Prometheus (Forethought) Greek One of the Titans, descended from the Earth Mother (Gaia) and the Sky Father (Uranus); son of Iapetus and one of the daughters of Oceanus, possibly Clymene; brother of Atlas and Epimetheus; father of Deucalion.

Prometheus (Forethought) Greek One of the Titans, descended from the Earth Mother (Gaia) and the Sky Father (Uranus); son of Iapetus and one of the daughters of Oceanus, possibly Clymene; brother of Atlas and Epimetheus; father of Deucalion. Prometheus was a remarkable figure in Greek mythology. Some stories say that he was the creator of man. He was certainly the main champion of humankind, bringing the gift of fire and teaching people how to use it. He also taught humans astronomy, medicine, navigation, metalworking, architecture, and writing. Zeus grew angry with Prometheus for stealing fire and giving it to people. He had Prometheus chained to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where an eagle or a vulture plucked at his liver all day. Prometheus healed every night, so that his suffering seemed destined to go on for all eternity. Heracles eventually rescued Prometheus, and Chiron, the centaur gave his own immortality to Prometheus. To revenge himself on humankind, Zeus sent Pandora into the world and with her all the troubles and sicknesses of humankind. Some scholars say that in earlier mythologies Prometheus remained chained to his rock through all eternity. But to the fair-minded ancient Greek poets who recorded the myths, it was unthinkable that the champion of humankind should be so punished, hence the story of Heracles, the hero who broke the bonds of Prometheus, and of Chiron, the gentle centaur who conferred his immortality on Prometheus to end his own suffering. The story of the enmity between Zeus and Prometheus may represent the antagonism between an ancient god, Prometheus, and the more modern Olympian Gods, personified by Zeus. References to Prometheus are found in most of the classical poets, such as Hesiod and Aeschylus (Prometheus Bound). In the 18th century, German poet and scholar Johann Wolfgang von Goethe saw Prometheus as a symbol of humanity's creative striving and rebellion against the restraints of society. The 19th-century English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, in Prometheus Unbound, glorified the Titan who dared to revolt against the gods and triumph over tyranny. Prometheus, Fire-bringer and Champion of Humankind - Mythology. Stories say that on one occasion Prometheus, a Titan, made two bundles out of the remains of an ox that had been sacrificed. One bundle contained the meat, the other, the bones. He wrapped the bones in succulent-looking fat; the meat he placed inside the stomach sac of the ox. Asked to choose which package he preferred, the god Zeus chose the package that looked succulent but contained nothing but bones. In his anger at being tricked, although some say that the great god surely knew he was being tricked, Zeus decided to keep the knowledge of fire-making from humankind. Prometheus, undaunted, stole fire from heaven, or from the forge of the smith-god, Hephaestus, and took it to Earth hidden in the hollow stalk of the fennel plant. He then began to teach people all the uses of fire--how to make tools and fashion metal, how to build, and how to cook. He also taught people how to sow and reap, and how to use herbs for healing. Prometheus, Bound and Unbound - Mythology. Prometheus, the champion of humankind, had thwarted the great god Zeus in his attempt to conceal knowledge of fire from humans. To punish the law-breaker, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where an eagle or a vulture plucked at his liver all through the day. Prometheus healed every night, so this torture would go on through all eternity. Eventually, the hero Heracles slew the bird and unbound Prometheus. The gentle centaur, Chiron, Prometheus 121 The god Prometheus, chained to a rock by Zeus for giving fire to humans, suffers each day as an eagle plucks at his liver. Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) portrayed the scene in this oil painting which now hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 122 Prometheus then conferred his own immortality upon Prometheus, so that he would die but Prometheus would live. As well as being punished for bringing fire to men, Zeus held Prometheus captive because he knew a secret to which Zeus wanted an answer: The sea nymph Thetis was soon to bear a child that would be greater than its father. The father could be either Zeus or Poseidon; the child could cause chaos among the Olympian Gods. Prometheus would not reveal his secret as long as he was held captive. Prometheus and Pandora - Mythology. Prometheus was a cause of great anger to Zeus. Prometheus had tricked Zeus in the matter of sacrifices made by humans and he had eventually escaped from the terrible torture inflicted by Zeus as punishment. Zeus decided that humankind must be punished for having received the forbidden gift of fire. Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the smith-god, to make a woman out of clay. The gods breathed life into her and made her irresistibly beautiful. She was named Pandora (All-giving) and sent to Earth, bearing a sealed vase, of which she was forbidden to know the contents. In spite of warnings from Prometheus, Epimetheus, his brother, immediately took Pandora to be his wife. Then Pandora opened the vase, sometimes called Pandora's Box, and every disaster that humans were ever to know was released upon the world. Only Hope remained in the vase, giving humankind the will to go on living.