Prometheus the Fire-Bringer - Retold by Jeremy Ingalls
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"Knowledge is power." This old saying is brought to life in the story of Prometheus [prg me'the gs]. Imagine the sense of power humans felt when they first learned to build fire. As you read, notice the reasons that Prometheus feels such strong sympathy for mortals. Retold by Jeremy Ingalls Prometheus the Fire-Bringer Fire itself, and the civilized life which fire ions upon Mount Olympus had inherited the makes possible-these were the gifts of Pro- secrets of fire, of rain, of farming and metal- metheus to the men of ancient times. Pro- working. 1 This knowledge gave them a power metheus himself was not of the oldest race of so great that they appeared as gods to the men men. He was not alive in the first age of man- who served them. kind. After the flood which destroyed many of Ancient writers tell us there were three the men of the second age, Zeus, with the help ages of men on earth before the fourth age, in of Prometheus, had bred a new race of men which we are now liVing.Each of the previous in Arcadia. 2 But Zeus did not find life on earth ages ended in terrible disasters which de- so simple for men and gods as it had been in stroyed a large part of the human race. A rag- earlier times. ing fire ended the first age of the world. At the When Cronus, the father of Zeus, had end of the second age, vast floods engulfed ruled the earth, summer had been the only plains and mountains. According to the oldest season. Great land masses toward the north poets, these misfortunes were punishments had barred all the icy winds. The age of the gods visited upon men for their wicked- Cronus was an age of contentment. No man ness and wrongdoing. had needed to work for food or clothes or a The story of Prometheus, remembered by house to shelter him. the Greeks and set down in their books, tells of the days when Zeus was king of the world 1. metalworking: process of making objects out of metal. and Prometheus was his chief councilor. 2. Arcadia far kit'de ;)1: region in ancient Greece noted From their ancestors they and their compan- for the simple and pleasant life of its people.
After the first flood, the land masses were if you create a new race to provide manpower broken. Winter winds blew upon countries for the farms and the bigger buildings? That which before had known only summer. race, too, will rebel while they can see and The race of gods did not suffer. They envy our knowledge and our power." warmed their houses, having the secret of "Even so, I will destroy these Arcadians," fire. And the women of the race were weavers insisted Zeus stubbornly. "Men are our crea- of cloth, so that the gods were clothed and tures. Let them learn to serve us, to do our defended from the north wind. will." But winter was a harsh season for the men "Up h~re on your mountain," observed Pro- and women who did not live on the gods' metheus thoughtfully, "you make men and de- mountain. Without defense from the cold, stroy them. But what about the men them- they huddled with the animals. They com- selves? How can they learn wisdom when, plained against the gods, whom they must time after time, you visit them with destruc- serve for what little comfort they might find tion?" of food and warmth. They scarcely believed "You have too much sympathy for them," the stories which their ancestors had handed answered Zeus in a sharp voice. "I believe you down to them of a time when men had lived love these huddling, sheepish men." in endless summer weather, when men were "They have minds and hearts," replied Pro- friends and favorites of the gods. metheus warmly, "and a courage that is worth Men became rebels and grumblers. For admiring. They wish to live even as the gods this reason Zeus, seeing winter coming on wish to live. Don't we feed ourselves on again, determined to destroy the people of Ar- nectar3 and ambrosia4 every day to preserve cadia. Then Prometheus, his chief councilor, our lives?" sought to save this third race of man from Prometheus was speaking rapidly. His destruction. voice was deep. "This is your way," he went "They quarrel among themselves," said on. "You won't look ahead. You won't be pa- Zeus angrily. "They start trouble in the fields. tient. You won't give men a chance to learn Wemust train up a new race of men who will how to live. Over and over again, with floods learn more qUicklywhat it means to serve the or with cracking red thunderbolts, you de- gods." stroy them." Zeus was walking across the bronze floor "I have let you live, Prometheus," said Zeus of his mountain palace. A tremendous, tall in an ominous tone, "to advise me when you figure of a man he was, the king god Zeus. can. You are my cousin. But I am not your But he who stood beside him, Prometheus of child to be scolded." Zeus was smiling, but the family of Titans, was even taller. there was thunder behind the smile. "Worthless," Zeus was saying as if to him- Silently Prometheus turned away. Leaving self. "Worthless," he repeated again, "the the marble-columned hall, he went out among whole race. They complain of the winters. the gardens of Olympus, the gods' mountain. They are too weak a race for the climate of The last roses were fading before the time of these times. Whyshould we continue to strug- winter winds and rain. gle with them? Better to be rid of them, every man and woman of the troublesome tribe." 3. nectar: drink of the gods. "And then?" inquired Prometheus. "What 4. ambrosia [am bro'zhg]: food of the gods.
This was not the first time Prometheus two now walked the upper earth-he, Prome- had heard thunder in the voice of Zeus. Pro- theus, and Epimetheus,6 his brother. metheus knew that someday Zeus would turn And now, even now, Zeus was not content. against him, betray him, and punish him. It was not enough for his glory, it seemed, to Prometheus the Titan had the gift of reading have dethroned his own father, not enough to the future. He could foresee the fate hidden have driven the race of Titans from the houses and waiting for him and for others and even of the gods. Now Zeus was plotting to kill Jhe for Zeus himself. race of men. Climbing among the upper gardens, Pro- Prometheus had endured the war against metheus stopped at last beside an ancient, the Titans, his own people. He had even given twisted ash tree. Leaning against its trunk, help to Zeus. Having seen what was to come, he looked toward the south. Beyond the last he had thought, "Since Zeus must win, I'll canal, the last steep sea wall, he could see the gUide him. I'll control his fierce anger and his ocean. He looked far out toward that last shin- greed for power." ing circle of water. Then, with his head bent, But Prometheus could not submit to this he sat down on the tree roots bulging in thick latest plot of Zeus. He would use all his wits knots above the ground. to save the men of Arcadia from destruction. It would be hard to tell you all the thoughts Why were they to be destroyed? Because in the mind of the Titan-thoughts that coiled they were cold and full of fears, huddled and twined like a nest of dragons. In his together in caves like animals. It was well mighty brain were long memories of the past enough in the warm months. They worked and far-reaching prophecies of what was to willingly in the fields of the gods and reared come. the horses and bulls and guarded the sheep. He thought most often of the future, but But when the cold days came, they grumbled the talk with Zeus just now had brought the against Olympus. They grumbled because past before him once again. He remembered they must eat and hunt like the animals and once more the terrible war in which Zeus had had no hoof nor claw nor heavy fur for pro- seized the kingship of the gods. He thought tection. of the exile and imprisonment of Cronus, the What did they need? What protection father of Zeus. He remembered the Titans, his would be better than hoof or claw? Prome- people, now chained in the black pit of Tar- theus knew. It was fire they needed-fire to tarus.5 cook with, to warm them, to harden metal for The great god Cronus himself, who had weapons. With fire they could frighten the given peace to gods and men, where was he wolf and the bear and the mountain lion. now? And the mighty"headed Titans, the Why did they lack the gift of fire? Prome- magnificent engineers, builders of bridges theus knew that too. He knew how jealously and temples, where were they? All of them the gods sat guard about tpeir flame. fallen, helpless, as good as dead. More than once he had told Zeus the need Zeus had triumphed. Of the Titans, only men had of fire. He knew why Zeus would not consent to teach men this secret of the gods. 5. Tartarus [tar't~r ~s]: place in the underworld for wrongdoers.
The gift of fire to men would be a gift of power. Prometheus had left Olympus as one upon Hardened in the fire, the spears which men a journey. He alone knew he was not going to might make to chase a mountain lion might visit the home of Poseidon, Zeus's brother, also, in time, be hurled against the gods. With lord of the sea-nor going into India, nor into fire would come comfort and time to think the cold north. He was going only as far as while the flames leaped up the walls of hidden the nearest sea beach. caves. Men who had time to think would have He knew that, though he was going only time to question the laws of the gods. Among to the sea beach, he was in truth starting men who asked questions disorder might upon a journey. He knew the hatred of Zeus breed, and rebellion stronger than any mere squabble in the fields. "But men are worth the gift of fire," thought Prometheus, sitting against the roots of his favorite ash tree. He could see ahead dimly into that time to come when gods would lose their power. And he, Prometheus, through his love for men, must help to bring on that time. Prometheus did not hesitate. By the fall of night his plans were accomplished. As the sun went down, his tall figure appeared upon a sea beach. Abovethe sands a hundred caves, long ago deserted by the waters of the ocean, sheltered families of Arcadians. To them the Titan was bringing this very night the secret of the gods. He came along the pebble line of high water. In his hand he carried a yellow reed. This curious yellow stalk was made of metal, the most precious of the metals of the gods. From it the metalworkers molded rare and delicate shapes. From it they made the reedlike and hollow stalks which carried, in wisps of fenneF straw, coals from the gods' . ever-burning fire. The gods who knew the sources of flame never built new fires in the sight of men. Going abroad on journeys, they took from their central hearth a smoldering coal. 7. fennel: plant with bright green feathery leaves and clusters of yellow flowers.
would followhim. He knew that now he, Pro- in their shining eyes. Then qUietly he took metheus, could never return to the house of the metal stalk from the man who held it. the gods. From this night he must live his life With a swift gesture he threw it into the heap among the men he wished to save. of burning wood. While the stars came out, bright as they The people groaned. The fire-wrought are on nights when winter will soon come on, metal crumpled against the heat. The metal Prometheus gathered together a heap of drift- which carried well a single coal melted in the wood. Opening the metal stalk, he set the blazing fire. flame of the gods in the waiting fuel. The people murmured among themselves, Eating into the wood, the fire leaped up, "Hasn't he taken away the secret now? Hasn't fanned in the night breeze. Prometheus sat he destroyed before our eyes the source of down beside the fire he had made. He was not fire?" long alone. Patiently, silently they waited. A few asked Shadowy figures appeared at the mouths questions but got no answers. The cold wind of caves. One by one, men, women, and chil- cut them as the last of the burning driftwood dren crept toward the blaze. The night was grayed and blackened in the sand. cold. North winds had blown that day. The While the embers crumbled away, Prome- winds had blown on the lands of men, even theus rose, calling with him a few of the men as they had blown on the head of Zeus in his who had asked him questions. Watching, they palace above them. Now in the night they saw him scrape a hollow pit. Wondering, they came, the people of men, to the warmth of the followedhis every movement, his hands hold- beckoning fire. ing a br9nze knife, shaving chips of wood, Hundreds there were of them now. Those taking from the fold of his cloak handfuls of nearest the tall fire-bringer, the Titan, were bark and straw. talking with him. They knew him well. It was Next he set in his pit a chunk of ashwood, not the first time Prometheus had come to flat and firm, notched cleanly on one side. talk with them. But never before had he come Beneath and around this notch he laid in late, alone, and lighted a fire against the dark. bark and straw. Into the notch he set a point- It was not the first time men had seen a ed branch, slender, hard-tipped, and firm. fire or felt its warmth. More than once a god, Then slowly he swung the branch in his walking the earth, had set a fire, lit from the palms, twirled it in a steady rhythm, boring, coals he carried secretly. Men reverenced the drilling more and more rapidly with his skilled slender magic wands with which, it seemed, and powerful hands. the gods could call up flame. But never before The wood grew warm. The dust ground had they stood so near a fire nor seen the fire- from the ash block heated to smoldering. The wand. straw caught. Light sputtered from the pit. Now men might hold in their own hands Small sparks glowed, flew up, went out. the mysterious yellow rod. They said, "Look" Tugged by the night wind, smoke curled from and "See" and, fingering the metal, "How the dry straw, from the bark, from the wood wonderfully the gods can mold what is hard shavings fed gently from the heap Prometheus in the hands." had made ready to his hand. At last, more For a while Prometheus let them talk. He suddenly than the eye could follow,out of the watched with pleasure the gleam of firelight pit in the sand rose the liVingflame.
Deftly Prometheus removed the ash block, The gods, from their distant houses, saw added heavier kindling. Last of all, the drift- the glow. There to the south it shone, fighting wood yielded to the strengthening fire. He against the starlight, the glare in the sky. Was knelt beside it awhile, breathing upon it, it the end ofthe world? Wouldthe terrible fire guarding, urging the blaze. At last he rose, consume the earth again? stood back, folded his arms. As if considering Hermes, the messenger, came at last with a thought, half sorrow, half pleasure, he an answer to all their questions. looked up at the glare of fire invading the "Great Zeus," said Hermes gravely in the night sky. assembly of the gods, "Prometheus, your cousin, stands in the midst of those rising Whispers and murmuring first, then cries, fires. He took coals from the central hearth as then shouting. Men ran to scoop new hollows for a journey." in the sand. They begged Prometheus' knife. "So?" asked Zeus, nodding his head. The children, running from the beach to the Then, as if he were holding an argument With caves and fields, hurried back with fists himself, he continued, saying, "But then? crammed full of straw and withered leaves. What then? The fire will die. It is not a crime The people of the caves were breathless for a god or for a Titan to light a fire for him- with excitement. Here was no secret. The fire- self on a cold evening." wand did not breed the fire as they had "But that fire will not die," interrupted thought. No nameless power of the gods bred Hermes. "That fire is not the fire of gods and the flame. Titans. Prometheus has taught men the The hard, pale ashwood passed from hand source of fire. Those fires are their own, the to hand as men struggled to light their own fires of men. They've drilled flame out of hard- fires. They despaired at first. New sparks flew wood with their own hands." up and died. Or the hands were weak, too Then the gods knew the end of the world weak to drill the flame. But at last came was not yet come upon them. But they knew, triumph. A dozen fires sprang up. Womenand and Zeus most of all, that it might be their children ran with laden arms to feed each own great power that was burning away in growing blaze. the fires of men. 3. What gift does Prometheus want to give hu- mans? What will they be able to do with this Recalling gift? 1. According to the myth, how many ages of the 4. What does Zeus fear that humans will be able human race have there been? Why did the gods to do if they have fire? What does Prometheus end each age? know is going to happen to the gods? 2. Why does Zeus consider the people of Arcadia 5. What actions does Prometheus perform to build "worthless"? What qualities does Prometheus a fire on the beach? What do the human beings see in them? do_wben. they s'ee the fire?
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