Prometheus monologue — Four Plays of Aeschylus

Grievous alike are these things for my tongue, Grievous for silence—rueful everyway. Know that, when first the gods began their strife, And heaven was all astir with mutual feud— Some willing to fling Cronos from his throne, And set, forsooth, their Zeus on high as king, And other some in contrariety Striving to bar him from heaven’s throne for aye— Thereon I sought to counsel for the best The Titan brood of Ouranos and Earth; Yet I prevailed not, for they held in scorn My glozing wiles, and, in their hardy pride, Deemed that sans effort they could grasp the sway. But, for my sake, my mother Themis oft, And Earth, one symbol of names manifold, Had held me warned, how in futurity It stood ordained that not by force or power, But by some wile, the victors must prevail. In such wise I interpreted; but they Deigned not to cast their heed thereon at all. Then, of things possible, I deemed it best, Joining my mother’s wisdom to mine own, To range myself with Zeus, two wills in one. Thus, by device of mine, the murky depth Of Tartarus enfoldeth Cronos old And those who strove beside him. Such the aid I gave the lord of heaven—my meed for which He paid me thus, a penal recompense! For ’tis the inward vice of tyranny, To deem of friends as being secret foes. Now, to your question—hear me clearly show On what imputed fault he tortures me. Scarce was he seated on his father’s throne, When he began his doles of privilege Among the lesser gods, allotting power In trim division; while of mortal men Nothing he recked, nor of their misery Nay, even willed to blast their race entire To nothingness, and breed another brood; And none but I was found to cross his will. I dared it, I alone; I rescued men From crushing ruin and th’ abyss of hell— Therefore am I constrained in chastisement Grievous to bear and piteous to behold,— Yea, firm to feel compassion for mankind, Myself was held unworthy of the same— Ay, beyond pity am I ranged and ruled To sufferance—a sight that shames his sway!