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Hung here in chains； nailed 'neath the open sky。 Ha！ Ha！
What echo； what odour floats by with no sound？
God…wafted or mortal or mingled its strain？
Comes there one to this world's end； this mountain…girt ground；
To have sight of my torment？ Or of what is he fain？
A God ye behold in bondage and pain；
The foe of Zeus and one at feud with all
The deities that find
Submissive entry to the tyrant's hall；
His fault； too great a love of humankind。
Ah me！ Ah me！ what wafture nigh at hand；
As of great birds of prey； is this I hear？
The bright air fanned
Whistles and shrills with rapid beat of wings。
There cometh nought but to my spirit brings
Horror and fear。
The DAUGHTERS OF OCEANUS draw near in
mid…air in their winged chariot。
CHORUS
Put thou all fear away！
In kindness cometh this array
On wings of speed to mountain lone；
Our sire's consent not lightly won。
But a fresh breeze our convoy brought；
For loud the din of iron raught
Even to our sea…cave's cold recess；
And scared away the meek…eyed bashfulness。
I tarried not to tic my sandal shoe
But haste； post haste； through air my winged chariot flew。
PROMETHEUS
Ah me！ Ah me！
Fair progeny
That many…childed Tethys brought to birth；
Fathered of Ocean old
Whose sleepless stream is rolled
Round the vast shores of earth
Look on me！ Look upon these chains
Wherein I hang fast held
On rocks high…pinnacled；
My dungeon and my tower of dole；
Where o'er the abyss my soul；
Sad warder； her unwearied watch sustains！
CHORUS
Prometheus； I am gazing on thee now！
With the cold breath of fear upon my brow；
Not without mist of dimming tears；
While to my sight thy giant stature rears
Its bulk forpined upon these savage rocks
In shameful bonds the linked adamant locks。
For now new steersmen take the helm
Olympian； now with little thought
Of right； on strange； new laws Zeus stablisheth his realm；
Bringing the mighty ones of old to naught。
PROMETHEUS
Oh that he had conveyed me
'Neath earth； 'neath hell that swalloweth up the dead；
In Tartarus； illimitably vast
With adamantine fetters bound me fast…
There his fierce anger on me visited；
Where never mocking laughter could upbraid me
Of God or aught beside！
But now a wretch enskied；
A far…seen vane；
All they that hate me triumph in my pain。
CHORUS
Who of the Gods is there so pitiless
That he can triumph in thy sore distress？
Who doth not inly groan
With every pang of thine save Zeus alone？
But he is ever wroth； not to be bent
From his resolved intent
The sons of heaven to subjugate；
Nor shall he cease until his heart be satiate；
Or one a way devise
To hurl him from the throne where he doth monarchize。
PROMETHEUS
Yea； of a surety…though he do me wrong；
Loading my limbs with fetters strong…
The president
Of heaven's high parliament
Shall need me yet to show
What new conspiracy with privy blow
Attempts his sceptre and his kingly seat。
Neither shall words with all persuasion sweet；
Not though his tongue drop honey； cheat
Nor charm my knowledge from me； nor dures
Of menace dire； fear of more grievous pains；
Unseal my lips； till he have loosed these chains；
And granted for these injuries redress。
CHORUS
High is the heart of thee；
Thy will no whit by bitter woes unstrung；
And all too free
The licence of thy bold； unshackled tongue。
But fear hath roused my soul with piercing cry！
And for thy fate my heart misgives me！ I
Tremble to know when through the breakers' roar
Thy keel shall touch again the friendly shore；
For not by prayer to Zeus is access won；
An unpersuadable heart hath Cronos' son。
PROMETHEUS
I know the heart of Zeus is hard； that he hath tied
Justice to his side；
But he shall be full gentle thus assuaged；
And； the implacable wrath wherewith he raged
Smoothed quite away； nor he nor I
Be loth to seal a bond of peace and amity。
CHORUS
All that thou hast to tell I pray unfold；
That we may hear at large upon what count
Zeus took thee and with bitter wrong affronts：
Instruct us； if the telling hurt thee not。
PROMETHEUS
These things are sorrowful for me to speak；
Yet silence too is sorrow： all ways woe！
When first the Blessed Ones were filled with wrath
And there arose division in their midst；
These instant to hurl Cronos from his throne
That Zeus might be their king； and these； adverse；
Contending that he ne'er should rule the Gods；
Then I； wise counsel urging to persuade
The Titans； sons of Ouranos and Chthon；
Prevailed not： but； all indirect essays
Despising； they by the strong hand； effortless；
Yet by main force…supposed that they might seize
Supremacy。 But me my mother Themis
And Gaia； one form called by many names；
Not once alone with voice oracular
Had prophesied how power should be disposed…
That not by strength neither by violence
The mighty should be mastered； but by guile。
Which things by me set forth at large； they scorned；
Nor graced my motion with the least regard。
Then； of all ways that offered； I judged best；
Taking my mother with me； to support；
No backward friend； the not less cordial Zeus。
And by my politic counsel Tartarus；
The bottomless and black； old Cronos hides
With his confederates。 So helped by me；
The tyrant of the Gods； such service rendered
With ignominious chastisement requites。
But 'tis a common malady of power
Tyrannical never to trust a friend。
And now； what ye inquired； for what arraigned
He shamefully entreats me； ye shall know。
When first upon his high； paternal throne
He took his seat； forthwith to divers Gods
Divers good gifts he gave； and parcelled out
His empire； but of miserable men
Recked not at all； rather it was his wish
To wipe out man and rear another race：
And these designs none contravened but me。
I risked the bord attempt； and saved mankind
From stark destruction and the road to hell。
Therefore with this sore penance am I bowed；
Grievous to suffer； pitiful to see。
But； for compassion shown to man； such fate
I no wise earned； rather in wrath's despite
Am I to be reformed； and made a show
Of infamy to Zeus。
CHORUS
He hath a heart
Of iron； hewn out of unfeeling rock
Is he； Prometheus； whom thy sufferings
Rouse not to wrath。 Would I had ne'er beheld them；
For verily the sight