and earth, a burden not easy for his arms to grasp. Pity moved me, too, at the sight of the earth-born dweller of the Cilician caves curbed by violence, that destructive monster
of a hundred heads, impetuous Typhon. He withstood all the gods, hissing out terror with horrid jaws, while from his eyes lightened a hideous glare, as though he would storm by force the sovereignty of Zeus.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τὰ μὲν σʼ ἐπαινῶ κοὐδαμῇ λήξω ποτέ·
προθυμίας γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐλλείπεις. ἀτὰρ
μηδὲν πόνει. μάτην γὰρ οὐδὲν ὠφελῶν
ἐμοὶ πονήσεις, εἴ τι καὶ πονεῖν θέλεις.
ἀλλʼ ἡσύχαζε σαυτὸν ἐκποδὼν ἔχων·
ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ, εἰ δυστυχῶ, τοῦδʼ εἵνεκα
θέλοιμʼ ἂν ὡς πλείστοισι πημονὰς τυχεῖν.
οὐ δῆτʼ ἐπεί με καὶ κασιγνήτου τύχαι
τείρουσʼ Ἄτλαντος, ὃς πρὸς ἑσπέρους τόπους
ἕστηκε κίονʼ οὐρανοῦ τε καὶ χθονὸς
ὤμοις ἐρείδων, ἄχθος οὐκ εὐάγκαλον.
τὸν γηγενῆ τε Κιλικίων οἰκήτορα
ἄντρων ἰδὼν ᾤκτιρα, δάιον τέρας
ἑκατογκάρανον πρὸς βίαν χειρούμενον
Τυφῶνα θοῦρον· πᾶσιν [ὅς] ἀντέστη θεοῖς,
σμερδναῖσι γαμφηλαῖσι συρίζων φόβον·
ἐξ ὀμμάτων δʼ ἤστραπτε γοργωπὸν σέλας,
ὡς τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδʼ ἐκπέρσων βίᾳ·

[¶79] But the unsleeping bolt of Zeus came upon him, the swooping lightning brand with breath of flame, which struck him, frightened, from his loud-mouthed boasts; then, stricken to the very heart, he was burnt to ashes and his strength blasted from him by the lightning bolt.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἦλθεν αὐτῷ Ζηνὸς ἄγρυπνον βέλος,
καταιβάτης κεραυνὸς ἐκπνέων φλόγα,
ὃς αὐτὸν ἐξέπληξε τῶν ὑψηγόρων
κομπασμάτων. φρένας γὰρ εἰς αὐτὰς τυπεὶς
ἐφεψαλώθη κἀξεβροντήθη σθένος.

[¶80] And now, a helpless and a sprawling bulk, he lies hard by the narrows of the sea, pressed down beneath the roots of Aetna; while on the topmost summit Hephaestus sits and hammers the molten ore. There, one day, shall burst forth
rivers of fire, with savage jaws devouring the level fields of Sicily, land of fair fruit—such boiling rage shall Typho, although charred by the blazing lightning of Zeus, send spouting forth with hot jets of appalling, fire-breathing surge.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ἀχρεῖον καὶ παράορον δέμας
κεῖται στενωποῦ πλησίον θαλασσίου
ἰπούμενος ῥίζαισιν Αἰτναίαις ὕπο·
κορυφαῖς δʼ ἐν ἄκραις ἥμενος μυδροκτυπεῖ
Ἥφαιστος· ἔνθεν ἐκραγήσονταί ποτε
ποταμοὶ πυρὸς δάπτοντες ἀγρίαις γνάθοις
τῆς καλλικάρπου Σικελίας λευροὺς γύας·
τοιόνδε Τυφὼς ἐξαναζέσει χόλον
θερμοῖς ἀπλάτου βέλεσι πυρπνόου ζάλης,
καίπερ κεραυνῷ Ζηνὸς ἠνθρακωμένος.

[¶81] But you are not inexperienced, and do not need me to teach you. Save yourself, as you know best; while I exhaust my present lot until the time comes when the mind of Zeus shall abandon its wrath.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἄπειρος, οὐδʼ ἐμοῦ διδασκάλου
χρῄζεις· σεαυτὸν σῷζʼ ὅπως ἐπίστασαι·
ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν παροῦσαν ἀντλήσω τύχην,
ἔστʼ ἂν Διὸς φρόνημα λωφήσῃ χόλου.

[¶82] Oceanus:
Do you not know then, Prometheus, that
words are the physicians of a disordered temper?

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
οὔκουν, Προμηθεῦ, τοῦτο γιγνώσκεις, ὅτι
ὀργῆς νοσούσης εἰσὶν ἰατροὶ λόγοι;

[¶83] Prometheus:
If one softens the soul in season, and does not hasten to reduce its swelling rage by violence.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἐάν τις ἐν καιρῷ γε μαλθάσσῃ κέαρ
καὶ μὴ σφριγῶντα θυμὸν ἰσχναίνῃ βίᾳ.

[¶84] Oceanus:
What lurking mischief do you see when daring joins to zeal? Teach me this.

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ἐν τῷ προθυμεῖσθαι δὲ καὶ τολμᾶν τίνα
ὁρᾷς ἐνοῦσαν ζημίαν; δίδασκέ με.

[¶85] Prometheus:
Lost labor and thoughtless simplicity.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
μόχθον περισσὸν κουφόνουν τʼ εὐηθίαν.

[¶86] Oceanus:
Leave me to be affected by this, since it is most advantageous, when truly wise, to be deemed a fool.

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ἔα με τῇδε τῇ νόσῳ νοσεῖν, ἐπεὶ
κέρδιστον εὖ φρονοῦντα μὴ φρονεῖν δοκεῖν.

[¶87] Prometheus:
This fault will be seen to be my own.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἐμὸν δοκήσει τἀμπλάκημʼ εἶναι τόδε.

[¶88] Oceanus:
Clearly the manner of your speech orders me back home.

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
σαφῶς μʼ ἐς οἶκον σὸς λόγος στέλλει πάλιν.

[¶89] Prometheus:
So that you won’t win enmity for yourself by lamenting for me.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
μὴ γάρ σε θρῆνος οὑμὸς εἰς ἔχθραν βάλῃ.

[¶90] Oceanus:
In the eyes of the one who is newly seated on his omnipotent throne?

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ἦ τῷ νέον θακοῦντι παγκρατεῖς ἕδρας;

[¶91] Prometheus:
Beware lest the time come when his heart is angered with you.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τούτου φυλάσσου μή ποτʼ ἀχθεσθῇ κέαρ.

[¶92] Oceanus:
Your plight, Prometheus, is my instructor.

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ἡ σή, Προμηθεῦ, συμφορὰ διδάσκαλος.

[¶93] Prometheus:
Go away, depart, keep your present purpose.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
στέλλου, κομίζου, σῷζε τὸν παρόντα νοῦν.

[¶94] Oceanus:
Your urging meets my eagerness; for my four-footed winged beast fans with his wings the smooth pathway of the air; and truly he will be glad to rest his knees in his stall at home. Exit

> Greek: Ὠκεανός:
ὁρμωμένῳ μοι τόνδʼ ἐθώυξας λόγον.
λευρὸν γὰρ οἷμον αἰθέρος ψαίρει πτεροῖς
τετρασκελὴς οἰωνός· ἄσμενος δέ τἂν
σταθμοῖς ἐν οἰκείοισι κάμψειεν γόνυ.

[¶95] Chorus:
I mourn your unfortunate fate, Prometheus.

> Greek: Χορός:
στένω σε τᾶς οὐλομένας τύχας, Προμηθεῦ·

[¶96] Shedding from my eyes a coursing flood of tears I wet my tender cheeks with their moist streams. For Zeus, holding this unenviable power by self-appointed laws,
displays towards the gods of old an overweening spirit.

> Greek: δακρυσίστακτα δʼ ἀπʼ ὄσσων
ῥαδινὰν λειβομένα ῥέος παρειὰν
νοτίοις ἔτεγξα παγαῖς·
ἀμέγαρτα γὰρ τάδε Ζεὺς
ἰδίοις νόμοις κρατύνων
ὑπερήφανον θεοῖς τοῖς
πάρος ἐνδείκνυσιν αἰχμάν.

[¶97] Chorus:
Now the whole earth cries aloud in lamentation;... lament the greatness of the glory of your time-hallowed honor,
the honor that was yours and your brother’s; and all mortals who make their dwelling place in holy Asia share the anguish of your most lamentable suffering;

> Greek: Χορός:
πρόπασα δʼ ἤδη στονόεν λέλακε χώρα,
μεγαλοσχήμονά ἀρχαι-
οπρεπῆ ⟨στένουσι τὰν σὰν
ξυνομαιμόνων τε τιμάν,
ὁπόσοι τʼ ἔποικον ἁγνᾶς
Ἀσίας ἕδος νέμονται,
μεγαλοστόνοισι σοῖς πή-
μασι συγκάμνουσι θνατοί.

[¶98] Chorus:
And those who dwell in the land of Colchis, the maidens fearless in fight; and the Scythian multitude that inhabits the most remote region of the earth bordering the Maeotic lake;

> Greek: Χορός:
Κολχίδος τε γᾶς ἔνοικοι
παρθένοι, μάχας ἄτρεστοι,
καὶ Σκύθης ὅμιλος, οἳ γᾶς
ἔσχατον τόπον ἀμφὶ Μαι-
ῶτιν ἔχουσι λίμναν,

[¶99] Chorus:
And the warlike flower of Arabia, which hold the high-cragged citadel near the Caucasus, a hostile host that roars among the sharp-pointed spears.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἀραβίας τʼ ἄρειον ἄνθος,
ὑψίκρημνον οἳ πόλισμα
Καυκάσου πέλας νέμονται,
δάιος στρατός, ὀξυπρῴ-
ροισι βρέμων ἐν αἰχμαῖς.

[¶100] Chorus:
One other Titan god before this I have seen in distress, enthralled in torment by adamantine bonds—Atlas, pre-eminent in mighty strength, who moans as he supports
the vault of heaven on his back.

> Greek: Χορός:
μόνον δὴ πρόσθεν ἄλλον ἐν πόνοις
δαμέντʼ ἀδαμαντοδέτοις
Τιτᾶνα λύμαις εἰσιδόμαν, θεόν,
Ἄτλαντος [αἰὲν]; ὑπέροχον σθένος κραταιόν,
⟨ὃς⟩ οὐράνιόν [τε] πόλον
νώτοις ⟨στέγων⟩ ὑποστενάζει.

[¶101] Chorus:
The waves of the sea utter a cry as they fall, the deep laments, the black abyss of Hades rumbles in response, and the streams of pure-flowing rivers
lament your piteous pain.

> Greek: Χορός:
βοᾷ δὲ πόντιος κλύδων
ξυμπίτνων, στένει βυθός,
κελαινὸς δʼ Ἄιδος ὑποβρέμει μυχὸς γᾶς,
παγαί θʼ ἁγνορύτων ποταμῶν
στένουσιν ἄλγος οἰκτρόν.

[¶102] Prometheus:
No, do not think it is from pride or even from wilfulness that I am silent. Painful thoughts devour my heart as I behold myself maltreated in this way. And yet who else but I definitely assigned
their prerogatives to these upstart gods? But I do not speak of this; for my tale would tell you nothing except what you know. Still, listen to the miseries that beset mankind—how they were witless before and I made them have sense and endowed them with reason.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
μή τοι χλιδῇ δοκεῖτε μηδʼ αὐθαδίᾳ
σιγᾶν με· συννοίᾳ δὲ δάπτομαι κέαρ,
ὁρῶν ἐμαυτὸν ὧδε προυσελούμενον.
καίτοι θεοῖσι τοῖς νέοις τούτοις γέρα
τίς ἄλλος ἢ ʼγὼ παντελῶς διώρισεν;
ἀλλʼ αὐτὰ σιγῶ· καὶ γὰρ εἰδυίαισιν ἂν
ὑμῖν λέγοιμι· τἀν βροτοῖς δὲ πήματα
ἀκούσαθʼ, ὥς σφας νηπίους ὄντας τὸ πρὶν
ἔννους ἔθηκα καὶ φρενῶν ἐπηβόλους.

[¶103] I will not speak to upbraid mankind but to set forth the friendly purpose that inspired my blessing. First of all, though they had eyes to see, they saw to no avail; they had ears, but they did not understand; but, just as shapes in dreams, throughout their length of days,
without purpose they wrought all things in confusion. They had neither knowledge of houses built of bricks and turned to face the sun nor yet of work in wood; but dwelt beneath the ground like swarming ants, in sunless caves. They had no sign either of winter
or of flowery spring or of fruitful summer, on which they could depend but managed everything without judgment, until I taught them to discern the risings of the stars and their settings, which are difficult to distinguish. Yes, and numbers, too, chiefest of sciences,
I invented for them, and the combining of letters, creative mother of the Muses’ arts, with which to hold all things in memory. I, too, first brought brute beasts beneath the yoke to be subject to the collar and the pack-saddle, so that they might bear in men’s stead their
heaviest burdens; and to the chariot I harnessed horses and made them obedient to the rein, to be an image of wealth and luxury. It was I and no one else who invented the mariner’s flaxen-winged car that roams the sea. Wretched that I am—such are the arts I devised
for mankind, yet have myself no cunning means to rid me of my present suffering.

> Greek: λέξω δέ, μέμψιν οὔτινʼ ἀνθρώποις ἔχων,
ἀλλʼ ὧν δέδωκʼ εὔνοιαν ἐξηγούμενος·
οἳ πρῶτα μὲν βλέποντες ἔβλεπον μάτην,
κλύοντες οὐκ ἤκουον, ἀλλʼ ὀνειράτων
ἀλίγκιοι μορφαῖσι τὸν μακρὸν βίον
ἔφυρον εἰκῇ πάντα, κοὔτε πλινθυφεῖς
δόμους προσείλους, ᾖσαν, οὐ ξυλουργίαν·
κατώρυχες δʼ ἔναιον ὥστʼ ἀήσυροι
μύρμηκες ἄντρων ἐν μυχοῖς ἀνηλίοις.
ἦν δʼ οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς οὔτε χείματος τέκμαρ
οὔτʼ ἀνθεμώδους ἦρος οὔτε καρπίμου
θέρους βέβαιον, ἀλλʼ ἄτερ γνώμης τὸ πᾶν
ἔπρασσον, ἔστε δή σφιν ἀντολὰς ἐγὼ
ἄστρων ἔδειξα τάς τε δυσκρίτους δύσεις.
καὶ μὴν ἀριθμόν, ἔξοχον σοφισμάτων,
ἐξηῦρον αὐτοῖς, γραμμάτων τε συνθέσεις,
μνήμην ἁπάντων, μουσομήτορʼ ἐργάνην.
κἄζευξα πρῶτος ἐν ζυγοῖσι κνώδαλα
ζεύγλαισι δουλεύοντα σάγμασὶν θʼ, ὅπως
θνητοῖς μεγίστων διάδοχοι μοχθημάτων
γένοινθʼ, ὑφʼ ἅρμα τʼ ἤγαγον φιληνίους
ἵππους, ἄγαλμα τῆς ὑπερπλούτου χλιδῆς.
θαλασσόπλαγκτα δʼ οὔτις ἄλλος ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ
λινόπτερʼ ηὗρε ναυτίλων ὀχήματα.
τοιαῦτα μηχανήματʼ ἐξευρὼν τάλας
βροτοῖσιν, αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔχω σόφισμʼ ὅτῳ
τῆς νῦν παρούσης πημονῆς ἀπαλλαγῶ.

[¶104] Chorus:
You have suffered sorrow and humiliation. You have lost your wits and have gone astray; and, like an unskilled doctor, fallen ill, you lose heart and cannot
discover by which remedies to cure your own disease.

> Greek: Χορός:
πέπονθας αἰκὲς πῆμʼ· ἀποσφαλεὶς φρενῶν
πλανᾷ, κακὸς δʼ ἰατρὸς ὥς τις ἐς νόσον
πεσὼν ἀθυμεῖς καὶ σεαυτὸν οὐκ ἔχεις
εὑρεῖν ὁποίοις φαρμάκοις ἰάσιμος.

[¶105] Prometheus:
Hear the rest and you shall wonder the more at the arts and resources I devised. This first and foremost: if ever man fell ill, there was no defence—no healing food,
no ointment, nor any drink—but for lack of medicine they wasted away, until I showed them how to mix soothing remedies with which they now ward off all their disorders. And I marked out many ways by which they might read the future,
and among dreams I first discerned which are destined to come true; and voices baffling interpretation I explained to them, and signs from chance meetings. The flight of crook-taloned birds I distinguished clearly— which by nature are auspicious,
which sinister—their various modes of life, their mutual feuds and loves, and their consortings; and the smoothness of their entrails, and what color the gall must have to please
the gods, also the speckled symmetry of the liver-lobe; and the thigh-bones, wrapped in fat, and the long chine I burned and initiated mankind into an occult art. Also I cleared their vision to discern signs from flames, which were obscure before this.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τὰ λοιπά μου κλύουσα θαυμάσῃ πλέον,
οἵας τέχνας τε καὶ πόρους ἐμησάμην.
τὸ μὲν μέγιστον, εἴ τις ἐς νόσον πέσοι,
οὐκ ἦν ἀλέξημʼ οὐδέν, οὔτε βρώσιμον,
οὐ χριστόν, οὐδὲ πιστόν, ἀλλὰ φαρμάκων
χρείᾳ κατεσκέλλοντο, πρίν γʼ ἐγώ σφισιν
ἔδειξα κράσεις ἠπίων ἀκεσμάτων,
αἷς τὰς ἁπάσας ἐξαμύνονται νόσους.
τρόπους τε πολλοὺς μαντικῆς ἐστοίχισα,
κἄκρινα πρῶτος ἐξ ὀνειράτων ἃ χρὴ
ὕπαρ γενέσθαι, κληδόνας τε δυσκρίτους
ἐγνώρισʼ αὐτοῖς ἐνοδίους τε συμβόλους·
γαμψωνύχων τε πτῆσιν οἰωνῶν σκεθρῶς
διώρισʼ, οἵτινές τε δεξιοὶ φύσιν
εὐωνύμους τε, καὶ δίαιταν ἥντινα
ἔχουσʼ ἕκαστοι, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους τίνες
ἔχθραι τε καὶ στέργηθρα καὶ συνεδρίαι·
σπλάγχνων τε λειότητα, καὶ χροιὰν τίνα
ἔχουσʼ ἂν εἴη δαίμοσιν πρὸς ἡδονὴν
χολή, λοβοῦ τε ποικίλην εὐμορφίαν.
κνίσῃ τε κῶλα συγκαλυπτὰ καὶ μακρὰν
ὀσφῦν πυρώσας δυστέκμαρτον ἐς τέχνην
ὥδωσα θνητούς, καὶ φλογωπὰ σήματα
ἐξωμμάτωσα, πρόσθεν ὄντʼ ἐπάργεμα.

[¶106] Enough about these arts. Now as to the benefits to men that lay concealed beneath the earth—bronze, iron, silver, and gold—who would claim to have discovered them before me? No one, I know full well, unless he likes to babble idly.

> Greek: τοιαῦτα μὲν δὴ ταῦτʼ· ἔνερθε δὲ χθονὸς
κεκρυμμένʼ, ἀνθρώποισιν ὠφελήματα,
χαλκόν, σίδηρον, ἄργυρον, χρυσόν τε τίς
φήσειεν ἂν πάροιθεν ἐξευρεῖν ἐμοῦ;
οὐδείς, σάφʼ οἶδα, μὴ μάτην φλύσαι θέλων.

[¶107] Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word—every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.

> Greek: βραχεῖ δὲ μύθῳ πάντα συλλήβδην μάθε,
πᾶσαι τέχναι βροτοῖσιν ἐκ Προμηθέως.

[¶108] Chorus:
Do not benefit mortals beyond reason and disregard your own distress; although, I am confident that you will be freed
from these bonds and will have power in no way inferior to Zeus.

> Greek: Χορός:
μή νυν βροτοὺς μὲν ὠφέλει καιροῦ πέρα,
σαυτοῦ δʼ ἀκήδει δυστυχοῦντος. ὡς ἐγὼ
εὔελπίς εἰμι τῶνδέ σʼ ἐκ δεσμῶν ἔτι
λυθέντα μηδὲν μεῖον ἰσχύσειν Διός.

[¶109] Prometheus:
Not in this way is Fate, who brings all to fulfillment, destined to complete this course. Only when I have been bent by pangs and tortures infinite am I to escape my bondage. Skill is weaker by far than Necessity.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οὐ ταῦτα ταύτῃ Μοῖρά πω τελεσφόρος
κρᾶναι πέπρωται, μυρίαις δὲ πημοναῖς
δύαις τε καμφθεὶς ὧδε δεσμὰ φυγγάνω·
τέχνη δʼ ἀνάγκης ἀσθενεστέρα μακρῷ.

[¶110] Chorus:
Who then is the helmsman of Necessity?

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς οὖν ἀνάγκης ἐστὶν οἰακοστρόφος;

[¶111] Prometheus:
The three-shaped Fates and mindful Furies.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
Μοῖραι τρίμορφοι μνήμονές τʼ Ἐρινύες

[¶112] Chorus:
Can it be that Zeus has less power than they do?

> Greek: Χορός:
τούτων ἄρα Ζεύς ἐστιν ἀσθενέστερος;

[¶113] Prometheus:
Yes, in that even he cannot escape what is foretold.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οὔκουν ἂν ἐκφύγοι γε τὴν πεπρωμένην.

[¶114] Chorus:
Why, what is fated for Zeus except to hold eternal sway?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί γὰρ πέπρωται Ζηνὶ πλὴν ἀεὶ κρατεῖν;

[¶115] Prometheus:
This you must not learn yet; do not be over-eager.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τοῦτʼ οὐκέτʼ ἂν πύθοιο μηδὲ λιπάρει.

[¶116] Chorus:
It is some solemn secret, surely, that you enshroud in mystery.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ πού τι σεμνόν ἐστιν ὃ ξυναμπέχεις.

[¶117] Prometheus:
Think of some other subject, for it is not the proper time to speak of this. No matter what, this must be kept concealed; for it is by safeguarding it that
I am to escape my dishonorable bonds and outrage.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἄλλου λόγου μέμνησθε, τόνδε δʼ οὐδαμῶς
καιρὸς γεγωνεῖν, ἀλλὰ συγκαλυπτέος
ὅσον μάλιστα· τόνδε γὰρ σῴζων ἐγὼ
δεσμοὺς ἀεικεῖς καὶ δύας ἐκφυγγάνω.

[¶118] Chorus:
May Zeus, who apportions everything, never set his power in conflict with my will,
nor may I be slow to approach the gods, with holy sacrifices of oxen slain, by the side of the ceaseless stream of Oceanus, my father;
and may I not offend in speech; but may this rule abide in my heart and never fade away.

> Greek: Χορός:
μηδάμʼ ὁ πάντα νέμων
θεῖτʼ ἐμᾷ γνώμᾳ κράτος ἀντίπαλον Ζεύς,
μηδʼ ἐλινύσαιμι θεοὺς ὁσίαις θοίναις ποτινισομένα
βουφόνοις παρʼ Ὠκεανοῦ πατρὸς ἄσβεστον πόρον,
μηδʼ ἀλίτοιμι λόγοις·
ἀλλά μοι τόδʼ ἐμμένοι καὶ μήποτʼ ἐκτακείη·

[¶119] Chorus:
Sweet it is to pass all the length of life amid confident hopes, feeding the heart in glad festivities. But I shudder
as I look on you, racked by infinite tortures. You have no fear of Zeus, Prometheus, but in self-will you reverence mortals too much.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἁδύ τι θαρσαλέαις
τὸν μακρὸν τείνειν βίον ἐλπίσι, φαναῖς
θυμὸν ἀλδαίνουσαν ἐν εὐφροσύναις. φρίσ-
σω δέ σε δερκομένα
μυρίοις μόχθοις διακναιόμενον ⟨.
Ζῆνα γὰρ οὐ τρομέων
ἰδίᾳ γνώμᾳ σέβῃ θνατοὺς ἄγαν, Προμηθεῦ.

[¶120] Chorus:
Come, my friend, how mutual was your reciprocity? Tell me, what kind of help is there in creatures of a day? What aid? Did you not see the helpless infirmity, no better than a dream, in which the blind
generation of men is shackled? Never shall the counsels of mortal men transgress the ordering of Zeus.

> Greek: Χορός:
φέρʼ, ὅπως ἄχαρις χάρις, ὦ φίλος·
εἰπὲ ποῦ τίς ἀλκά;
τίς ἐφαμερίων ἄρηξις; οὐδʼ ἐδέρχθης
ὀλιγοδρανίαν ἄκικυν,
ἰσόνειρον, ᾇ τὸ φωτῶν
ἀλαὸν γένος ἐμπεποδισμένον; οὔποτε ⟨
τὰν Διὸς ἁρμονίαν θνατῶν παρεξίασι βουλαί.

[¶121] Chorus:
I have learned this lesson from observing the luck, Prometheus, that has brought about your ruin. And the difference in the song stole into my thought
—this song and that, which, about your bridal bed and bath, I raised to grace your marriage, when you wooed with gifts
and won my sister Hesione to be your wedded wife.
Enter Io

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔμαθον τάδε σὰς προσιδοῦσʼ ὀλο-
ὰς τύχας, Προμηθεῦ.
τὸ διαμφίδιον δέ μοι μέλος προσέπτα
τόδʼ ἐκεῖνό θʼ, ὅ τʼ ἀμφὶ λουτρὰ
καὶ λέχος σὸν ὑμεναίουν
ἰότατι γάμων, ὅτε τὰν ὁμοπάτριον ἕδνοις
ἄγαγες Ἡσιόναν πείθὼν δάμαρτα κοινόλεκτρον.

## 2. Lines 552–1093

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-prometheus-bound/2/#p-N

[¶0] Io:
What land is this? What people? By what name am I to call the one I see exposed to the tempest in bonds of rock? What offence have you committed that as punishment you are doomed to destruction?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
τίς γῆ; τί γένος; τίνα φῶ λεύσσειν
τόνδε χαλινοῖς ἐν πετρίνοισιν
χειμαζόμενον;
τίνος ἀμπλακίας ποινὰς ὀλέκῃ;

[¶1] Tell me to what region of the earth I have wandered in my wretchedness?

> Greek: σήμηνον ὅποι γῆς ἡ μογερὰ πεπλάνημαι.

[¶2] Oh, oh! Aah! Aah! A gad-fly, phantom of earth-born Argus is stinging me again! Keep him away, O Earth! I am fearful when I behold that myriad-eyed herdsman. He travels onward with his crafty gaze upon me;

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ἆ ἆ, ἒ ἔ,
χρίει τις αὖ με τὰν τάλαιναν οἶστρος,
εἴδωλον Ἄργου γηγενοῦς, ἄλευʼ ἆ δᾶ· φοβοῦμαι
τὸν μυριωπὸν εἰσορῶσα βούταν.

[¶3] not even in death does the earth conceal him, but passing from the shades he hounds me, the forlorn one, and drives me famished along the sands of the seashore.
Io:
The waxen pipe drones forth in accompaniment a clear-sounding slumberous strain. Alas, alas! Where is my far-roaming wandering course taking me? In what, O son of Cronus, in what have you found offence so that you have bound me
to this yoke of misery—aah! are you harassing a wretched maiden to frenzy by this terror of the pursuing gadfly? Consume me with fire, or hide me in the earth, or give me to the monsters of the deep to devour; but do not grudge, O Lord, the favor that I pray for.
My far-roaming wanderings have taught me enough, and I cannot discern how to escape my sufferings. Do you hear the voice of the horned virgin?

> Greek: ὁ δὲ πορεύεται δόλιον ὄμμʼ ἔχων,
ὃν οὐδὲ κατθανόντα γαῖα κεύθει.
ἀλλʼ, ἐμὲ τὰν τάλαιναν
ἐξ ἐνέρων περῶν κυναγετεῖ, πλανᾷ
τε νῆστιν ἀνὰ τὰν παραλίαν ψάμμαν.
Ἰώ:
ὑπὸ δὲ κηρόπλαστος ὀτοβεῖ δόναξ
ἀχέτας ὑπνοδόταν νόμον·
ἰὼ ἰὼ πόποι, ποῖ μʼ ἄγουσι τη-
λέπλαγκτοι πλάναι;
τί ποτέ μʼ, ὦ Κρόνιε παῖ, τί ποτε ταῖσδʼ
ἐνέζευξας εὑρὼν ἁμαρτοῦσαν ἐν
πημοναῖσιν; ἓ ἕ,
οἰστρηλάτῳ δὲ δείματι
δειλαίαν παράκοπον ὧδε τείρεις;
πυρί ⟨με ⟩ φλέξον, ἢ χθονὶ κάλυψον, ἤ
ποντίοις δάκεσι δὸς βοράν,
μηδέ μοι φθονήσῃς
εὐγμάτων, ἄναξ.
ἄδην με πολύπλανοι πλάναι
γεγυμνάκασιν, οὐδʼ ἔχω μαθεῖν ὅπα
πημονὰς ἀλύξω.
κλύεις φθέγμα τᾶς βούκερω παρθένου;

[¶4] Prometheus:
How can I fail to hear the maiden frenzied by the gadfly, the
daughter of Inachus? It is she who fires the heart of Zeus with passion, and now, through Hera’s hate, is disciplined by force with interminable wandering.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
πῶς δʼ οὐ κλύω τῆς οἰστροδινήτου κόρης,
τῆς Ἰναχείας; ἣ Διὸς θάλπει κέαρ
ἔρωτι, καὶ νῦν τοὺς ὑπερμήκεις δρόμους
Ἥρᾳ στυγητὸς πρὸς βίαν γυμνάζεται.

[¶5] Io:
Why do you call my father’s name? Tell me, the unfortunate maid, who you are,
unhappy wretch, that you thus correctly address the miserable maiden, and have named the heaven-sent plague that wastes and stings me with its maddening goad. Ah me! In frenzied bounds I come,
driven by torturing hunger, victim of Hera’s vengeful purpose. Who of the company of the unfortunate endures—aah! aah!—sufferings such as mine? Oh make it clear to me
what misery I am fated to suffer, what remedy is there, what cure, for my affliction. Reveal it, if you have the knowledge. Oh speak, declare it to the unfortunate, wandering virgin.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
πόθεν ἐμοῦ σὺ πατρὸς ὄνομʼ ἀπύεις;
εἰπέ μοι τᾷ μογερᾷ τίς ὤν;
τίς ἄρα μʼ, ὦ τάλας, τὰν τάλαιναν ὧδʼ
ἔτυμα προσθροεῖς;
θεόσυτόν τε νόσον ὠνόμασας, ἃ
μαραίνει με χρίουσα κέντροις, ⟨ἰώ⟩,
φοιταλέοισιν ἓ ἕ·
σκιρτημάτων δὲ νήστισιν
αἰκείαις λαβρόσυτος ἦλθον, ⟨Ἥρας ⟩
ἐπικότοισι μήδεσι δαμεῖσα. δυσ-
δαιμόνων δὲ τίνες οἵ, ἓ ἕ,
οἷʼ ἐγὼ μογοῦσιν;
ἀλλά μοι τορῶς
τέκμηρον ὅ τι μʼ ἐπαμμένει
παθεῖν, τί μῆχαρ, ἢ τί φάρμακον νόσου,
δεῖξον, εἴπερ οἶσθα·
θρόει, φράζε τᾷ δυσπλάνῳ παρθένῳ.

[¶6] Prometheus:
I will tell you plainly all that you would like to know,
not weaving riddles, but in simple language, since it is right to speak openly to friends. Look, I whom you see am Prometheus, who gave fire to mankind.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
λέξω τορῶς σοι πᾶν ὅπερ χρῄζεις μαθεῖν,
οὐκ ἐμπλέκων αἰνίγματʼ, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῷ λόγῳ,
ὥσπερ δίκαιον πρὸς φίλους οἴγειν στόμα.
πυρὸς βροτοῖς δοτῆρʼ ὁρᾷς Προμηθέα.

[¶7] Io:
O you who have shown yourself a common benefactor of mankind, wretched Prometheus, why do you suffer so?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ὦ κοινὸν ὠφέλημα θνητοῖσιν φανείς,
τλῆμον Προμηθεῦ, τοῦ δίκην πάσχεις τάδε;

[¶8] Prometheus:
I have only just now finished lamenting my own calamities.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἁρμοῖ πέπαυμαι τοὺς ἐμοὺς θρηνῶν πόνους.

[¶9] Io:
You will not then do this favor for me?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
οὔκουν πόροις ἂν τήνδε δωρεὰν ἐμοί;

[¶10] Prometheus:
Say what it is you wish; for you can learn all from me.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
λέγʼ ἥντινʼ αἰτῇ· πᾶν γὰρ ἂν πύθοιό μου.

[¶11] Io:
Tell me who has bound you fast in this ravine.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
σήμηνον ὅστις ἐν φάραγγί σʼ ὤχμασεν.

[¶12] Prometheus:
Zeus by his will, Hephaestus by his hand.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
βούλευμα μὲν τὸ Δῖον, Ἡφαίστου δὲ χείρ.

[¶13] Io:
And for what offence do you pay the penalty?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ποινὰς δὲ ποίων ἀμπλακημάτων τίνεις;

[¶14] Prometheus:
It suffices that I have made clear to you this much and no more.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τοσοῦτον ἀρκῶ σοι σαφηνίσας μόνον.

[¶15] Io:
No, also tell me the end of my wandering—what time is set for wretched me.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
καὶ πρός γε τούτοις τέρμα τῆς ἐμῆς πλάνης
δεῖξον, τίς ἔσται τῇ ταλαιπώρῳ χρόνος.

[¶16] Prometheus:
It would be better not to know than to know, in your case.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τὸ μὴ μαθεῖν σοι κρεῖσσον ἢ μαθεῖν τάδε.

[¶17] Io:
I beg you, do not hide from me what I am doomed to suffer.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
μήτοι με κρύψῃς τοῦθʼ ὅπερ μέλλω παθεῖν.

[¶18] Prometheus:
No, it is not that I do not want to grant your request.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἀλλʼ οὐ μεγαίρω τοῦδέ σοι δωρήματος.

[¶19] Io:
Why then your reluctance to tell me everything?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
τί δῆτα μέλλεις μὴ οὐ γεγωνίσκειν τὸ πᾶν;

[¶20] Prometheus:
I am not unwilling; but I hesitate to crush your spirit.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
φθόνος μὲν οὐδείς, σὰς δʼ ὀκνῶ θράξαι φρένας.

[¶21] Io:
Do not be more kind to me than I myself desire.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
μή μου προκήδου μᾶσσον ὡς ἐμοὶ γλυκύ.

[¶22] Prometheus:
Since you insist, I must speak. Listen, then.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἐπεὶ προθυμῇ, χρὴ λέγειν. ἄκουε δή.

[¶23] Chorus:
No, not yet. Grant us too a portion of the pleasure. Let us first inquire the story of her affliction and let her with her own lips relate the events that brought horrid calamity upon her. Then let her be instructed by you as to the toils still to come.

> Greek: Χορός:
μήπω γε· μοῖραν δʼ ἡδονῆς κἀμοὶ πόρε.
τὴν τῆσδε πρῶτον ἱστορήσωμεν νόσον,
αὐτῆς λεγούσης τὰς πολυφθόρους τύχας·
τὰ λοιπὰ δʼ ἄθλων σοῦ διδαχθήτω πάρα.

[¶24] Prometheus:
It is for you, Io, to grant them this favor, especially since they are your father’s sisters. For it is worthwhile to indulge in weeping and in wailing over evil fortunes when one is likely to win the tribute of a tear from the listener.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
σὸν ἔργον, Ἰοῖ, ταῖσδʼ ὑπουργῆσαι χάριν,
ἄλλως τε πάντως καὶ κασιγνήταις πατρός.
ὡς τἀποκλαῦσαι κἀποδύρασθαι τύχας
ἐνταῦθʼ, ὅπου μέλλοι τις οἴσεσθαι δάκρυ
πρὸς τῶν κλυόντων, ἀξίαν τριβὴν ἔχει.

[¶25] Io:
I do not know how to refuse you. You shall learn in truthful speech all that you would like to know. Yet I am ashamed to tell about the storm of calamity sent by Heaven, of the marring of my form, and of the source from which it swooped upon me, wretched that I am.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ὑμῖν ἀπιστῆσαί με χρή,
σαφεῖ δὲ μύθῳ πᾶν ὅπερ προσχρῄζετε
πεύσεσθε· καίτοι καὶ λέγουσʼ αἰσχύνομαι
θεόσσυτον χειμῶνα καὶ διαφθορὰν
μορφῆς, ὅθεν μοι σχετλίᾳ προσέπτατο.

[¶26] For visions of the night, always haunting my maiden chamber, sought to beguile me with seductive words, saying: “O damsel greatly blessed of fortune, why linger in your maidenhood so long when it is within your power to win a union of the highest? Zeus is inflamed by passion’s dart”
“for you and is eager to unite with you in love. Do not, my child, spurn the bed of Zeus, but go forth to Lerna’s meadow land of pastures deep and to your father’s flocks and where his cattle feed, so that the eye of Zeus may find respite from its longing.”

> Greek: αἰεὶ γὰρ ὄψεις ἔννυχοι πωλεύμεναι
ἐς παρθενῶνας τοὺς ἐμοὺς παρηγόρουν
λείοισι μύθοις ὦ μέγʼ εὔδαιμον κόρη,
τί παρθενεύει δαρόν, ἐξόν σοι γάμου
τυχεῖν μεγίστου; Ζεὺς γὰρ ἱμέρου βέλει
πρὸς σοῦ τέθαλπται καὶ συναίρεσθαι Κύπριν
θέλει· σὺ δʼ, ὦ παῖ, μὴ ʼπολακτίσῃς λέχος
τὸ Ζηνός, ἀλλʼ ἔξελθε πρὸς Λέρνης βαθὺν
λειμῶνα, ποίμνας βουστάσεις τε πρὸς πατρός,
ὡς ἂν τὸ Δῖον ὄμμα λωφήσῃ πόθου.

[¶27] By such dreams was I, to my distress, beset night after night, until at last I gained courage to tell my father of the dreams that haunted me. And he sent many a messenger to Pytho and Dodona so that he might discover
what deed or word of his would find favor with the gods. But they returned with report of oracles, riddling, obscure, and darkly worded. Then at last there came an unmistakable utterance to Inachus, charging and commanding him clearly that
he must thrust me forth from home and native land to roam at large to the remotest confines of the earth; and, if he would not, a fiery thunderbolt would come from Zeus that would utterly destroy his whole race. Yielding obedience to such prophetic utterances of Loxias,
he drove me away and barred me from his house, against his will and mine; but the constraint of Zeus forced him to act by necessity. Immediately my form and mind were distorted, and with horns, as you see, upon my forehead,
stung by a sharp-fanged gadfly I rushed with frantic bounds to Cerchnea’s sweet stream and Lerna’s spring. But Argus, the earth-born herdsman, untempered in his rage, pursued me, peering with his many eyes upon my steps.

> Greek: τοιοῖσδε πάσας εὐφρόνας ὀνείρασι
συνειχόμην δύστηνος, ἔστε δὴ πατρὶ
ἔτλην γεγωνεῖν νυκτίφοιτʼ ὀνείρατα.
ὁ δʼ ἔς τε Πυθὼ κἀπὶ Δωδώνης πυκνοὺς
θεοπρόπους ἴαλλεν, ὡς μάθοι τί χρὴ
δρῶντʼ ἢ λέγοντα δαίμοσιν πράσσειν φίλα.
ἧκον δʼ ἀναγγέλλοντες αἰολοστόμους
χρησμοὺς ἀσήμους δυσκρίτως τʼ εἰρημένους.
τέλος δʼ ἐναργὴς βάξις ἦλθεν Ἰνάχῳ
σαφῶς ἐπισκήπτουσα καὶ μυθουμένη
ἔξω δόμων τε καὶ πάτρας ὠθεῖν ἐμέ,
ἄφετον ἀλᾶσθαι γῆς ἐπʼ ἐσχάτοις ὅροις·
κεἰ μὴ θέλοι, πυρωπὸν ἐκ Διὸς μολεῖν
κεραυνόν, ὃς πᾶν ἐξαϊστώσοι γένος.
τοιοῖσδε πεισθεὶς Λοξίου μαντεύμασιν
ἐξήλασέν με κἀπέκλῃσε δωμάτων
ἄκουσαν ἄκων· ἀλλʼ ἐπηνάγκαζέ νιν
Διὸς χαλινὸς πρὸς βίαν πράσσειν τάδε.
εὐθὺς δὲ μορφὴ καὶ φρένες διάστροφοι
ἦσαν, κεραστὶς δʼ, ὡς ὁρᾶτʼ, ὀξυστόμῳ
μύωπι χρισθεῖσʼ ἐμμανεῖ σκιρτήματι
ᾖσσον πρὸς εὔποτόν τε Κερχνείας ῥέος
Λέρνης τε κρήνην· βουκόλος δὲ γηγενὴς
ἄκρατος ὀργὴν Ἄργος ὡμάρτει, πυκνοῖς
ὄσσοις δεδορκὼς τοὺς ἐμοὺς κατὰ στίβους.

[¶28] A sudden death robbed him of life unexpectedly; while I, still tormented by the gadfly, am driven on from land to land before the heaven-sent plague. That is what happened; and if you can declare what toils still remain, reveal them. Do not, from pity, seek
to soothe me with untrue words; for I consider false words to be the foulest sickness.

> Greek: ἀπροσδόκητος δʼ αὐτὸν ἀφνίδιος μόρος
τοῦ ζῆν ἀπεστέρησεν. οἰστροπλὴξ δʼ ἐγὼ
μάστιγι θείᾳ γῆν πρὸ γῆς ἐλαύνομαι.
κλύεις τὰ πραχθέντʼ· εἰ δʼ ἔχεις εἰπεῖν ὅ τι
λοιπὸν πόνων, σήμαινε· μηδέ μʼ οἰκτίσας
ξύνθαλπε μύθοις ψευδέσιν· νόσημα γὰρ
αἴσχιστον εἶναί φημι συνθέτους λόγους.

[¶29] Chorus:
Oh, ah, go away, alas! Never, oh never, did I dream that words so strange would greet my ears;
or that sufferings so grievous to look upon, yes, and so grievous to endure, a tale of outrage, would strike my soul as if with double-pronged goad. Alas, O Fate, O Fate,
I shudder to behold the plight that has befallen Io.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔα ἔα, ἄπεχε, φεῦ·
οὔποτʼ οὔποτʼ ηὔχουν ⟨ὧδε ⟩ ξένους
μολεῖσθαι λόγους εἰς ἀκοὰν ἐμάν,
οὐδʼ ὧδε δυσθέατα καὶ δύσοιστα
πήματα, λύματα, [δείματα] ἀμ-
φάκει κέντρῳ τύψειν ψυχὰν ἐμάν.
ἰὼ [ἰὼ] μοῖρα μοῖρα,
πέφρικʼ εἰσιδοῦσα πρᾶξιν Ἰοῦς.

[¶30] Prometheus:
You lament and are full of fear all too soon. Wait until you have learned the rest as well.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
πρῴ γε στενάζεις καὶ φόβου πλέα τις εἶ·
ἐπίσχες ἔστʼ ἂν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ προσμάθῃς.

[¶31] Chorus:
Proceed, tell all. It is comforting for the sick to know clearly beforehand what pain still awaits them.

> Greek: Χορός:
λέγʼ, ἐκδίδασκε· τοῖς νοσοῦσί τοι γλυκὺ
τὸ λοιπὸν ἄλγος προυξεπίστασθαι τορῶς.

[¶32] Prometheus:
You gained your former request easily from me; for you first desired the story of her ordeal from her own lips. Hear now the sequel, the sufferings this maid is fated to endure at Hera’s hand.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τὴν πρίν γε χρείαν ἠνύσασθʼ ἐμοῦ πάρα
κούφως· μαθεῖν γὰρ τῆσδε πρῶτʼ ἐχρῄζετε
τὸν ἀμφʼ ἑαυτῆς ἆθλον ἐξηγουμένης·
τὰ λοιπὰ νῦν ἀκούσαθʼ, οἷα χρὴ πάθη
τλῆναι πρὸς Ἥρας τήνδε τὴν νεάνιδα.

[¶33] And may you, daughter of Inachus, lay to heart my words so that you may learn the end of your wanderings. First, from this spot, turn yourself toward the rising sun and make your way over untilled plains; and you shall reach the Scythian nomads, who dwell
in thatched houses, perched aloft on strong-wheeled wagons and are equipped with far-darting bows. Do not approach them, but keeping your feet near the rugged shore, where the sea breaks with a roar, pass on beyond their land. On the left hand dwell the workers in iron,
the Chalybes, and you must beware of them, since they are savage and are not to be approached by strangers. Then you shall reach the river Hybristes, which does not belie its name. Do not cross this, for it is hard to cross, until you come to Caucasus itself,
loftiest of mountains, where from its very brows the river pours out its might in fury. You must pass over its crests, which neighbor the stars, and enter upon a southward course, where you shall reach the host of the Amazons, who loathe all men. They shall in time to come
inhabit Themiscyra on the Thermodon, where, fronting the sea, is Salmydessus’ rugged jaw, evil host of mariners, step-mother of ships. The Amazons will gladly guide you on your way. Next, just at the narrow portals of the harbor, you shall reach
the Cimmerian isthmus. This you must leave with stout heart and pass through the channel of Maeotis; and ever after among mankind there shall be great mention of your passing, and it shall be called after you the Bosporus. Then, leaving the soil of Europe,
you shall come to the Asian continent. Does it not seem to you that the tyrant of the gods is violent in all his ways? For this god, desirous of union with this mortal maid, has imposed upon her these wanderings. Maiden, you have gained a cruel suitor
for your hand. As to the tale you now have heard— understand that it has not even passed the introduction.

> Greek: σύ τʼ Ἰνάχειον σπέρμα, τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους
θυμῷ βάλʼ, ὡς ἂν τέρματʼ ἐκμάθῃς ὁδοῦ.
πρῶτον μὲν ἐνθένδʼ ἡλίου πρὸς ἀντολὰς
στρέψασα σαυτὴν στεῖχʼ ἀνηρότους γύας·
Σκύθας δʼ ἀφίξῃ νομάδας, οἳ πλεκτὰς στέγας
πεδάρσιοι ναίουσʼ ἐπʼ εὐκύκλοις ὄχοις
ἑκηβόλοις τόξοισιν ἐξηρτυμένοι·
οἷς μὴ πελάζειν, ἀλλʼ ἁλιστόνοις πόδας
χρίμπτουσα ῥαχίαισιν ἐκπερᾶν χθόνα.
λαιᾶς δὲ χειρὸς οἱ σιδηροτέκτονες
οἰκοῦσι Χάλυβες, οὓς φυλάξασθαί σε χρή.
ἀνήμεροι γὰρ οὐδὲ πρόσπλατοι ξένοις.
ἥξεις δʼ Ὑβριστὴν ποταμὸν οὐ ψευδώνυμον,
ὃν μὴ περάσῃς, οὐ γὰρ εὔβατος περᾶν,
πρὶν ἂν πρὸς αὐτὸν Καύκασον μόλῃς, ὀρῶν
ὕψιστον, ἔνθα ποταμὸς ἐκφυσᾷ μένος
κροτάφων ἀπʼ αὐτῶν. ἀστρογείτονας δὲ χρὴ
κορυφὰς ὑπερβάλλουσαν ἐς μεσημβρινὴν
βῆναι κέλευθον, ἔνθʼ, Ἀμαζόνων στρατὸν
ἥξεις στυγάνορʼ, αἳ Θεμίσκυράν ποτε
κατοικιοῦσιν ἀμφὶ Θερμώδονθʼ, ἵνα
τραχεῖα πόντου Σαλμυδησσία γνάθος
ἐχθρόξενος ναύταισι, μητρυιὰ νεῶν·
αὗταί σʼ ὁδηγήσουσι καὶ μάλʼ ἀσμένως.
ἰσθμὸν δʼ ἐπʼ αὐταῖς στενοπόροις λίμνης πύλαις
Κιμμερικὸν ἥξεις, ὃν θρασυσπλάγχνως σε χρὴ
λιποῦσαν αὐλῶνʼ ἐκπερᾶν Μαιωτικόν·
ἔσται δὲ θνητοῖς εἰσαεὶ λόγος μέγας
τῆς σῆς πορείας, Βόσπορος δʼ ἐπώνυμος
κεκλήσεται. λιποῦσα δʼ Εὐρώπης πέδον
ἤπειρον ἥξεις Ἀσιάδʼ·. ἆρʼ, ὑμῖν δοκεῖ
ὁ τῶν θεῶν τύραννος ἐς τὰ πάνθʼ ὁμῶς
βίαιος εἶναι; τῇδε γὰρ θνητῇ θεὸς
χρῄζων μιγῆναι τάσδʼ ἐπέρριψεν πλάνας.
πικροῦ δʼ ἔκυρσας, ὦ κόρη, τῶν σῶν γάμων
μνηστῆρος. οὓς γὰρ νῦν ἀκήκοας λόγους,
εἶναι δόκει σοι μηδέπω ʼν προοιμίοις.

[¶34] Io:
Ah me, ah me, alas!

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ἰώ μοί μοι, ἒ ἔ.

[¶35] Prometheus:
What! You are crying and groaning again? What will you do, I wonder, when you have learned the sufferings still in store for you?

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
σὺ δʼ αὖ κέκραγας κἀναμυχθίζῃ; τί που
δράσεις, ὅταν τὰ λοιπὰ πυνθάνῃ κακά;

[¶36] Chorus:
What! Can it be that you have sufferings still left to recount to her?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ γάρ τι λοιπὸν τῇδε πημάτων ἐρεῖς;

[¶37] Prometheus:
Yes, a tempestuous sea of calamitous distress.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
δυσχείμερόν γε πέλαγος ἀτηρᾶς δύης.

[¶38] Io:
What gain have I then in life? Why did I not hurl myself straightaway from this rugged rock, so that I was dashed to earth and freed from
all my sufferings? It is better to die once and for all than linger out all my days in misery.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
τί δῆτʼ ἐμοὶ ζῆν κέρδος, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν τάχει
ἔρριψʼ ἐμαυτὴν τῆσδʼ ἀπὸ στύφλου πέτρας,
ὅπως πέδοι σκήψασα τῶν πάντων πόνων
ἀπηλλάγην; κρεῖσσον γὰρ εἰσάπαξ θανεῖν
ἢ τὰς ἁπάσας ἡμέρας πάσχειν κακῶς.

[¶39] Prometheus:
Ah, you would hardly bear my agonies to whom it is not foredoomed to die; for death would have freed me from my sufferings.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἦ δυσπετῶς ἂν τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἄθλους φέροις,
ὅτῳ θανεῖν μέν ἐστιν οὐ πεπρωμένον·
αὕτη γὰρ ἦν ἂν πημάτων ἀπαλλαγή·

[¶40] But now no limit to my tribulations has been appointed until Zeus is hurled from his sovereignty.

> Greek: νῦν δʼ οὐδέν ἐστι τέρμα μοι προκείμενον
μόχθων, πρὶν ἂν Ζεὺς ἐκπέσῃ τυραννίδος.

[¶41] Io:
What! Shall Zeus one day be hurled from his dominion?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ἦ γάρ ποτʼ ἔστιν ἐκπεσεῖν ἀρχῆς Δία;

[¶42] Prometheus:
You would rejoice, I think, to see that happen.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἥδοιʼ ἄν, οἶμαι, τήνδʼ ἰδοῦσα συμφοράν.

[¶43] Io:
Why not, since it is at the hand of Zeus that I suffer?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
πῶς δʼ οὐκ ἄν, ἥτις ἐκ Διὸς πάσχω κακῶς;

[¶44] Prometheus:
Then you may assure yourself that these things are true.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ὡς τοίνυν ὄντων τῶνδέ σοι μαθεῖν πάρα.

[¶45] Io:
By whom shall he be despoiled of the sceptre of his sovereignty?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
πρὸς τοῦ τύραννα σκῆπτρα συληθήσεται;

[¶46] Prometheus:
By himself and his own empty-headed purposes.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
πρὸς αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ κενοφρόνων βουλευμάτων.

[¶47] Io:
In what way? Oh tell me, if there be no harm in telling.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ποίῳ τρόπῳ; σήμηνον, εἰ μή τις βλάβη.

[¶48] Prometheus:
He shall make a marriage that shall one day cause him distress.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
γαμεῖ γάμον τοιοῦτον ᾧ ποτʼ ἀσχαλᾷ.

[¶49] Io:
With a divinity or with a mortal? If it may be told, speak out.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
θέορτον, ἢ βρότειον; εἰ ῥητόν, φράσον.

[¶50] Prometheus:
Why ask with whom? I may not speak of this.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τί δʼ ὅντινʼ·; οὐ γὰρ ῥητὸν αὐδᾶσθαι τόδε.

[¶51] Io:
Is it by his consort that he shall be dethroned?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ἦ πρὸς δάμαρτος ἐξανίσταται θρόνων;

[¶52] Prometheus:
Yes, since she shall bear a son mightier than his father.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἣ τέξεταί γε παῖδα φέρτερον πατρός.

[¶53] Io:
And has he no means to avert this doom?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
οὐδʼ ἔστιν αὐτῷ τῆσδʼ ἀποστροφὴ τύχης;

[¶54] Prometheus:
No, none—except me, if I were released from bondage.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οὐ δῆτα, πλὴν ἔγωγʼ ἂν ἐκ δεσμῶν λυθείς.

[¶55] Io:
Who then is to release you against the will of Zeus?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
τίς οὖν ὁ λύσων ἐστὶν ἄκοντος Διός;

[¶56] Prometheus:
It is to be one of your own grandchildren.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τῶν σῶν τινʼ αὐτὸν ἐγγόνων εἶναι χρεών.

[¶57] Io:
What did you say? A child of mine will release you from your misery?

> Greek: Ἰώ:
πῶς εἶπας; ἦ ʼμὸς παῖς σʼ ἀπαλλάξει κακῶν;

[¶58] Prometheus:
The third in descent after ten generations.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τρίτος γε γένναν πρὸς δέκʼ ἄλλαισιν γοναῖς.

[¶59] Io:
Your prophecy is not easy to understand.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ἥδʼ οὐκέτʼ εὐξύμβλητος ἡ χρησμῳδία.

[¶60] Prometheus:
Yes, so do not seek to learn the full extent of your own sufferings.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
καὶ μηδὲ σαυτῆς ἐκμαθεῖν ζήτει πόνους.

[¶61] Io:
Do not offer me a favor and then withdraw it.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
μή μοι προτείνων κέρδος εἶτʼ ἀποστέρει.

[¶62] Prometheus:
I will present you with one or other of two tales.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
δυοῖν λόγοιν σε θατέρῳ δωρήσομαι.

[¶63] Io:
Which two? Set them forth and offer me the choice.

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ποίοιν; πρόδειξον, αἵρεσίν τʼ ἐμοὶ δίδου.

[¶64] Prometheus:
I am making the offer: choose whether I shall reveal the sufferings still in store for you or the one who will be my deliverer.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
δίδωμʼ· ἑλοῦ γάρ, ἢ πόνων τὰ λοιπά σοι
φράσω σαφηνῶς, ἢ τὸν ἐκλύσοντʼ ἐμέ.

[¶65] Chorus:
Consent to bestow on her one of these favors, and on me the other; do not deny me the tale. Tell her about her further wanderings;
tell me who will deliver you—for I would like to know this.

> Greek: Χορός:
τούτων σὺ τὴν μὲν τῇδε, τὴν δʼ ἐμοὶ χάριν
θέσθαι θέλησον, μηδʼ ἀτιμάσῃς λόγου·
καὶ τῇδε μὲν γέγωνε τὴν λοιπὴν πλάνην,
ἐμοὶ δὲ τὸν λύσοντα· τοῦτο γὰρ ποθῶ.

[¶66] Prometheus:
Well, since you are bent on this, I will not refuse to proclaim all that you still crave to know. First, to you, Io, will I declare your much-vexed wandering, and may you engrave it on the recording tablets of your mind.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἐπεὶ προθυμεῖσθʼ, οὐκ ἐναντιώσομαι
τὸ μὴ οὐ γεγωνεῖν πᾶν ὅσον προσχρῄζετε.
σοὶ πρῶτον, Ἰοῖ, πολύδονον πλάνην φράσω,
ἣν ἐγγράφου σὺ μνήμοσιν δέλτοις φρενῶν.

[¶67] When you have crossed the stream that bounds the two continents, toward the flaming east, where the sun walks,...... crossing the surging sea until you reach the Gorgonean plains of Cisthene, where the daughters of Phorcys dwell, ancient maids,
three in number, shaped like swans, possessing one eye amongst them and a single tooth; neither does the sun with his beams look down upon them, nor ever the nightly moon. And near them are their three winged sisters, the snake-haired Gorgons, loathed of mankind,
whom no one of mortal kind shall look upon and still draw breath. Such is the peril that I bid you to guard against. But now listen to another and a fearsome spectacle. Beware of the sharp-beaked hounds of Zeus that do not bark, the gryphons,
and the one-eyed Arimaspian folk, mounted on horses, who dwell about the flood of Pluto’s stream that flows with gold. Do not approach them. Then you shall come to a far-off country of a dark race that dwells by the waters of the sun, where the river Aethiop is.

> Greek: ὅταν περάσῃς ῥεῖθρον ἠπείροιν ὅρον,
πρὸς ἀντολὰς φλογῶπας ἡλιοστιβεῖς
…
πόντου περῶσα φλοῖσβον, ἔστʼ ἂν ἐξίκῃ
πρὸς Γοργόνεια πεδία Κισθήνης, ἵνα
αἱ Φορκίδες ναίουσι δηναιαὶ κόραι
τρεῖς κυκνόμορφοι, κοινὸν ὄμμʼ ἐκτημέναι,
μονόδοντες, ἃς οὔθʼ ἥλιος προσδέρκεται
ἀκτῖσιν οὔθʼ ἡ νύκτερος μήνη ποτέ.
πέλας δʼ ἀδελφαὶ τῶνδε τρεῖς κατάπτεροι,
δρακοντόμαλλοι Γοργόνες βροτοστυγεῖς,
ἃς θνητὸς οὐδεὶς εἰσιδὼν ἕξει πνοάς.
τοιοῦτο μέν σοι τοῦτο φρούριον λέγω·
ἄλλην δʼ ἄκουσον δυσχερῆ θεωρίαν·
ὀξυστόμους γὰρ Ζηνὸς ἀκραγεῖς κύνας
γρῦπας φύλαξαι, τόν τε μουνῶπα στρατὸν
Ἀριμασπὸν ἱπποβάμονʼ, οἳ χρυσόρρυτον
οἰκοῦσιν ἀμφὶ νᾶμα Πλούτωνος πόρου·
τούτοις σὺ μὴ πέλαζε. τηλουρὸν δὲ γῆν
ἥξεις, κελαινὸν φῦλον, οἳ πρὸς ἡλίου
ναίουσι πηγαῖς, ἔνθα ποταμὸς Αἰθίοψ.

[¶68] Follow along its banks until you reach the cataract, where, from the Bybline mountains, Nile sends forth his hallowed and sweet stream. He will conduct you on your way to the three-angled land of Nilotis, where, at last, it is ordained for you,
O Io, and for your children to found your far-off colony. If anything of this is confusing to you and hard to understand, may you question me yet again, and gain a clear account; for I have more leisure than I crave.

> Greek: τούτου παρʼ ὄχθας ἕρφʼ, ἕως ἂν ἐξίκῃ
καταβασμόν, ἔνθα Βιβλίνων ὀρῶν ἄπο
ἵησι σεπτὸν Νεῖλος εὔποτον ῥέος.
οὗτός σʼ ὁδώσει τὴν τρίγωνον ἐς χθόνα
Νειλῶτιν, οὗ δὴ τὴν μακρὰν ἀποικίαν,
Ἰοῖ, πέπρωται σοί τε καὶ τέκνοις κτίσαι.
τῶν δʼ εἴ τί σοι ψελλόν τε καὶ δυσεύρετον,
ἐπανδίπλαζε καὶ σαφῶς ἐκμάνθανε·
σχολὴ δὲ πλείων ἢ θέλω πάρεστί μοι.

[¶69] Chorus:
If there is anything still remaining or passed over
of her direful wandering that you have to tell, oh speak. But if you have told all, grant us in turn the favor we request—you probably have it still in memory.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ μέν τι τῇδε λοιπὸν ἢ παρειμένον
ἔχεις γεγωνεῖν τῆς πολυφθόρου πλάνης,
λέγʼ· εἰ δὲ πάντʼ εἴρηκας, ἡμῖν αὖ χάριν
δὸς ἥνπερ αἰτούμεσθα, μέμνησαι δέ που.

[¶70] Prometheus:
She has now heard the full end of her travels; yet so she may know that she has heard no vain tale from me,
I will describe the toils she has endured before she came here, giving this as a sure proof of my account. Most of the weary tale I shall leave out and come to the very close of your wanderings. For when you reached the Molossian plains
and the sheer ridge that encircles Dodona, where lies the prophetic seat of Thesprotian Zeus and that marvel, passing all belief, the talking oaks, by which you clearly, and in no riddling terms, were saluted as the renowned
bride-to-be of Zeus (is any of this pleasing to you?), then, stung by the gadfly, you rushed along the pathway by the shore to the great gulf of Rhea, from where you are tossed in backward-wandering course; and for all time to come a recess of the sea,
be well assured, shall bear the name Ionian, as a memorial of your crossing for all mankind. These, then, are the tokens to you of my understanding, to show that it discerns more than has been made manifest. The rest I shall declare both to you and her,
returning to the track of my former tale.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τὸ πᾶν πορείας ἥδε τέρμʼ ἀκήκοεν.
ὅπως δʼ ἂν εἰδῇ μὴ μάτην κλύουσά μου,
ἃ πρὶν μολεῖν δεῦρʼ ἐκμεμόχθηκεν φράσω,
τεκμήριον τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ δοὺς μύθων ἐμῶν.
ὄχλον μὲν οὖν τὸν πλεῖστον ἐκλείψω λόγων,
πρὸς αὐτὸ δʼ εἶμι τέρμα σῶν πλανημάτων.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθες πρὸς Μολοσσὰ γάπεδα,
τὴν αἰπύνωτόν τʼ ἀμφὶ Δωδώνην, ἵνα
μαντεῖα θᾶκός τʼ ἐστὶ Θεσπρωτοῦ Διός,
τέρας τʼ ἄπιστον, αἱ προσήγοροι δρύες,
ὑφʼ ὧν σὺ λαμπρῶς κοὐδὲν αἰνικτηρίως
προσηγορεύθης ἡ Διὸς κλεινὴ δάμαρ
μέλλουσʼ ἔσεσθαι. τῶνδε προσσαίνει σέ τι;
ἐντεῦθεν οἰστρήσασα τὴν παρακτίαν
κέλευθον ᾖξας πρὸς μέγαν κόλπον Ῥέας,
ἀφʼ οὗ παλιμπλάγκτοισι χειμάζῃ δρόμοις·
χρόνον δὲ τὸν μέλλοντα πόντιος μυχός,
σαφῶς ἐπίστασʼ, Ἰόνιος κεκλήσεται,.
τῆς σῆς πορείας μνῆμα τοῖς πᾶσιν βροτοῖς.
σημεῖά σοι τάδʼ ἐστὶ τῆς ἐμῆς φρενός,
ὡς δέρκεται πλέον τι τοῦ πεφασμένου.
τὰ λοιπὰ δʼ ὑμῖν τῇδέ τʼ ἐς κοινὸν φράσω,
ἐς ταὐτὸν ἐλθὼν τῶν πάλαι λόγων ἴχνος.

[¶71] There is a city, Canobus, on the extremity of the land at the very mouth and silt-bar of the Nile. There at last Zeus restores you to your senses by the mere stroke and touch of his unterrifying hand.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἔστιν πόλις Κάνωβος ἐσχάτη χθονός,
Νείλου πρὸς αὐτῷ στόματι καὶ προσχώματι·
ἐνταῦθα δή σε Ζεὺς τίθησιν ἔμφρονα
ἐπαφῶν ἀταρβεῖ χειρὶ καὶ θιγὼν μόνον.

[¶72] And you shall bring forth dark Epaphus, thus named from the manner of Zeus’ engendering; and he shall gather the fruit of all the land watered by the broad-flowing Nile. Fifth in descent from him, fifty maidens shall return to Argos, not of their own
free choice, but fleeing marriage with their cousin kin; while these, their hearts ablaze with passion, like falcons eagerly pursuing doves, shall come in pursuit of wedlock unlawful to pursue; but God shall grudge them enjoyment of their brides.

> Greek: ἐπώνυμον δὲ τῶν Διὸς γεννημάτων
τέξεις κελαινὸν Ἔπαφον, ὃς καρπώσεται
ὅσην πλατύρρους Νεῖλος ἀρδεύει χθόνα·
πέμπτη δʼ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ γέννα πεντηκοντάπαις
πάλιν πρὸς Ἄργος οὐχ ἑκοῦσʼ ἐλεύσεται
θηλύσπορος, φεύγουσα συγγενῆ γάμον
ἀνεψιῶν· οἱ δʼ ἐπτοημένοι φρένας,
κίρκοι πελειῶν οὐ μακρὰν λελειμμένοι,
ἥξουσι θηρεύοντες οὐ θηρασίμους
γάμους, φθόνον δὲ σωμάτων ἕξει θεός·

[¶73] Pelasgian soil shall offer the maids a home, when, in the watches of the night, their husbands have been slain by a deed of daring wrought by the women’s murderous blows. For each bride shall take the life of her lord, dyeing a two-edged sword in his blood—in such ways may Love come upon my enemies!

> Greek: Πελασγία δὲ δέξεται θηλυκτόνῳ
Ἄρει, δαμέντων νυκτιφρουρήτῳ θράσει.
γυνὴ γὰρ ἄνδρʼ ἕκαστον αἰῶνος στερεῖ,
δίθηκτον ἐν σφαγαῖσι βάψασα ξίφος·
τοιάδʼ ἐπʼ ἐχθροὺς τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἔλθοι Κύπρις.

[¶74] However, love’s desire shall charm one of the maidens not to slay her mate; rather, her resolve will lose its edge; for she will make her choice between two evil names to be called coward rather than murderess. She it is who shall give birth in Argos to a royal line—
a long story is necessary to explain this clearly; of her seed, however, shall be born a man of daring, renowned with the bow, who shall deliver me from these toils. Such is the oracle recounted to me by my mother, Titan Themis, born long ago.

> Greek: μίαν δὲ παίδων ἵμερος θέλξει τὸ μὴ
κτεῖναι σύνευνον, ἀλλʼ ἀπαμβλυνθήσεται
γνώμην· δυοῖν δὲ θάτερον βουλήσεται,
κλύειν ἄναλκις μᾶλλον ἢ μιαιφόνος·
αὕτη κατʼ Ἄργος βασιλικὸν τέξει γένος.
μακροῦ λόγου δεῖ ταῦτʼ ἐπεξελθεῖν τορῶς.
σπορᾶς γε μὴν ἐκ τῆσδε φύσεται θρασὺς
τόξοισι κλεινός, ὃς πόνων ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἐμὲ
λύσει. τοιόνδε χρησμὸν ἡ παλαιγενὴς
μήτηρ ἐμοὶ διῆλθε Τιτανὶς Θέμις·

[¶75] The manner and the means—these need lengthy speech to tell, and to learn them all would not be of any benefit.

> Greek: ὅπως δὲ χὤπη, ταῦτα δεῖ μακροῦ λόγου
εἰπεῖν, σύ τʼ οὐδὲν ἐκμαθοῦσα κερδανεῖς.

[¶76] Io:
Oh! Oh! Alas! Once again convulsive pain and frenzy, striking my brain, inflame me. I am stung by the gadfly’s barb,
unforged by fire. My heart knocks at my ribs in terror; my eyeballs roll wildly round and round. I am carried out of my course by a fierce blast of madness; I’ve lost all mastery over my tongue,
and a stream of turbid words beats recklessly against the billows of dark destruction. Exit

> Greek: Ἰώ:
ἐλελεῦ ἐλελεῦ,
ὑπό μʼ αὖ σφάκελος καὶ φρενοπληγεῖς
μανίαι θάλπουσʼ, οἴστρου δʼ ἄρδις
χρίει μʼ ἄπυρος·
κραδία δὲ φόβῳ φρένα λακτίζει.
τροχοδινεῖται δʼ ὄμμαθʼ ἑλίγδην,
ἔξω δὲ δρόμου φέρομαι λύσσης
πνεύματι μάργῳ, γλώσσης ἀκρατής·
θολεροὶ δὲ λόγοι παίουσʼ εἰκῆ
στυγνῆς πρὸς κύμασιν ἄτης.

[¶77] Chorus:
Ah, sage, sage indeed, was he who first pondered this truth in his mind and with his tongue gave it utterance—
that to marry in one’s own class is far the best—a poor man should not desire to marry among those who are pampered by riches, or who are mighty in pride of birth.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ σοφὸς ἦ σοφὸς [ἦν] ὃς
πρῶτος ἐν γνώμᾳ τόδʼ ἐβάστασε καὶ γλώσ-
σᾳ διεμυθολόγησεν,
ὡς τὸ κηδεῦσαι καθʼ ἑαυτὸν ἀριστεύει μακρῷ,
καὶ μήτε τῶν πλούτῳ διαθρυπτομένων
μήτε τῶν γέννᾳ μεγαλυνομένων
ὄντα χερνήταν ἐραστεῦσαι γάμων.

[¶78] Chorus:
Never, oh never,
immortal Fates, may you see me the partner of the bed of Zeus, and may I be wedded to no bridegroom who descends to me from heaven. For I shudder when I behold the loveless maidenhood of Io, cruelly crushed like this
by her toilsome wanderings sent by Hera.

> Greek: Χορός:
μήποτε μήποτέ μʼ, ὦ
⟨πότνιαι⟩ Μοῖραι, λεχέων Διὸς εὐνά-
τειραν ἴδοισθε πέλουσαν·
μηδὲ πλαθείην γαμέτᾳ τινὶ τῶν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ.
ταρβῶ γὰρ ἀστεργάνορα παρθενίαν
εἰσορῶσʼ Ἰοῦς ἀμαλαπτομέναν
δυσπλάνοις Ἥρας ἀλατείαις πόνων.

[¶79] Chorus:
When marriage is on equal terms, in my opinion it is no cause for dread; so never may the love of the mightier gods cast on me its irresistible glance. That would indeed be a war that cannot be fought, a source of resourceless misery; and
I do not know what would be my fate, for I do not see how I could escape the designs of Zeus.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐμοὶ δʼ ὅτε μὲν ὁμαλὸς ὁ γάμος,
ἄφοβος· [οὐ δέδια·] μηδὲ κρεισσόνων θεῶν
ἔρως ἄφυκτον ὄμμα προσδράκοι με.
ἀπόλεμος ὅδε γʼ ὁ πόλεμος, ἄπορα πόριμος·
οὐδʼ ἔχω τίς ἂν γενοίμαν.
τὰν Διὸς γὰρ οὐχ ὁρῶ
μῆτιν ὅπα φύγοιμʼ ἄν.

[¶80] Prometheus:
Yes, truly, the day will come when Zeus, although stubborn of soul, shall be humbled, seeing that he plans a marriage that shall
hurl him into oblivion from his sovereignty and throne; and then immediately the curse his father Cronus invoked as he fell from his ancient throne, shall be fulfilled to the uttermost. Deliverance from such ruin no one of the gods can show him clearly except me.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἦ μὴν ἔτι Ζεύς, καίπερ αὐθάδης φρενῶν,
ἔσται ταπεινός, οἷον ἐξαρτύεται
γάμον γαμεῖν, ὃς αὐτὸν ἐκ τυραννίδος
θρόνων τʼ ἄιστον ἐκβαλεῖ· πατρὸς δʼ ἀρὰ
Κρόνου τότʼ ἤδη παντελῶς κρανθήσεται,
ἣν ἐκπίτνων ἠρᾶτο δηναιῶν θρόνων.
τοιῶνδε μόχθων ἐκτροπὴν οὐδεὶς θεῶν
δύναιτʼ ἂν αὐτῷ πλὴν ἐμοῦ δεῖξαι σαφῶς.

[¶81] I know the fact and the means. So let him sit there in his assurance, putting his trust in the crash reverberating on high and brandishing his fire-breathing bolt in his hands. For these shall not protect him from falling in ignominious and unendurable ruin.

> Greek: ἐγὼ τάδʼ οἶδα χᾦ τρόπῳ. πρὸς ταῦτά νυν
θαρσῶν καθήσθω τοῖς πεδαρσίοις κτύποις
πιστός, τινάσσων τʼ ἐν χεροῖν πύρπνουν βέλος.
οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ ταῦτʼ ἐπαρκέσει τὸ μὴ οὐ
πεσεῖν ἀτίμως πτώματʼ οὐκ ἀνασχετά·

[¶82] Such an adversary is he now preparing despite himself, a prodigy irresistible, even one who shall discover a flame mightier than the lightning and a deafening crash to outroar the thunder; a prodigy who shall shiver the trident,
Poseidon’s spear, that scourge of the sea and shaker of the land. Then, wrecked upon this evil, Zeus shall learn how different it is to be a sovereign and a slave.

> Greek: τοῖον παλαιστὴν νῦν παρασκευάζεται
ἐπʼ αὐτὸς αὑτῷ, δυσμαχώτατον τέρας·
ὃς δὴ κεραυνοῦ κρείσσονʼ εὑρήσει φλόγα,
βροντῆς θʼ ὑπερβάλλοντα καρτερὸν κτύπον·
θαλασσίαν τε γῆς τινάκτειραν νόσον
τρίαιναν, αἰχμὴν τὴν Ποσειδῶνος, σκεδᾷ.
πταίσας δὲ τῷδε πρὸς κακῷ μαθήσεται
ὅσον τό τʼ ἄρχειν καὶ τὸ δουλεύειν δίχα.

[¶83] Chorus:
Surely, it is only your own desire that you utter as a curse against Zeus.

> Greek: Χορός:
σύ θην ἃ χρῄζεις, ταῦτʼ ἐπιγλωσσᾷ Διός.

[¶84] Prometheus:
I speak what shall be brought to pass and, moreover, my own desire.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἅπερ τελεῖται, πρὸς δʼ ἃ βούλομαι λέγω.

[¶85] Chorus:
Must we really look for one to gain mastery over Zeus?

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ προσδοκᾶν χρὴ δεσπόσειν Ζηνός τινα;

[¶86] Prometheus:
Yes, and he shall bear upon his neck pangs more galling than these of mine.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
καὶ τῶνδέ γʼ, ἕξει δυσλοφωτέρους πόνους.

[¶87] Chorus:
How is it that you are not afraid to utter such taunts?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς δʼ οὐχὶ ταρβεῖς τοιάδʼ ἐκρίπτων ἔπη;

[¶88] Prometheus:
Why should I fear since I am fated not to die?

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τί δʼ ἂν φοβοίμην ᾧ θανεῖν οὐ μόρσιμον;

[¶89] Chorus:
But he might inflict on you an ordeal even more bitter than this.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἆθλον ἄν σοι τοῦδʼ ἔτʼ ἀλγίω πόροι.

[¶90] Prometheus:
Let him, for all I care! I am prepared for anything.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ὁ δʼ οὖν ποιείτω· πάντα προσδοκητά μοι.

[¶91] Chorus:
Wise are they who do homage to Necessity.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἱ προσκυνοῦντες τὴν Ἀδράστειαν σοφοί.

[¶92] Prometheus:
Worship, adore, and fawn upon whoever is your lord. But for Zeus I care less than nothing. Let him do his will, let him hold his power
for his little day— since he will not bear sway over the gods for long. But wait, for over there I see his messenger, the servant of our new lord and master. Certainly he has come to announce some news.
Enter Hermes

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
σέβου, προσεύχου, θῶπτε τὸν κρατοῦντʼ ἀεί.
ἐμοὶ δʼ ἔλασσον Ζηνὸς ἢ μηδὲν μέλει.
δράτω, κρατείτω τόνδε τὸν βραχὺν χρόνον,
ὅπως θέλει· δαρὸν γὰρ οὐκ ἄρξει θεοῖς.
ἀλλʼ εἰσορῶ γὰρ τόνδε τὸν Διὸς τρόχιν,
τὸν τοῦ τυράννου τοῦ νέου διάκονον·
πάντως τι καινὸν ἀγγελῶν ἐλήλυθεν.

[¶93] Hermes:
To you, the clever and crafty, bitter beyond all bitterness,
who has sinned against the gods in bestowing honors upon creatures of a day—to you, thief of fire, I speak. The Father commands that you tell what marriage you boast of, whereby he is to be hurled from power—and this, mark well, set forth in no riddling fashion,
but point by point, as the case exactly stands; and do not impose upon me a double journey, Prometheus—you see Zeus is not appeased by dealings such as yours.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
σὲ τὸν σοφιστήν, τὸν πικρῶς ὑπέρπικρον,
τὸν ἐξαμαρτόντʼ εἰς θεοὺς ἐφημέροις
πορόντα τιμάς, τὸν πυρὸς κλέπτην λέγω·
πατὴρ ἄνωγέ σʼ οὕστινας κομπεῖς γάμους
αὐδᾶν, πρὸς ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐκπίπτει κράτους.
καὶ ταῦτα μέντοι μηδὲν αἰνικτηρίως,
ἀλλʼ αὔθʼ ἕκαστα φράζε· μηδέ μοι διπλᾶς
ὁδούς, Προμηθεῦ, προσβάλῃς· ὁρᾷς δʼ ὅτι
Ζεὺς τοῖς τοιούτοις οὐχὶ μαλθακίζεται.

[¶94] Prometheus:
Bravely spoken, in truth, and swollen with pride is your speech, as befits a minion of the gods.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
σεμνόστομός γε καὶ φρονήματος πλέως
ὁ μῦθός ἐστιν, ὡς θεῶν ὑπηρέτου.

[¶95] Young you are, as young your power, and you think indeed that you inhabit heights beyond the reach of grief. Have I not seen two sovereigns cast out from these heights? A third, the present lord, I shall live to see cast out in ruin most shameful and most swift. Do you think
I quail, perhaps, and cower before these upstart gods? Far from it—no, not at all. But scurry back the way you came; for you shall learn nothing about which you question me.

> Greek: νέον νέοι κρατεῖτε καὶ δοκεῖτε δὴ
ναίειν ἀπενθῆ πέργαμʼ· οὐκ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἐγὼ
δισσοὺς τυράννους ἐκπεσόντας ᾐσθόμην;
τρίτον δὲ τὸν νῦν κοιρανοῦντʼ ἐπόψομαι
αἴσχιστα καὶ τάχιστα. μή τί σοι δοκῶ
ταρβεῖν ὑποπτήσσειν τε τε τοὺς νέους θεούς;
πολλοῦ γε καὶ τοῦ παντὸς ἐλλείπω. σὺ δὲ
κέλευθον ἥνπερ ἦλθες ἐγκόνει πάλιν·
πεύσῃ γὰρ οὐδὲν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς ἐμέ.

[¶96] Hermes:
Yet it was by such proud wilfulness before, too,
that you brought yourself to this harbor of distress.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
τοιοῖσδε μέντοι καὶ πρὶν αὐθαδίσμασιν
ἐς τάσδε σαυτὸν πημονὰς καθώρμισας.

[¶97] Prometheus:
For your servitude, rest assured, I’d not barter my hard lot, not I.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
τῆς σῆς λατρείας τὴν ἐμὴν δυσπραξίαν,
σαφῶς ἐπίστασʼ, οὐκ ἂν ἀλλάξαιμʼ ἐγώ.

[¶98] Hermes:
Better, no doubt, to serve this rock than be the trusted messenger of Father Zeus!

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
κρεῖσσον γὰρ οἶμαι τῇδε λατρεύειν πέτρᾳ
ἢ πατρὶ φῦναι Ζηνὶ πιστὸν ἄγγελον.

[¶99] Prometheus:
Such is the proper style for the insolent to offer insult.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οὕτως ὑβρίζειν τοὺς ὑβρίζοντας χρεών.

[¶100] Hermes:
I think you revel in your present plight.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
χλιδᾶν ἔοικας τοῖς παροῦσι πράγμασι.

[¶101] Prometheus:
I revel? Oh, I wish that I might see my enemies revelling in this way! And you, too, I count among them.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
χλιδῶ; χλιδῶντας ὧδε τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐγὼ
ἐχθροὺς ἴδοιμι· καὶ σὲ δʼ ἐν τούτοις λέγω.

[¶102] Hermes:
What! You blame me in some way for your calamities?

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
ἦ κἀμὲ γάρ τι συμφοραῖς ἐπαιτιᾷ;

[¶103] Prometheus:
In one word, I hate all the gods that received good at my hands and with ill requite me wrongfully.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἁπλῷ λόγῳ τοὺς πάντας ἐχθαίρω θεούς,
ὅσοι παθόντες εὖ κακοῦσί μʼ ἐκδίκως.

[¶104] Hermes:
Your words declare you stricken with no slight madness.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
κλύω σʼ ἐγὼ μεμηνότʼ οὐ σμικρὰν νόσον.

[¶105] Prometheus:
Mad I may be—if it is madness to loathe one’s enemies.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
νοσοῖμʼ ἄν, εἰ νόσημα τοὺς ἐχθροὺς στυγεῖν.

[¶106] Hermes:
You would be unbearable if you were prosperous.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
εἴης φορητὸς οὐκ ἄν, εἰ πράσσοις καλῶς.

[¶107] Prometheus:
Alas!

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
⟨ὤμοι.⟩

[¶108] Hermes:
“Alas”? That is a word unknown to Zeus.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
ὤμοι; τόδε Ζεὺς τοὔπος οὐκ ἐπίσταται.

[¶109] Prometheus:
But ever-ageing Time teaches all things.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ἀλλʼ ἐκδιδάσκει πάνθʼ ὁ γηράσκων χρόνος.

[¶110] Hermes:
Yes, but you at least have not yet learned to keep a sober mind.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
καὶ μὴν σύ γʼ οὔπω σωφρονεῖν ἐπίστασαι.

[¶111] Prometheus:
Or else I would not have addressed you, an underling.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
σὲ γὰρ προσηύδων οὐκ ἂν ὄνθʼ ὑπηρέτην.

[¶112] Hermes:
It seems you will answer nothing that the Father demands.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
ἐρεῖν ἔοικας οὐδὲν ὧν χρῄζει πατήρ.

[¶113] Prometheus:
Yes, truly, I am his debtor and I should repay favor to him.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
καὶ μὴν ὀφείλων γʼ ἂν τίνοιμʼ αὐτῷ χάριν.

[¶114] Hermes:
You taunt me as though, indeed, I were a child.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
ἐκερτόμησας δῆθεν ὡς παῖδʼ ὄντα με.

[¶115] Prometheus:
And are you not a child and even more witless than a child if you expect to learn anything from me? There is no torment or device by which
Zeus shall induce me to utter this until these injurious fetters are loosed. So then, let his blazing lightning be hurled, and with the white wings of the snow and thunders of earthquake let him confound the reeling world.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
οὐ γὰρ σὺ παῖς τε κἄτι τοῦδʼ ἀνούστερος
εἰ προσδοκᾷς ἐμοῦ τι πεύσεσθαι πάρα;
οὐκ ἔστιν αἴκισμʼ οὐδὲ μηχάνημʼ ὅτῳ
προτρέψεταί με Ζεὺς γεγωνῆσαι τάδε,
πρὶν ἂν χαλασθῇ δεσμὰ λυμαντήρια.
πρὸς ταῦτα ῥιπτέσθω μὲν αἰθαλοῦσσα φλόξ,
λευκοπτέρῳ δὲ νιφάδι καὶ βροντήμασι
χθονίοις κυκάτω πάντα καὶ ταρασσέτω.

[¶116] For nothing of this shall bend my will even to tell at whose hands he is fated to be hurled from his sovereignty.

> Greek: γνάμψει γὰρ οὐδὲν τῶνδέ μʼ ὥστε καὶ φράσαι
πρὸς οὗ χρεών νιν ἐκπεσεῖν τυραννίδος.

[¶117] Hermes:
Look now whether this course seems to profit you.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
ὅρα νυν εἴ σοι ταῦτʼ ἀρωγὰ φαίνεται.

[¶118] Prometheus:
Long ago has this my course been foreseen and resolved.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ὦπται πάλαι δὴ καὶ βεβούλευται τάδε.

[¶119] Hermes:
Bend your will, perverse fool, oh bend your will at last
to wisdom in face of your present sufferings.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
τόλμησον, ὦ μάταιε, τόλμησόν ποτε
πρὸς τὰς παρούσας πημονὰς ὀρθῶς φρονεῖν,

[¶120] Prometheus:
In vain you trouble me, as though it were a wave you try to persuade. Never think that, through terror at the will of Zeus, I shall become womanish and, with hands upturned, aping woman’s ways,
shall importune my greatly hated enemy to release me from these bonds. I am far, far from that.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
ὀχλεῖς μάτην με κῦμʼ ὅπως παρηγορῶν.
εἰσελθέτω σε μήποθʼ ὡς ἐγὼ Διὸς
γνώμην φοβηθεὶς θηλύνους γενήσομαι,
καὶ λιπαρήσω τὸν μέγα στυγούμενον
γυναικομίμοις ὑπτιάσμασιν χερῶν
λῦσαί με δεσμῶν τῶνδε· τοῦ παντὸς δέω.

[¶121] Hermes:
I think that by speaking much I will only speak in vain; for you are not soothed nor are you softened by my entreaties. You take the bit in your teeth like a new-harnessed
colt and struggle against the reins. Yet it is a paltry device that prompts your vehemence, for in the foolish-minded mere self-will of itself avails less than anything at all. But if you will not be won to belief by my words,
think of what a tempest and a towering wave of woe shall break upon you past escape. First, the Father will shatter this jagged cliff with thunder and lightning-flame, and will entomb your frame, while the rock shall still hold you clasped in its embrace.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
λέγων ἔοικα πολλὰ καὶ μάτην ἐρεῖν·
τέγγῃ γὰρ οὐδὲν οὐδὲ μαλθάσσῃ λιταῖς
ἐμαῖς· δακὼν δὲ στόμιον ὡς νεοζυγὴς
πῶλος βιάζῃ καὶ πρὸς ἡνίας μάχῃ.
ἀτὰρ σφοδρύνῃ γʼ ἀσθενεῖ σοφίσματι·
αὐθαδία γὰρ τῷ φρονοῦντι μὴ καλῶς
αὐτὴ καθʼ αὑτὴν οὐδενὸς μεῖζον σθένει.
σκέψαι δʼ, ἐὰν μὴ τοῖς ἐμοῖς πεισθῇς λόγοις,
οἷός σε χειμὼν καὶ κακῶν τρικυμία
ἔπεισʼ ἄφυκτος· πρῶτα μὲν γὰρ ὀκρίδα
φάραγγα βροντῇ καὶ κεραυνίᾳ φλογὶ
πατὴρ σπαράξει τήνδε, καὶ κρύψει δέμας
τὸ σόν, πετραία δʼ ἀγκάλη σε βαστάσει.

[¶122] But when you have completed a long stretch of time, you shall come back again to the light. Then indeed the winged hound of Zeus, the ravening eagle, coming an unbidden banqueter the whole day long, with savage appetite shall tear your body piecemeal into great rents and feast his fill
upon your liver until it is black with gnawing. Look for no term of this your agony until some god shall appear to take upon himself your woes and of his own free will descend into the sunless realm of Death and the dark deeps of Tartarus.

> Greek: μακρὸν δὲ μῆκος ἐκτελευτήσας χρόνου
ἄψορρον ἥξεις εἰς φάος· Διὸς δέ τοί
πτηνὸς κύων, δαφοινὸς αἰετός, λάβρως
διαρταμήσει σώματος μέγα ῥάκος,
ἄκλητος ἕρπων δαιταλεὺς πανήμερος,
κελαινόβρωτον δʼ ἧπαρ ἐκθοινήσεται.
τοιοῦδε μόχθου τέρμα μή τι προσδόκα,
πρὶν ἂν θεῶν τις διάδοχος τῶν σῶν πόνων
φανῇ, θελήσῃ τʼ εἰς ἀναύγητον μολεῖν
Ἅιδην κνεφαῖά τʼ ἀμφὶ Ταρτάρου βάθη.

[¶123] Therefore be advised, since this is no counterfeited vaunting but utter truth; for the mouth of Zeus does not know how to utter falsehood, but will bring to pass every word. May you consider warily and reflect, and never deem
stubbornness better than wise counsel.

> Greek: πρὸς ταῦτα βούλευʼ· ὡς ὅδʼ οὐ πεπλασμένος
ὁ κόμπος, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν εἰρημένος·
ψευδηγορεῖν γὰρ οὐκ ἐπίσταται στόμα
τὸ Δῖον, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ἔπος τελεῖ· σὺ δὲ
πάπταινε καὶ φρόντιζε, μηδʼ αὐθαδίαν
εὐβουλίας ἀμείνονʼ ἡγήσῃ ποτέ.

[¶124] Chorus:
To us, at least, Hermes seems not to speak untimely; for he bids you to lay aside your stubbornness and seek the good counsel of wisdom. Be advised! It is shameful for the wise to persist in error.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡμῖν μὲν Ἑρμῆς οὐκ ἄκαιρα φαίνεται
λέγειν. ἄνωγε γάρ σε τὴν αὐθαδίαν
μεθέντʼ ἐρευνᾶν τὴν σοφὴν εὐβουλίαν.
πιθοῦ· σοφῷ γὰρ αἰσχρὸν ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

[¶125] Prometheus:
No news to me, in truth, is the message this fellow has proclaimed so noisily. Yet for enemy to suffer ill from enemy is no disgrace. Therefore let the lightning’s forked curl be cast upon my head and let the sky
be convulsed with thunder and the wrack of savage winds; let the hurricane shake the earth from its rooted base, and let the waves of the sea mingle with their savage surge the courses
of the stars in heaven; and let him lift me on high and hurl me down to black Tartarus with the swirling floods of stern Necessity: do what he will, me he shall never bring to death.

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
εἰδότι τοί μοι τάσδʼ ἀγγελίας
ὅδʼ ἐθώυξεν· πάσχειν δὲ κακῶς
ἐχθρὸν ὑπʼ ἐχθρῶν οὐδὲν ἀεικές.
πρὸς ταῦτʼ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ ῥιπτέσθω μὲν
πυρὸς ἀμφήκης βόστρυχος, αἰθὴρ δʼ
ἐρεθιζέσθω βροντῇ σφακέλῳ τʼ
ἀγρίων ἀνέμων· χθόνα δʼ ἐκ πυθμένων
αὐταῖς ῥίζαις πνεῦμα κραδαίνοι,
κῦμα δὲ πόντου τραχεῖ ῥοθίῳ
συγχώσειεν τῶν οὐρανίων
ἄστρων διόδους· εἴς τε κελαινὸν
Τάρταρον ἄρδην ῥίψειε δέμας
τοὐμὸν ἀνάγκης στερραῖς δίναις·
πάντως ἐμέ γʼ οὐ θανατώσει.

[¶126] Hermes:
Such indeed are the thoughts and the words
one hears from men deranged. Where does his prayer fall short of raving? Where does he abate his frenzy?—But, at all events, may you who sympathize with his anguish,
withdraw in haste from this spot so that the relentless roar of the thunder does not stun your senses.

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
τοιάδε μέντοι τῶν φρενοπλήκτων
βουλεύματʼ ἔπη τʼ ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι.
τί γὰρ ἐλλείπει μὴ ⟨οὐ⟩ παραπαίειν
ἡ τοῦδʼ εὐχή; τί χαλᾷ μανιῶν;
ἀλλʼ οὖν ὑμεῖς γʼ αἱ πημοσύναις
συγκάμνουσαι ταῖς τοῦδε τόπων
μετά ποι χωρεῖτʼ ἐκ τῶνδε θοῶς,
μὴ φρένας ὑμῶν ἠλιθιώσῃ
βροντῆς μύκημʼ ἀτέραμνον.

[¶127] Chorus:
Use some other strain and urge me to some other course in which you are likely to convince me. This utterance
in your flood of speech is, I think, past all endurance. How do you charge me to practise baseness? With him I am content to suffer any fate; for I have learned to detest traitors, and there is no pest
I abhor more than this.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄλλο τι φώνει καὶ παραμυθοῦ μʼ
ὅ τι καὶ πείσεις· οὐ γὰρ δή που
τοῦτό γε τλητὸν παρέσυρας ἔπος.
πῶς με κελεύεις κακότητʼ ἀσκεῖν;
μετὰ τοῦδʼ ὅ τι χρὴ πάσχειν ἐθέλω·
τοὺς προδότας γὰρ μισεῖν ἔμαθον,
κοὐκ ἔστι νόσος
τῆσδʼ ἥντινʼ ἀπέπτυσα μᾶλλον.

[¶128] Hermes:
Well then, bear my warning in memory and do not blame your fortune when you are caught in the toils of calamity; nor ever say that it was Zeus who cast you
into suffering unforeseen. Not so, but blame yourselves. For well forewarned, and not suddenly or secretly shall you be entangled in the inextricable net of calamity by reason of your folly. Exit

> Greek: Ἑρμῆς:
ἀλλʼ οὖν μέμνησθʼ ἁγὼ προλέγω
μηδὲ πρὸς ἄτης θηραθεῖσαι
μέμψησθε τύχην, μηδέ ποτʼ εἴπηθʼ
ὡς Ζεὺς ὑμᾶς εἰς ἀπρόοπτον
πῆμʼ εἰσέβαλεν· μὴ δῆτʼ αὐταὶ δʼ
ὑμᾶς αὐτάς. εἰδυῖαι γὰρ
κοὐκ ἐξαίφνης οὐδὲ λαθραίως
εἰς ἀπέρατον δίκτυον ἄτης
ἐμπλεχθήσεσθʼ ὑπʼ ἀνοίας.

[¶129] Prometheus:
Indeed, now it has passed from word to deed—the earth rocks, the echoing thunder-peal from the depths rolls roaring past me; the fiery wreathed lightning-flashes flare forth, and whirlwinds toss the
swirling dust; the blasts of all the winds leap forth and set in hostile array their embattled strife; the sky is confounded with the deep. Behold, this stormy turmoil advances against me visibly,
sent by Zeus to frighten me. O holy mother mine, O you firmament that revolves the common light of all, you see the wrongs I suffer! Amid thunder and lightning Prometheus vanishes from sight; and with him disappear the daughters of Oceanus

> Greek: Προμηθεύς:
καὶ μὴν ἔργῳ κοὐκέτι μύθῳ
χθὼν σεσάλευται·
βρυχία δʼ ἠχὼ παραμυκᾶται
βροντῆς, ἕλικες δʼ ἐκλάμπουσι
στεροπῆς ζάπυροι, στρόμβοι δὲ κόνιν
εἱλίσσουσι· σκιρτᾷ δʼ ἀνέμων
πνεύματα πάντων εἰς ἄλληλα
στάσιν ἀντίπνουν ἀποδεικνύμενα·
ξυντετάρακται δʼ αἰθὴρ πόντῳ.
τοιάδʼ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ ῥιπὴ Διόθεν
τεύχουσα φόβον στείχει φανερῶς.
ὦ μητρὸς ἐμῆς σέβας, ὦ πάντων
αἰθὴρ κοινὸν φάος εἱλίσσων,
ἐσορᾷς μʼ ὡς ἔκδικα πάσχω.