Prometheus Bound, By Aeschylus

Scene.

A rugged mountainous land, with a deep gorge centered around a rock. Kratos and Bia drag the massive form of Prometheus toward it. Hephaestus follows reluctantly, carrying a hammer, nails, chains, and other tools.

Kratos.
We’ve reached a remote corner of the earth,
The wild Scythian wastes, untouched by feet.
Hephaestus, you must now fulfill the task
Our father gave: bind this troublemaker
To these jagged cliffs with unbreakable chains.
He stole your fire, the spark of all creation,
And gave it to mortals—a serious crime.
The gods demand he pay for this offense,
To learn to accept Zeus’s rule
And stop his reckless love for humankind.

Hephaestus.
Kratos and Bia, you’ve done Zeus’s bidding;
Your work here is complete.
But I can’t find the heart to chain
A fellow god, my kin, in this stormy chasm.
Yet I must summon courage, for necessity demands it—
Ignoring our father’s word brings heavy consequences.
Noble son of wise Themis,
I grieve to burden your heart with mine,
But I must bind you in unyielding bronze,
Nailing you to this desolate crag.
No human voice or form will reach you here;
The sun’s blaze will scorch your flesh,
Your radiant beauty will fade.
Night’s starry cloak will be a welcome veil,
And dawn’s returning sun will melt the frost.
Each hour will pile new sorrow on your heart,
For no one yet exists to free you.
This is the price of loving humankind.
A god yourself, you defied the gods’ anger,
Choosing mortals over divine honor.
Now you’ll keep a lonely vigil on this rock,
Unable to sleep or bend your knees,
Crying out in vain with groans and pleas.
Zeus is unmoved, harsh in his new power,
As all new rulers tend to be.

Kratos.
Enough! Why hesitate with useless pity?
Don’t you despise this god who betrayed us all,
Handing your sacred gift to mortals?

Hephaestus.
Kinship and loyalty are heavy burdens.

Kratos.
True, but defying our father’s command—
Isn’t that a greater fear?

Hephaestus.
Your heart has always been cold and bold.

Kratos.
Crying won’t help him! Save your wasted effort—
It does no good.

Hephaestus.
Oh, how I hate this cursed task, this craft!

Kratos.
Why curse your skill? Your smithing bears no blame
For the work you’re forced to do.

Hephaestus.
I wish this task belonged to someone else.

Kratos.
Everything’s a burden except to rule the gods—
Only Zeus is truly free.

Hephaestus.
I can’t deny it; I know it’s true.

Kratos.
Then hurry! Bind him with those chains,
Lest our father sees you slacking.

Hephaestus.
Here are the iron bands for his wrists.

Kratos.
Seize them! Wrap them tightly around his arms,
Strike hard with your hammer, pin him to the rock!

Hephaestus.
It’s done, though I wish it were done poorly.

Kratos.
Hit harder! Tighten every bond!
Don’t be soft—he’s cunning enough
To slip through any gap.

Hephaestus.
This arm is secure; no one could break it free.

Kratos.
Now fasten the other! Let him learn,
Clever as he is, he’s no match for Zeus.

Hephaestus.
No one could fault this work—except the one it pains.

Kratos.
Take your iron spike and drive it deep,
Pierce it through his chest to the rock.

Hephaestus.
Oh, Prometheus, I mourn your suffering!

Kratos.
Still hesitating? Grieving for Zeus’s enemy?
Keep this up, and you’ll weep for yourself.

Hephaestus.
You see a sight too cruel for eyes to bear.

Kratos.
I see a traitor getting what he deserves.
Now strap a band around his waist.

Hephaestus.
I do what I must, but spare me your orders.

Kratos.
I’ll order and shout if I must!
Get down and bind his legs securely.

Hephaestus.
It’s done—quickly and neatly.

Kratos.
Now hammer the bolts firm with all your strength—
Your taskmaster won’t accept excuses.

Hephaestus.
Your cruel words match your cruel deeds.

Kratos.
Go on, be soft-hearted, but don’t mock me
For being tough and unyielding.

Hephaestus.
Let’s go—the chains hold him fast.

Kratos.
Hang there and mock us, thief of divine gifts!
Rob the gods for mortals who fade in a day!
What can they offer to ease your pain?
The fates were wrong to call you clever—
You’ll need more wit to escape this trap.

Prometheus.
Oh, divine air, swift-winged breezes,
River springs, and ocean’s endless laughter,
Mother Earth, and you, all-seeing sun,
Witness what I, a god, endure from gods!
See the shame I bear,
The torment tearing my body,
The anguish draining my strength
Until time’s vast ages pass.
The new king of the gods has bound me here,
Ruler of the blessed, cruel in his reign.
I grieve for my present pain and what’s to come,
Wondering when my freedom’s star will rise.
Yet I see it clearly—what will be.
No sudden pain will catch me unaware.
I must bear what’s fated, for necessity’s power
Is too strong to fight.
But speaking or staying silent about my fate
Is equally unbearable.
I gave mortals gifts, and for that I’m chained,
Trapped here beneath the open sky.
I hid fire’s source in a hollow reed,
A boundless treasure, teacher of all crafts.
This is my crime, my punishment—
Nailed here, exposed to the heavens.
What’s that? A sound, a scent, no noise at all?
Is it god, mortal, or something mixed?
Has someone come to this world’s edge
To see my torment—or for some other reason?
You see a god in chains,
Zeus’s foe, despised by all
Who bow in his tyrannical hall,
All because I loved humankind too much.
What’s this? A rustling close by,
Like birds of prey swooping near?
The air shrieks with beating wings.
Everything approaching fills me with dread.

Chorus.
Cast fear aside!
We come in friendship,
Swift on wings to this lonely peak,
Not without struggle to gain our father’s consent.
A fresh breeze carried us here,
For the clang of iron echoed
Even to our sea-cave’s depths,
Chasing away our timid shyness.
We didn’t pause to tie our sandals
But sped through the air in our winged chariot.

Prometheus.
Oh, woe, woe!
Children of fruitful Tethys,
Born of ancient Ocean’s sleepless tides
That circle the earth’s vast shores,
Look at me! See these chains
Binding me to this towering rock,
My prison, my tower of despair,
Where my soul keeps endless watch
Over the abyss, never resting.

Chorus.
Prometheus, I see you now,
Fear chilling my brow,
Tears blurring my eyes.
Your giant form looms,
Wasted on these savage cliffs,
Locked in shameful iron bonds.
New rulers now steer Olympus,
Zeus builds his realm on strange laws,
With little care for justice,
Bringing the mighty of old to nothing.

Prometheus.
If only he’d cast me below the earth,
Into the depths that swallow the dead,
Bound in Tartarus’s endless chains,
Where his wrath could strike me unseen,
And no god or creature could mock my pain.
But here I hang, a spectacle,
A trophy for all who despise me to scorn.

Chorus.
What god could be so heartless
To revel in your suffering?
Who doesn’t share your pain,
Except Zeus alone?
His anger never bends,
Determined to crush heaven’s children.
He won’t stop until his heart’s content,
Or someone finds a way
To topple him from his throne.

Prometheus.
Though he wrongs me,
Chaining my limbs in iron,
The ruler of heaven’s council
Will one day need me
To reveal a secret plot
Threatening his crown and throne.
No sweet words or honeyed tongue,
No threats of worse torment,
Will force my lips to speak
Until he frees these chains
And makes amends for my pain.

Chorus.
Your spirit burns high,
Unbroken by bitter grief,
Your tongue too free, too bold.
Fear pierces my soul with a cry!
I tremble for your fate,
Wondering when your ship
Will sail through the storm to safe shores.
Zeus’s heart resists all pleas,
As stubborn as his father Cronos.

Prometheus.
I know Zeus’s heart is hard,
Tying justice to his will,
But he’ll soften one day,
His raging wrath smoothed away.
Then he and I will forge
A bond of peace and friendship.

Chorus.
Tell us everything—
Why Zeus seized you,
Shaming you with such cruelty.
Explain, if it doesn’t hurt too much.

Prometheus.
Speaking of this is painful,
Yet silence brings pain too—
Every path leads to sorrow.
When the gods first clashed in anger,
Divided among themselves,
Some sought to cast Cronos down
So Zeus could rule,
Others fought to keep Zeus from power.
I urged the Titans, born of Sky and Earth,
With wise advice, but failed to sway them.
They scorned subtle plans,
Thinking brute force would win.
My mother, Themis—also called Gaia—
Foretold with her many names
That power would fall not to strength,
But to cunning and guile.
I explained this clearly,
But they ignored my words.
So I chose the best path:
With my mother, I joined Zeus,
A willing ally, no reluctant friend.
Through my cunning, Tartarus now hides
Cronos and his allies in its black depths.
Yet the god I helped repays me
With this shameful punishment.
Tyrants always distrust their friends—
It’s a flaw of power.
You asked why he torments me;
I’ll tell you plainly.
When Zeus took his throne,
He gave gifts to the gods,
Dividing his empire among them,
But ignored wretched mortals entirely.
He planned to wipe them out
And create a new race.
I alone opposed him,
Daring to save humankind
From destruction and doom.
For this, I’m bowed by pain,
Agony to endure, pitiful to see.
I showed mortals compassion,
Yet earned no mercy myself—
Now I’m a spectacle of shame to Zeus.

Chorus.
His heart must be iron,
Carved from unfeeling stone,
To see your suffering, Prometheus,
And feel no anger.
I wish I’d never witnessed this—
The sight tears at my soul.

Prometheus.
To my friends, I’m a grievous sight.

Chorus.
Did you commit no other bold offense?

Prometheus.
I freed mortals from fearing death.

Chorus.
What cure did you find for that curse?

Prometheus.
I planted blind hope in their hearts.

Chorus.
That was a mighty gift to humankind.

Prometheus.
And more—I gave them the spark of fire.

Chorus.
Do frail mortals now wield blazing flames?

Prometheus.
Yes, and through it, they’ll master many crafts.

Chorus.
And for these acts, Zeus accuses you—

Prometheus.
And torments me with endless agony.

Chorus.
Is there no end to your suffering?

Prometheus.
None, unless he chooses to grant it.

Chorus.
Why would he? What hope have you?
Don’t you see your mistake?
Telling you this brings me no joy,
Only pain for you.
Let it go—seek a way to escape this torment.

Prometheus.
It’s easy for the free to advise
Those trapped in misery.
I know my errors well.
I chose them freely and admit it now.
By aiding mortals, I bound myself.
Yet I never expected this cruel fate,
To waste away on this lonely cliff,
With only barren rocks for company.
Don’t mourn my pain any longer—
Come closer, listen to what’s yet to come.
Hear me, share my sorrow!
Who knows when fate’s wandering curse
Might strike another with the same despair?

Chorus.
Prometheus, we hear your plea;
Your words don’t fall on deaf ears.
Leaving my swift chariot behind,
Abandoning the sacred skies
Where great birds soar,
I step onto this rugged land
To learn the truth of your suffering
And what you still must endure.

Oceanus.
I’ve crossed the vast plain to reach you,
Prometheus, guiding my winged creature
With no reins, only my will.
Your grief weighs heavy on my heart;
Kinship binds me to you,
And even without that tie,
I’d honor you above all others.
You’ll see I speak the truth—
My words aren’t empty flattery.
Tell me how I can help you,
Wronged and suffering as you are,
And you’ll never say you had
A truer friend than Oceanus.

Prometheus.
What’s this? You too come to gawk at my pain?
How did you dare leave your river’s flow,
Your rock-vaulted caves,
To visit this iron-breeding land?
Are you here to witness my downfall,
To share my sorrow as a friend?
Look at me—a spectacle,
Zeus’s ally, who helped secure his throne,
Now crushed by this torment he decrees.

Oceanus.
Prometheus, I see your plight too clearly,
And I’d urge you, wise as you are,
To know your own heart.
Adapt to the times, for a new god rules.
If you hurl these bitter, sharp words,
Zeus, though far above, might hear,
And your current woes would seem mild.
Calm your anger, seek freedom from pain.
My advice may sound old,
But your proud tongue has earned this fate.
You’re not yet humbled,
And your defiance risks worse suffering.
Let me guide you—don’t fight the inevitable,
For a harsh, unchecked tyrant now rules.
I’ll go now, striving to win your release.
Keep your peace, curb your bold speech—
Don’t you know, wise as you are,
A reckless tongue invites punishment?

Prometheus.
I’m amazed you’re not suffering my fate,
Since you shared my risks.
Spare yourself, I beg you—
You won’t sway him; he’s unyielding.
Take care, lest your journey brings you harm.

Oceanus.
You advise others better than yourself—
I judge by actions, not words.
Don’t hold me back; I’m set to go.
I swear Zeus will grant my plea
And free you from this pain.

Prometheus.
I thank you and will always praise your zeal,
But don’t trouble yourself—it won’t help.
If you act, your effort will be wasted.
Stay safe, stay free.
I don’t want others to suffer for my sake.
Far from it—I already bear the weight
Of my brother Atlas’s pain,
Holding up the sky and earth,
A burden too heavy for his arms.
I saw and pitied the monstrous giant
In Cilicia’s caves, a terrifying form,
A hundred-headed beast,
Typhon, who defied the gods.
His hissing maw and flashing eyes
Threatened Zeus’s realm,
But a sleepless bolt of thunder and fire
Shattered his pride,
Burning his strength to ash.
Now he lies, a sprawling wreck,
Crushed beneath Etna’s roots.
On that peak, Hephaestus forges molten iron,
Whence rivers of fire will one day surge,
Devouring Sicily’s fertile fields.
Such is Typhon’s rage,
Spewing molten fury,
Though Zeus’s lightning charred him.
You’re no fool; you don’t need my lessons—
Save yourself as you know how.
I’ll endure until Zeus’s anger fades.

Oceanus.
Don’t you know, Prometheus,
Words can soothe an angry soul?

Prometheus.
Only if they soften gently,
Not harden a stubborn heart.

Oceanus.
Do you see harm in my bold concern,
In daring to act for you?

Prometheus.
It’s wasted effort and foolish risk.

Oceanus.
Then let me bear that fault—
Sometimes the wise gain through folly.

Prometheus.
But your failure would wound me.

Oceanus.
You strike true with that.

Prometheus.
Beware—pity could lead you to conflict.

Oceanus.
With the one who holds all power?

Prometheus.
Take care, lest you find sorrow.

Oceanus.
Your fate teaches me, Prometheus!

Prometheus.
Go, then—don’t waver now!

Oceanus.
You urge me on as I’m eager to leave.
My winged beast flaps impatiently,
Longing to rest in its stall.

Chorus.
I weep for you, Prometheus, humbled and broken,
Tears streaming down my cheeks
From sorrow’s endless spring,
Filling my eyes with grief for your fate.
Zeus has dealt you a cruel lot,
Ruling by his own harsh laws,
Showing the ancient gods
The strength of his crushing arm.
A cry rises from the earth,
Mourning the fall of old glories
And majestic forms,
Grieving bitterly for you
And your fellow gods whose honor you shared.
All who dwell in Asia’s sacred lands,
Bound to time’s will, echo your pain.
They weep by the Colchian shore,
Warrior maids who love battle,
And Scythia’s countless tribes
Around the salt lake’s edge.
The desert tribes of Ares,
The fortress city on high hills,
Near mighty Caucasus, fierce mountaineers
Who clash in war, mourn for you.
Once before, I saw a god in pain,
A Titan bound in iron chains,
Atlas, groaning under the weight
Of earth and heaven’s vast dome.
The seas roar, waves crashing,
Singing a dirge for you;
The underworld hums with hollow grief,
And sacred rivers weep with all their streams.

Prometheus.
Don’t think pride or stubbornness keeps me silent—
My heart is gnawed by thoughts of past and present,
Seeing myself struck down by vengeance.
Who else gave these new gods their roles,
If not I?
Enough of that—you know it well.
Let me tell of mortal suffering,
How I took beasts without reason
And gave them minds to think.
I don’t speak to scorn humankind,
But to show the gifts I granted.
At first, they saw without seeing,
Heard without hearing,
Living like shadows in a dream,
Muddling their days in confusion.
They knew no craft of wood or brick,
No sunlit homes,
But burrowed like ants in dark caves.
They had no signs for winter’s chill,
Spring’s blooming flowers,
Or summer’s fruitful heat—
They toiled blindly until I showed them
The stars’ rising and setting,
Though still a mystery.
I crafted numbers, the greatest of inventions,
And writing to hold all knowledge,
The mother of memory and art.
I first yoked wild beasts to serve,
Bearing collars and packs
To ease mortals’ heaviest labors.
I tamed horses to the rein,
Driving them in proud chariots,
Symbols of wealth and glory.
I alone devised ships,
With cloth wings to wander the seas.
These gifts I gave to mortals,
Yet, wretched me, I find no trick
To free myself from this shame.

Chorus.
Your suffering is shameful,
Your mind wanders lost.
Like a doctor fallen ill,
You despair, unable to find
The cure for your own pain.

Prometheus.
Hear more, and marvel at the skills
And powers I devised.
When mortals fell sick,
No food, no salve, no drink could help—
They wasted away for lack of cures
Until I taught them to mix healing draughts,
Arming them against disease.
I mapped the paths of prophecy,
Distinguishing true dreams from false,
And read dark omens in voices and signs.
I taught them to judge the flight
Of great clawed birds,
Which ones bring fortune, which deceit,
Their habits, feuds, and gatherings.
I showed what the gods desire
In the color of entrails,
The liver’s lobe, the gall’s hue.
By burning fat-wrapped limbs
And the long spine,
I led them to hidden knowledge.
I cleared the fire’s dim glow,
Making its meaning plain.
These were my deeds.
Then, beneath the earth,
I revealed hidden treasures—
Bronze, iron, silver, gold.
Who else can claim they found them first?
No one, unless they speak empty boasts.
In one word: all human arts
Came from Prometheus.

Chorus.
Don’t aid mortals beyond measure
While you languish without comfort.
I hold hope that, freed from these chains,
You’ll one day rival Zeus’s power.

Prometheus.
Fate, which shapes all endings,
Has not yet set my path.
Countless pains and miseries
Must bend me before I’m free,
For craft is far weaker than necessity.

Chorus.
Who steers the course of necessity?

Prometheus.
The three Fates and the relentless Furies.

Chorus.
Is Zeus less mighty than these?

Prometheus.
Even he cannot escape his destined lot.

Chorus.
What fate awaits Zeus, if not eternal rule?

Prometheus.
Don’t press me further; I won’t say.

Chorus.
You hide a deep mystery.

Prometheus.
Speak of anything else, but not this—
I charge you, keep it secret.
Guarding this truth
Will one day free me from these bonds.

Chorus.
May Zeus, who rules all,
Never turn his unstoppable might
Against my will.
May I never falter
In offering sweet sacrifices
And feasts of slaughtered oxen
At holy altars,
With humble steps
By sacred shrines
Across the ocean’s boundless waves.
Let my words not anger the gods,
Let my resolve stay firm,
Unmelted like wax in fire.
Sweet is a life stretched long,
With joyful hope to strengthen
And bright thoughts to uplift.
But I shudder to see you,
Wrapped in endless sorrow,
Your pain without end.
You defied Zeus,
Your fearless heart ignored
The weight of his vengeance,
Giving mortals too much honor.
Dear friend, what thanks do you gain?
What strength do mortals offer,
These fleeting creatures of a day?
Didn’t you see their frail power,
Stumbling blindly like dreams,
Bound by the eternal order?
I learned this watching your glory fade,
Prometheus.
No longer do I feel the joy
Of singing at your wedding,
When you chose a bride of your kin,
A goddess won with generous gifts,
Hesione, your father’s child.

Io.
What land is this? Who lives here?
Who’s that, chained to this storm-swept cliff?
Speak to me, tell me, wretched one,
What crime brought you to this torment?
Where have I wandered, half-dead with exhaustion?
Oh, oh!
The sting strikes again, the gadfly’s jab!
Earth, hide me from that monstrous shape,
Argus, the hundred-eyed, earth-born herdsman!
I see him still, stalking with cunning steps,
His sly watch outwitting my weary mind.
Even from death’s depths, he breaks free,
A hell-sent hound on my trail,
Driving me, faint and starving,
Along the barren shore’s salty sands.
Listen! The pipe’s drowsy trill,
A cricket’s cry!
See the wax-bound reeds!
Oh, gods above, where will my wandering feet
Find rest?
Child of Cronos, what sin did I commit
To be yoked to calamity?
My mind unravels, crazed and frantic,
Stung by your gadfly’s buzzing whip.
Cast me into fire,
Bury me in earth,
Feed me to sea monsters—
But don’t deny my desperate plea, O King!
I’ve run too long, weaving back and forth,
Chasing a fading hope,
The end to all my grief.
Do you hear the cry of this horned maid?

Prometheus.
How could I not hear you,
Child of Inachus, maddened by the gadfly?
You’ve stirred Zeus’s heart with love,
And Hera’s curse pursues you,
A relentless chase around the world.

Io.
How do you know my father’s name?
Tell me, a wretched soul like you,
Who are you?
Mourn with me, sorrowful one!
Whose voice names my pain
With its old, bitter titles?
What drove me to madness?
Sick, sick, gods, your torment clings,
Draining my life’s fading light!
Crazed by your stings,
I come leaping, famished,
Shamed and tormented
By Hera’s sleepless wrath,
Tamed and broken.
Of all the wretched, storm-tossed souls,
Is anyone lost as I am?
Speak, divine one,
Be my oracle in this dark world!
Can you see what’s to come?
Tell me what trick or soothing song
Will heal me.
Hide no pain—
If you know, prophesy clearly,
What must this lost maid still endure,
Wandering earth’s wide realms?

Prometheus.
I’ll tell you plainly what you wish to know,
Not weaving riddles, but speaking as friends should.
I am Prometheus, who gave fire to mortals.

Io.
Oh, savior of humankind,
Why do you suffer this punishment, Prometheus?

Prometheus.
I’ve only just stopped grieving my own woes.

Io.
Won’t you grant me this small favor?

Prometheus.
Ask what you will—you’ll know everything.

Io.
Tell me who chained you in this gorge.

Prometheus.
Zeus commanded it, but Hephaestus bound me.

Io.
What crime are you paying for?

Prometheus.
That’s enough—you’ll learn no more.

Io.
But when will my endless wandering end?
Tell me that too.

Prometheus.
It’s better for you not to know.

Io.
Don’t hide what I must endure!

Prometheus.
Poor child, I don’t refuse you.

Io.
Then why delay? Tell me everything.

Prometheus.
It’s not from cruelty, but I fear
It will break your heart.

Io.
Don’t worry for me—
I want to know, whatever it costs.

Prometheus.
So eager for your pain? Listen, then.

Chorus.
Wait—grant my wish first.
Let us hear her story of grief,
Let her tell her own tale of woe.
Then share your wisdom
About the trials still to come.

Prometheus.
So be it.
Io, you owe these maidens courtesy,
Your father’s kin.
Telling our sorrows,
Drawing tears from those who hear,
Doesn’t diminish the teller.

Io.
I don’t know how to refuse you.
I’ll tell all you wish in plain words,
Though speaking tears my soul—
This tale of divine wrath,
Of monstrous deformity,
And why these horrors fell on me.
Nightly dreams haunted my chambers,
Flattering voices coaxing me:
“Lucky girl, why stay unwed
When a grand match awaits?
Zeus burns for you,
Struck through the heart with desire.
Don’t scorn his bed,
But go to Lerna’s deep meadows,
Where your father’s flocks graze,
To soothe Zeus’s longing gaze.”
These dreams troubled every night,
Woe is me, until I dared
To tell my father of my fears.
He sent messengers to sacred oracles,
Seeking how to please the gods
With word or deed.
They returned with vague answers,
Hard to unravel,
Until a clear command reached him:
He must cast me from home,
A wanderer at earth’s ends,
Devoted to fate’s will,
Or Zeus’s lightning would destroy our line.
Grieving, he obeyed,
Driving me from his house,
Locking me out as he wept.
Zeus’s heavy hand bent fate’s reins.
In an instant, my mind and form twisted—
Horned, as you see,
Stung by a gadfly’s bite,
I leapt in madness,
Galloping to sweet streams,
Pursued by Argus, the fierce herdsman,
His countless eyes tracking me.
A sudden doom took him,
But I’m still lashed by divine whips,
Driven from land to land.
That’s my tale—if you can say
What’s left to suffer, speak.
But don’t, out of pity,
Soften my heart with lies—
No sickness shames the soul like falsehood.

Chorus.
Away, lost one, away!
Such horror!
I longed to hear your tale,
But oh, that my eyes should see
This unbearable sight!
Sorrow, shame, and chilling fear
Freeze my blood,
Pierced by a double sting.
Oh, Fate, trembling I see
Io’s plight, your cruel decree!

Prometheus.
You grieve too soon, all fear.
Hold back until you hear the rest.

Chorus.
Speak, teach us—
Knowing the coming grief
Soothes the sick soul like balm.

Prometheus.
I granted your earlier wish easily,
Letting you hear her story from her lips.
Now hear what woes Hera’s hatred
Will heap upon this maiden.
Child of Inachus, heed my words,
So you may know your journey’s end.
Turn first toward the rising sun,
Cross unplowed fields until you reach
The wandering Scyths,
Archers living in wheeled tents
Under open skies.
Stay clear of them,
But keep the roaring waves in earshot
As you pass through their land.
To your left live the Chalybes,
Iron-workers, fierce and unwelcoming—
Avoid them too.
You’ll come to a river well-named for its pride,
Hard to cross—don’t try
Until you reach towering Caucasus,
Where the river pours from the peaks.
Climb that star-crowned ridge,
Then follow the southern path
To the Amazon host, who scorn men.
They’ll one day found a city
By a great river’s mouth,
Where waves gnash like jaws,
A terror to sailors.
They’ll guide you willingly.
Then you’ll reach a narrow isthmus
At the sea’s gate,
And, bold-hearted, cross the lake’s channel.
Your crossing will be famed forever,
The strait named for you,
A memory of your path.
Leaving Europe, you’ll step onto Asia’s vast land.
What do you think?
Isn’t the gods’ sole ruler
A tyrant, cruel to all,
Respecting none?
First, a god himself,
He lusts for a mortal maid,
Then torments her with endless wandering.
A poor suitor for your love,
A bitter courtship.
And you’ve heard only the prelude
To your song of sorrow.

Io.
Oh, alas!

Prometheus.
You cry out, groaning again—
What will you do when you hear
The full weight of what’s to come?

Chorus.
Will you tell her more sorrow?

Prometheus.
A stormy sea of ruin and wrong.

Io.
What’s the point of living?
Why not leap from this cliff
And end my pain in one fall?
Better to die than endure
A life of endless misery.

Prometheus.
You’d struggle to bear my fate,
For death cannot release me—
A cruel gift.
My suffering has no end
Until Zeus falls from power.

Io.
Will Zeus fall?
His throne taken from him?
When, if it’s true?

Prometheus.
You’d rejoice, I think,
To see him struck down.

Io.
How could I not,
When he’s the source of my pain?
Tell me how it will happen.

Prometheus.
A marriage will trouble him greatly.

Io.
With a god or mortal?
Speak, if you can!

Prometheus.
Why ask what I cannot reveal?

Io.
Will a new bride
Cast him from his universal throne?

Prometheus.
She’ll bear a child
Mightier than its father.

Io.
And he’ll find no way
To dodge this fate?

Prometheus.
None, unless I’m freed from these chains.

Io.
Who could free you against Zeus’s will?

Prometheus.
A child of your line.

Io.
What? My descendant will save you?

Prometheus.
Yes, one born many generations hence.

Io.
Your prophecy is dark and hard to grasp.

Prometheus.
Then don’t seek to know your own fate.

Io.
Don’t offer a gift only to snatch it away.

Prometheus.
Choose one of two truths I can share.

Io.
What truths? Name them, let me decide.

Prometheus.
I can reveal your future trials
Or the one who’ll free me.

Chorus.
Grant both, I beg!
Tell her what she seeks,
And let me hear who’ll save you—
That’s my heart’s desire.

Prometheus.
I won’t resist your plea.
Io, I’ll first tell you
Of your far-wandering path—
Etch my words in your heart.
When you cross the flood dividing continents,
Turn to the sun’s fiery rise in the east,
Pass the roaring sea’s edge
Until you reach a plain
Where ancient, swan-shaped sisters dwell,
Sharing one eye and tooth,
Untouched by sun or moon.
Nearby, their winged, snake-haired kin,
Hated by mortals, bring death to any who look.
Take care to avoid them.
Now hear of another danger:
Beware Zeus’s silent hounds,
Sharp-beaked gryphons,
And horse-riding, one-eyed nomads
By a gold-rich river.
Stay far from them.
You’ll come to a dark-skinned land
By the sun’s springs,
Where a river flows—
Follow its banks
To a steep slope
Where a sacred stream pours down.
That river will guide you
To a three-sided land
Where you and your children
Are fated to dwell long.
If my words seem unclear,
Ask again until all is plain—
I have time to spare.

Chorus.
If more suffering awaits her,
Or if you’ve left anything out,
Speak now.
But if you’ve told all,
Grant the favor we asked—
You surely remember.

Prometheus.
She’s heard the end of her journey.
But to prove her patience,
I’ll recount her past trials
Before she came here,
Skipping much to keep it brief.
When you reached the plain
By Dodona’s high ridge,
Where Zeus’s oracle speaks
Through miraculous oaks,
They hailed you as Zeus’s destined bride,
Honored above all women.
Does that sting old wounds?
Driven mad from there,
You fled along the coast
To a great gulf,
Forced back by fierce winds,
Retracing your steps in pain.
That sea will bear your name in time,
A lasting memory.
This shows my sight sees beyond the present.
Now, for what’s to come,
For both of you:
A city stands at the land’s edge,
By a river’s mouth and silt.
There Zeus will restore your mind
With a gentle touch,
And you’ll bear a child,
Born of that touch,
Who’ll rule all lands the river feeds.
From him, generations later,
A band of maidens will return to your homeland,
Fleeing forbidden marriages.
Their kin, mad with desire,
Will chase them like hawks after doves,
Hunting brides they shouldn’t seek.
But a god will guard their purity,
And the land will shield them
When those women slay their husbands
With bloodied blades in the night.
May my foes wed such brides!
Yet one among them
Will choose love over murder,
Her heart softened,
Preferring gentleness to blood’s stain.
She’ll birth a line of kings.
This tale could stretch long,
But my mother, Themis,
Foretold that her seed,
A bold archer, will free me.
How and why would take time to tell,
And bring you no gain.

Io.
They come again—the fury, the pain!
The wound festers, my pulse pounds
With burning madness!
The gadfly’s barb stabs,
My heart hammers my ribs,
My eyes spin like wheels,
Fierce winds throw me off course,
My tongue raves, unstoppable,
Spewing a flood of words,
A froth of ruin and divine wrath!

Chorus.
Wise was the one who taught
That true love joins equals,
Not wealth or proud lineage
With those who toil for bread.
I pray, grave fates,
I never see the day
Zeus claims me as his own
Or draws near with divine love.
I tremble seeing Io,
Unloved by mortals,
Her purity lost,
Wandering, cursed by Hera.
When love is fair, I fear nothing,
But may no god’s gaze
Fix on me, inescapable.
That battle is too hard,
Its riches turn to dust.
I can’t guess what would come,
Or where I’d flee
To escape Zeus’s cunning.

Prometheus.
I swear, Zeus’s stubborn pride
Will fall.
Even now, he plans a marriage
That will cast him from his throne,
His glory erased.
Then his father’s curse,
Spoken when he fell,
Will come true in full.
Only I can foresee
How to avert this blow.
Let him sit secure,
Trusting in thunder’s roar,
Brandishing his fiery bolts—
They’ll do him no good.
He’ll face a foe too strong,
A wonder whose fire
Outshines his lightning,
Whose blasts drown his thunder.
The sea’s scourge,
The trident that shakes the earth,
Will shatter before this power.
When Zeus stumbles,
His pride will measure
The vast distance from rule to slavery.

Chorus.
Your wishes sharpen your accusations.

Prometheus.
No—my wishes and fate walk together.

Chorus.
Must we expect someone to overthrow Zeus?

Prometheus.
Worse burdens will crush him.

Chorus.
Aren’t you afraid to speak such blasphemy?

Prometheus.
Why fear, when death can’t touch me?

Chorus.
He could torment you with worse pain.

Prometheus.
Let him—I see all evils coming.

Chorus.
Wise are those who bow
To the eternal will.

Prometheus.
Go worship, pray,
Be the dog licking power’s foot!
I care nothing for Zeus—less than nothing!
Let him rule his brief hour;
His reign among the gods won’t last.
Look—here comes his lackey,
The tyrant’s messenger with news,
No doubt, from his master.

Enter Hermes.

Hermes.
You, cunning rogue, bitter-hearted,
Traitor to heaven,
Giving mortals stolen rights,
Fire-thief! Hear me—
I’ve a message for you.
Our father demands you reveal
These marriage plans you boast of,
The ones you claim will topple him.
No riddles—speak plainly,
Every detail clear.
I won’t trek back and forth for you,
Prometheus.
Your defiance doesn’t sway Zeus.

Prometheus.
Bold words for a godling’s servant!
You’re young, new to power,
Thinking your fortress untouchable.
Haven’t I seen tyrants fall from such heights?
The third, who struts now,
I’ll see crash soon,
Swiftly, shamefully.
Do you think I cower
Before these upstart gods?
I’m as far from fear
As the sky from the earth.
Go back the way you came,
Wiser by nothing—
You’ll get no answers from me.

Hermes.
Your old stubbornness
Landed you in this wretched state.

Prometheus.
Know this: I’d never trade
My pain for your groveling servitude.

Hermes.
Better to serve this rock
Than be Zeus’s trusted messenger.

Prometheus.
I meet insolence with insolence—
What else fits?

Hermes.
You seem to revel in your misery.

Prometheus.
Revel? I wish my enemies such joy,
Starting with you.

Hermes.
Do you blame me for your woes?

Prometheus.
I hate all gods who,
After my gifts,
Repay me with evil.

Hermes.
Your hatred proves you mad.

Prometheus.
If hating foes is madness,
Call me mad.

Hermes.
If you were free,
You’d be unbearable.

Prometheus.
Alas!

Hermes.
Zeus doesn’t know that word.

Prometheus.
Time, growing old, teaches all.

Hermes.
It hasn’t taught you to tame
Your reckless will.

Prometheus.
If it had, I wouldn’t waste words
On a slave like you.

Hermes.
You’ll give no answer
To what our father demands?

Prometheus.
If I owed him anything,
I’d repay him fully.

Hermes.
You mock me like I’m a child.

Prometheus.
Aren’t you a child, a fool,
To think I’d tell you anything?
No torment, no trick of Zeus
Will force my lips
Until these chains are gone.
Let his lightning blaze,
Let earth and sky churn,
Let snow swirl and thunder roar—
None will bend me
To name who’ll cast him down.

Hermes.
How does this help you? Think again!

Prometheus.
I thought and chose long ago.

Hermes.
Patience, fool!
School your mind to reason
In the face of your troubles.

Prometheus.
Your words are waves
Breaking on a rock—useless.
Don’t imagine I’ll quake
At Zeus’s name,
Turn soft like a girl,
Or beg my hated foe
With outstretched hands
To free me.
I’m far from that.

Hermes.
I’ve said much, gained nothing—
Your heart won’t soften,
Unmoved by my pleas,
Like a wild colt fighting the bit,
Snapping and plunging.
Your defiance rests on nothing,
Stubbornness in error
Is weaker than air.
If you don’t heed me,
A storm of tripled woe
Will crash upon you.
First, Zeus will split this gorge
With thunder and flame,
Burying you in the rock’s embrace.
Only after ages
Will you see light again,
When his eagle,
With cruel beak,
Tears your flesh daily,
Feasting on your liver
Until it’s gnawed to ruin.
No end to this torment
Until a god takes your place,
Willing to sink into hell’s darkness
For you.
This isn’t empty talk—
Zeus’s word is truth.

Chorus.
Hermes’s words strike true to us.
He urges you to let go of pride
And seek wise counsel.
Listen—error in the wise is shameful.

Prometheus.
I knew these threats before he spoke—
Suffering is my due
As a foe to foes.
Let lightning bind my limbs,
Let thunder roar and winds rage,
Let earth’s roots tear free,
Let seas swallow the stars—
Let him hurl me to the depths,
To the blackest gloom—
Still, his will won’t kill me.

Hermes.
This is madness talking,
Wild rants of a broken mind!
He strays, lost in frenzy.
You who share his fate,
Leave now, rash mourners,
Before thunder strikes you mad too.

Chorus.
Speak words that persuade,
Don’t flood me like a river
Uprooting my honor.
How dare you push me to cowardice?
I’ll stand with him through fate’s blows,
For I despise traitors—
Treachery makes me sick.

Hermes.
Keep railing, but remember my warning—
Don’t curse Zeus when sorrow falls.
You weave your own ruin,
Not by surprise or stealth,
But with open eyes,
Stepping into the trap
That fate spreads wide.

Exit.

Prometheus.
Words are done—earth trembles now.
Thunder rumbles closer,
Lightning shakes its fiery locks,
Dust swirls in dancing cones.
Winds clash, north, south, east, west,
Sea and sky collide.
Zeus’s blow rushes on,
Striking fear in my heart.
See, Mother Earth!
See, Air, bearer of light,
What bitter wrongs I bear!

The scene closes with earthquake and thunder, as Prometheus and the Daughters of Oceanus sink into the abyss.