The son of Iapetus and Clymene (or Themis), Prometheus was famous for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mortals. For this crime, Zeus had Prometheus bound to a mountain and sent an eagle to peck continually at his liver (which regrew every day). Eventually, Prometheus was freed of his bonds (and the eagle) by Heracles.
He appears as a character in two surviving plays, Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and Aristophanes' Birds. In Aristophanes' Birds, Prometheus appears briefly to inform Peisetaerus that Zeus is in danger of being overthrown. Prometheus Bound deals with Prometheus' punishment for giving fire to human beings. Despite this, Prometheus is confident that Zeus will someday need his help, because he knows how Zeus will eventually be overthrown and that he will eventually be freed from his punishment. In addition to Prometheus Bound, Prometheus' name appears in three other plays attributed to Aeschylus: Prometheus Unbound (fragments 190–204 Radt), Prometheus the Fire Bearer (fragment 208 Radt), and Prometheus the Fire Kindler (fragments 204a-07 Radt). The last of these plays may have been satyric and have completed the tetralogy of 472 BCE, preceded by Phineus, Persians, and Glaucus Pontios. Prometheus the Fire Kindler dealt with Prometheus' theft of fire, by which the satyrs would have been excited and amazed. Examination of the fragments of Prometheus Unbound reveals a chorus of Titans, freed by Zeus from the underworld. As in Prometheus Bound, the chorus of Prometheus Unbound walk by and talk with Prometheus, who is still bound and tortured during the first part of the play. Also as in Prometheus Bound, in UnboundPrometheus describes he sufferings and the benefits he has conferred on humankind. Eventually, Heracles, during his quest for the apples of the Hesperides, appears. Presumably in exchange for information about his quest, Heracles shoots the eagle that torments Prometheus and releases him from his chains. The subject matter of Prometheus the Fire-Bearer is uncertain; Lloyd-Jones thinks that it may have preceded Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound.
Among Roman authors, Accius wrote a Prometheus, from which two brief fragments survive (606–8 Warmington). Lines 606–7 refer to the eagle that pecked away at the hero. Line 608 appears to refer to the wintry weather that plagued the region where Prometheus was bound.
Further Information
Further Information
Radt, S. Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta. Vol. 3. Göttingen, Ger.: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1985.
Smyth, H. and Lloyd-Jones, H. Aeschylus. Vol. 2. 1926. Reprint, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1971.
Warmington, E. H. Remains of Old Latin: Livius Andronicus, Naevius, Pacuvius, and Accius. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1936.
Citation Information
Citation Information
Text Citation: Thorburn, John E., Jr. "Prometheus." Facts On File Companion to Classical Drama. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GCCD1190&SingleRecord=True (accessed September 4, 2009).
Prometheus
From: Facts On File Companion to Classical Drama.The son of Iapetus and Clymene (or Themis), Prometheus was famous for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mortals. For this crime, Zeus had Prometheus bound to a mountain and sent an eagle to peck continually at his liver (which regrew every day). Eventually, Prometheus was freed of his bonds (and the eagle) by Heracles.
He appears as a character in two surviving plays, Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and Aristophanes' Birds. In Aristophanes' Birds, Prometheus appears briefly to inform Peisetaerus that Zeus is in danger of being overthrown. Prometheus Bound deals with Prometheus' punishment for giving fire to human beings. Despite this, Prometheus is confident that Zeus will someday need his help, because he knows how Zeus will eventually be overthrown and that he will eventually be freed from his punishment. In addition to Prometheus Bound, Prometheus' name appears in three other plays attributed to Aeschylus: Prometheus Unbound (fragments 190–204 Radt), Prometheus the Fire Bearer (fragment 208 Radt), and Prometheus the Fire Kindler (fragments 204a-07 Radt). The last of these plays may have been satyric and have completed the tetralogy of 472 BCE, preceded by Phineus, Persians, and Glaucus Pontios. Prometheus the Fire Kindler dealt with Prometheus' theft of fire, by which the satyrs would have been excited and amazed. Examination of the fragments of Prometheus Unbound reveals a chorus of Titans, freed by Zeus from the underworld. As in Prometheus Bound, the chorus of Prometheus Unbound walk by and talk with Prometheus, who is still bound and tortured during the first part of the play. Also as in Prometheus Bound, in Unbound Prometheus describes he sufferings and the benefits he has conferred on humankind. Eventually, Heracles, during his quest for the apples of the Hesperides, appears. Presumably in exchange for information about his quest, Heracles shoots the eagle that torments Prometheus and releases him from his chains. The subject matter of Prometheus the Fire-Bearer is uncertain; Lloyd-Jones thinks that it may have preceded Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound.
Among Roman authors, Accius wrote a Prometheus, from which two brief fragments survive (606–8 Warmington). Lines 606–7 refer to the eagle that pecked away at the hero. Line 608 appears to refer to the wintry weather that plagued the region where Prometheus was bound.
Smyth, H. and Lloyd-Jones, H. Aeschylus. Vol. 2. 1926. Reprint, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1971.
Warmington, E. H. Remains of Old Latin: Livius Andronicus, Naevius, Pacuvius, and Accius. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1936.
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