Finished Reading: Prometheus Bound

 Finished reading “Prometheus Bound” by Aeschylus (c 525-456 BC). This launches a new study in Religion and Theology as I make my way through The Great Books in The Great Ideas Program (Volume 4). 

This mythological Greek play is considered to be religious, or theological in nature because it explores the question of ultimate power in the universe and man’s relation to that power (Adler, Payne). Zeus gained the throne after killing his father and, “appointed various rights to various gods, giving to each his set place and authority of wretched humans. He took no account, resolved to annihilate them and create another race. This purpose there was none to oppose, but I, I dared I save the human race from being grounded to dust from total death. . . . I pitied mortal men.. . And seek to fix dishonor on the name of Zeus. . . “ So the Titan Prometheus stole fire from the gods and taught man to fend for himself. “All human skill and science was Prometheus’ gift.” In short: Prometheus taught man they don’t need gods. 

Zeus punishes Prometheus by nailing his hands, feet and chest to a rock, to burn in the glaring sun, and have his liver eaten daily. Hell is too good for Prometheus. 

Some find parallels in Prometheus’ suffering with that of the biblical Job, but this is a stretch. Zeus is not omnipotent, omniscient nor eternal. He’s a tyrant, to whom Prometheus (who has served the gods before) raises a defiant proverbial fist, “I hate all the gods because having received good at my hands, they have rewarded me with evil.” 

Some observations on possible Job-like parallels: first, once Prometheus is dragged on stage, he never moves (he can’t). It’s easy to imagine Job sitting motionless in the dirt—the text does not say he moves until the end. Second, Prometheus says to his visiting friends, “oh, it is easy for the one who stands outside the prison wall of pain to exhort and teach the one who suffers.” Finally, in the heart of Job’s argument he likens finding God’s wisdom to gold and silver mining. The Titan Prometheus claims that “the bronze, iron, silver gold hidden deep down who else, but I can claim to have found them first? No one unless he talks like a fool.”

Zeus crucified Prometheus to teach him a lesson, but defiant Prometheus wants to teach Zeus a lesson, “when my words come true, and he is broken than at last he will calm his merciless anger and asked for a pact of friendship with me and I shall welcome him.” So who has ultimate power—men or gods, man or divinity? Here, the savior of mankind cannot save himself. The Greek gods are ultimately dead. The ultimate power in the universe is fate, holding sway over gods and men. “Fate fulfills all in time.”