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.
Prometheus Bravely spoken, in truth, and swollen with pride is your speech, as befits a minion of the gods. 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.
Hermes Yet it was by such proud wilfulness before, too, that you brought yourself to this harbor of distress.
Prometheus For your servitude, rest assured, I’d not barter my hard lot, not I.
Hermes Better, no doubt, to serve this rock than be the trusted messenger of Father Zeus!
Prometheus Such is the proper style for the insolent to offer insult.
Hermes I think you revel in your present plight.
Prometheus I revel? Oh, I wish that I might see my enemies revelling in this way! And you, too, I count among them.
Hermes What! You blame me in some way for your calamities?
Prometheus In one word, I hate all the gods that received good at my hands and with ill requite me wrongfully.
Hermes Your words declare you stricken with no slight madness.
Prometheus Mad I may be—if it is madness to loathe one’s enemies.
Hermes You would be unbearable if you were prosperous.
Prometheus Alas!
Hermes Alas? That is a word unknown to Zeus.
Prometheus But ever-ageing Time teaches all things.
Hermes Yes, but you at least have not yet learned to keep a sober mind.
Prometheus Or else I would not have addressed you, an underling.
Hermes It seems you will answer nothing that the Father demands.
Prometheus Yes, truly, I am his debtor and I should repay favor to him.
Hermes You taunt me as though, indeed, I were a child.
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. For nothing of this shall bend my will even to tell at whose hands he is fated to be hurled from his sovereignty.
Hermes Look now whether this course seems to profit you.
Prometheus Long ago has this my course been foreseen and resolved.
Hermes Bend your will, perverse fool, oh bend your will at last to wisdom in face of your present sufferings.
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.
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