Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Prometheus

Zeus

Prometheus

Release me, Zeus; I have suffered enough.

Zeus

Release you? you? Why, by rights your irons should be heavier, you should have the whole weight of Caucasus upon you, and instead of one, a dozen vultures, not just pecking at — your liver, but scratching out your eyes. You made these: abominable human creatures to vex us, you stole our fire, you invented women. I need not remind you how you overreached me about the meat-offerings; my portion, bones disguised in fat: yours, all the good.

Prometheus

And have I not been punished enough—riveted to the Caucasus all these years, feeding your bird (on which all worst curses light!) with my liver?

Zeus

"Tis not a tithe of your deserts,

Prometheus

Consider, I do not ask you to release me for nothing. I offer you information which is invaluable.

Zeus

Promethean wiles!

Prometheus

Wiles? to what end? you can find the Caucasus another time; and there are chains to be had, if you catch me cheating.

Zeus

Tell me first the nature of yout ‘invaluable’ offer.

Prometheus

If I tell you your present errand right, will that convince you that I can prophesy too?

Zeus

Of course it will.

Prometheus

You are bound on a little visit to Thetis.

Zeus

Right so far. And the sequel? I trust you now.

Prometheus

Have no dealings with her, Zeus. As sure as Neteus’s daughter conceives by you, your child shall mete you the measure you meted to—

Zeus

I shall lose my kingdom, you would say?

Prometheus

Avert it, Fate! I say only, that union portends this issue.

Zeus

Thetis, farewell! and for this Hephaestus shall set you free.

Henry Watson Fowler

Dialogi deorum. Lucian. Henry Watson Fowler (Translator), Francis George Fowler (Translator). Medford, MA, USA. 2023-08-01.

Current edition Perseus

Dialogues of the Gods (English) (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.)

Editions (2)

Θεῶν Διάλογοι Perseus (Lucian. Luciani Samosatensis Opera, Vol. 1. Jacobitz, Karl, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1909.) — 1 focus

Προμηθέως καὶ Διός

Προμηθεύς

λῦσόν με, ὦ Ζεῦ· δεινὰ γὰρ ἤδη πέπονθα.

Ζεύς

λύσω σε, φής, ὃν ἐχρῆν βαρυτέρας πέδας ἔχοντα καὶ τὸν Καύκασον ὅλον ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς ἐπικείμενον ὑπὸ ἑκκαίδεκα γυπῶν μὴ μόνον κείρεσθαι τὸ ἧπαρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξορύττεσθαι, ἀνθʼ ὧν τοιαῦθʼ ἡμῖν ζῷα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἔπλασας καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἔκλεψας καὶ γυναῖκας ἐδημιούργησας; ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐμὲ ἐξηπάτησας ἐν τῇ νομῇ τῶν κρεῶν ὀστᾶ πιμελῇ κεκαλυμμένα παραθεὶς καὶ τὴν ἀμείνω τῶν μοιρῶν σεαυτῷ φυλάττων, τί χρὴ λέγειν;

Προμηθεύς

οὔκουν ἱκανὴν ἤδη τὴν δίκην ἐκτέτικα τοσοῦτον 205 χρόνον τῷ Καυκάσῳ προσηλωμένος τὸν κάκιστα ὀρνέων ἀπολούμενον αἰετὸν τρέφων τῷ ἥπατι;

Ζεύς

οὐδὲ πολλοστημόριον τοῦτο ὧν σε δεῖ παθεῖν.

Προμηθεύς

καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἀμισθί με λύσεις, ἀλλά σοι μηνύσω τι, ὦ Ζεῦ, πάνυ ἀναγκαῖον.

Ζεύς

Κατασοφίζῃ με, ὦ Προμηθεῦ.

Προμηθεύς

καὶ τί πλέον ἕξω; οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοήσεις αὖθις ἔνθα ὁ Καύκασός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἀπορήσεις δεσμῶν, ἤν τι τεχνάζων ἁλίσκωμαι.

Ζεύς

εἰπὲ πρότερον, ὅντινα μισθὸν ἀποτίσεις αναγκαῖον ἡμῖν ὄντα.

Προμηθεύς

ἢν εἴπω ἐφʼ ὅ τι βαδίζεις νῦν, ἀξιόπιστος ἔσομαί σοι καὶ περὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων μαντευόμενος;

Ζεύς

Πῶς γὰρ οὔ;

Προμηθεύς

παρὰ τὴν Θέτιν, συνεσόμενος αὐτῇ.

Ζεύς

τουτὶ μὲν ἔγνως· τί δʼ οὖν τὸ ἐπὶ τούτῳ; δοκεῖς γὰρ ἀληθές τι ἐρεῖν.

Προμηθεύς

μηδέν, ὦ Ζεῦ, κοινωνήσῃς τῇ Νηρηΐδι· ἢν γὰρ αὕτη κυοφορήσῃ ἐκ σοῦ, τὸ τεχθὲν ἴσα ἐργάσεταί σε οἷα καὶ σὺ ἔδρασας —

Ζεύς

τοῦτο φής, ἐκπεσεῖσθαί με τῆς ἀρχῆς;

Προμηθεύς

μὴ γένοιτο, ὦ Ζεῦ. πλὴν τοιοῦτό γε ἡ μῖξις αὐτῆς ἀπειλεῖ.

Ζεύς

χαιρέτω τοιγαροῦν ἡ Θέτις· σὲ δὲ ὁ Ἥφαιστος ἐπὶ τούτοις λυσάτω.

Θεῶν διάλογοι Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).) — 1 focus

ΑΡΕΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΜΟΥ

ΑΡΗΣ

Ἤκουσας, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, οἷα ἠπείλησεν ἡμῖν ὁ Ζεύς, ὡς ὑπεροπτικὰ καὶ ὡς ἀπίθανα; Ἢν ἐθελήσω, φησίν, ἐγὼ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ σειρὰν καθήσω, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀποκρεμασθέντες κατασπᾶν βιάσεσθέ με, ἀλλὰ μάτην πονήσετε· οὐ γὰρ δὴ καθελκύσετε· εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ θελήσαιμι ἀνελκύσαι, οὐ μόνον ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν γῆν ἅμα καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν συνανασπάσας ¹ μετεωριῶ· καὶ τἆλλα ὅσα καὶ σὺ ἀκήκοας. ἐγὼ 268 δὲ ὅτι μὲν καθ' ἕνα πάντων ἀμείνων καὶ ἰσχυρότερός ἐστιν οὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθείην, ὁμοῦ δὲ τῶν τοσούτων ὑπερφέρειν, ὡς μὴ καταβαρήσειν ² αὐτόν, ἢν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν προσλάβωμεν, οὐκ ἂν πεισθείην.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Εὐφήμει. ὦ Ἄρες· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς λέγειν τὰ τοιαῦτα, μὴ καί τι κακὸν ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς φλυαρίας.

ΑΠΗΣ

Οἴει γάρ με πρὸς πάντας ἂν ταῦτα εἰπεῖν, οὐχὶ δὲ πρὸς μόνον σέ, ὃν ἐχεμυθήσειν ἠπιστάμην; ὃ γοῦν μάλιστα γελοῖον ἔδοξέ μοι ἀκούοντι μεταξὺ τῆς ἀπειλῆς, οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην σιωπῆσαι πρὸς σέ· μέμνημαι γὰρ οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ, ὁπότε ὁ Ποσειδῶν καὶ ἡ Ἥρα καὶ ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ ἐπαναστάντες ἐπεβούλευον ξυνδῆσαι λαβόντες αὐτόν, ὡς παντοῖος ἦν δεδιώς, καὶ ταῦτα τρεῖς ὄντας, καὶ εἰ μή γε ἡ Θέτις κατελεήσασα ἐκάλεσεν αὐτῷ σύμμαχον Βριάρεων ἑκατόγχειρα ὄντα, κἂν ἐδέδετο αὐτῷ κεραυνῷ καὶ βροντῇ. ταῦτα λογιζομένῳ ἐπῄει μοι γελᾶν ἐπὶ τῇ καλλιρρημοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Σιώπα, φημί· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς οὔτε σοὶ λέγειν οὔτ' ἐμοὶ ἀκούειν τὰ τοιαῦτα.

Translations (1)

Dialogues of the Gods Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 7. Macleod, Matthew Donald, translator. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961 (unrenewed copyright).) — 1 focus

Ares and Hermes

ARES

My dear Hermes, have you heard Zeus’ threats? How proud and preposterous they are! “If I please”, says he, “I’ll let a cord ¹ down from heaven; you’ll be hanging on it, trying with all your might to pull me down, but you’ll be wasting all your efforts, for you’ll never succeed. And, if I choose to tug up, it won’t be only you, but I’ll pull up the earth and the sea into the bargain, and leave the lot dangling in mid-air.” He goes on and on like that. You’ve heard it all too. I’ll admit that he’s more than a match and too strong for any one of us, but that he’s too much for all of us put together, so that, even if we have the earth and the sea with us, our weight wouldn’t overpower him—that I’ll never believe.

HERMES

Hush, Ares. It isn’t safe to talk like that, or we may be sorry for our silly chatter.

ARES

Do you think I’d have said that to just anyone, or only to you? I knew you would hold your tongue. But I must tell you what struck me as most ridiculous as I listened to his threats. I remember, just the other day, when Poseidon and Hera and Athena rebelled, ² and were plotting to catch him and clap him in irons, he was crazy with terror though there were only three of them. And in irons he would have been, thunder and lightning and all, if Thetis had not been sorry for him, and called in to his help Briareos with his hundred hands. When I thought of that, I had to laugh at his fine talk.

HERMES

Quiet, I tell you. It’s dangerous for you to talk like that, and for me to listen.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

I.

Prometheus

Zeus

Prometheus Release me, Zeus; I have suffered enough.

Prometheus And have I not been punished enough—riveted to the Caucasus all these years, feeding your bird (on which all worst curses light!) with my liver?

Zeus "Tis not a tithe of your deserts,

Prometheus Consider, I do not ask you to release me for nothing. I offer you information which is invaluable.

Zeus Promethean wiles!

Prometheus Wiles? to what end? you can find the Caucasus another time; and there are chains to be had, if you catch me cheating.

Zeus Tell me first the nature of yout ‘invaluable’ offer.

Prometheus If I tell you your present errand right, will that convince you that I can prophesy too?

Zeus Of course it will.

Prometheus You are bound on a little visit to Thetis.

Zeus Right so far. And the sequel? I trust you now.

Prometheus Have no dealings with her, Zeus. As sure as Neteus’s daughter conceives by you, your child shall mete you the measure you meted to—

Zeus I shall lose my kingdom, you would say?

Prometheus Avert it, Fate! I say only, that union portends this issue.

Zeus Thetis, farewell! and for this Hephaestus shall set you free.

Current edition Perseus

Προμηθέως καὶ Διός

Προμηθεύς λῦσόν με, ὦ Ζεῦ· δεινὰ γὰρ ἤδη πέπονθα.

Προμηθεύς οὔκουν ἱκανὴν ἤδη τὴν δίκην ἐκτέτικα τοσοῦτον 205 χρόνον τῷ Καυκάσῳ προσηλωμένος τὸν κάκιστα ὀρνέων ἀπολούμενον αἰετὸν τρέφων τῷ ἥπατι;

Ζεύς οὐδὲ πολλοστημόριον τοῦτο ὧν σε δεῖ παθεῖν.

Προμηθεύς καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἀμισθί με λύσεις, ἀλλά σοι μηνύσω τι, ὦ Ζεῦ, πάνυ ἀναγκαῖον.

Ζεύς Κατασοφίζῃ με, ὦ Προμηθεῦ.

Προμηθεύς καὶ τί πλέον ἕξω; οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοήσεις αὖθις ἔνθα ὁ Καύκασός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἀπορήσεις δεσμῶν, ἤν τι τεχνάζων ἁλίσκωμαι.

Ζεύς εἰπὲ πρότερον, ὅντινα μισθὸν ἀποτίσεις αναγκαῖον ἡμῖν ὄντα.

Προμηθεύς ἢν εἴπω ἐφʼ ὅ τι βαδίζεις νῦν, ἀξιόπιστος ἔσομαί σοι καὶ περὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων μαντευόμενος;

Ζεύς Πῶς γὰρ οὔ;

Προμηθεύς παρὰ τὴν Θέτιν, συνεσόμενος αὐτῇ.

Ζεύς τουτὶ μὲν ἔγνως· τί δʼ οὖν τὸ ἐπὶ τούτῳ; δοκεῖς γὰρ ἀληθές τι ἐρεῖν.

Προμηθεύς μηδέν, ὦ Ζεῦ, κοινωνήσῃς τῇ Νηρηΐδι· ἢν γὰρ αὕτη κυοφορήσῃ ἐκ σοῦ, τὸ τεχθὲν ἴσα ἐργάσεταί σε οἷα καὶ σὺ ἔδρασας —

Ζεύς τοῦτο φής, ἐκπεσεῖσθαί με τῆς ἀρχῆς;

Προμηθεύς μὴ γένοιτο, ὦ Ζεῦ. πλὴν τοιοῦτό γε ἡ μῖξις αὐτῆς ἀπειλεῖ.

Ζεύς χαιρέτω τοιγαροῦν ἡ Θέτις· σὲ δὲ ὁ Ἥφαιστος ἐπὶ τούτοις λυσάτω.

ΑΡΕΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΜΟΥ

ΕΡΜΗΣ Εὐφήμει. ὦ Ἄρες· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς λέγειν τὰ τοιαῦτα, μὴ καί τι κακὸν ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς φλυαρίας.

ΕΡΜΗΣ Σιώπα, φημί· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς οὔτε σοὶ λέγειν οὔτ' ἐμοὶ ἀκούειν τὰ τοιαῦτα.

Ares and Hermes

HERMES Hush, Ares. It isn’t safe to talk like that, or we may be sorry for our silly chatter.

HERMES Quiet, I tell you. It’s dangerous for you to talk like that, and for me to listen.

Stable identifiers

Prometheus

Release me, Zeus; I have suffered enough.

Prometheus

And have I not been punished enough—riveted to the Caucasus all these years, feeding your bird (on which all worst curses light!) with my liver?

Zeus

"Tis not a tithe of your deserts,

Prometheus

Consider, I do not ask you to release me for nothing. I offer you information which is invaluable.

Zeus

Promethean wiles!

Prometheus

Wiles? to what end? you can find the Caucasus another time; and there are chains to be had, if you catch me cheating.

Zeus

Tell me first the nature of yout ‘invaluable’ offer.

Prometheus

If I tell you your present errand right, will that convince you that I can prophesy too?

Zeus

Of course it will.

Prometheus

You are bound on a little visit to Thetis.

Zeus

Right so far. And the sequel? I trust you now.

Prometheus

Have no dealings with her, Zeus. As sure as Neteus’s daughter conceives by you, your child shall mete you the measure you meted to—

Zeus

I shall lose my kingdom, you would say?

Prometheus

Avert it, Fate! I say only, that union portends this issue.

Zeus

Thetis, farewell! and for this Hephaestus shall set you free.

Προμηθεύς

λῦσόν με, ὦ Ζεῦ· δεινὰ γὰρ ἤδη πέπονθα.

Προμηθεύς

οὔκουν ἱκανὴν ἤδη τὴν δίκην ἐκτέτικα τοσοῦτον 205 χρόνον τῷ Καυκάσῳ προσηλωμένος τὸν κάκιστα ὀρνέων ἀπολούμενον αἰετὸν τρέφων τῷ ἥπατι;

Ζεύς

οὐδὲ πολλοστημόριον τοῦτο ὧν σε δεῖ παθεῖν.

Προμηθεύς

καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἀμισθί με λύσεις, ἀλλά σοι μηνύσω τι, ὦ Ζεῦ, πάνυ ἀναγκαῖον.

Ζεύς

Κατασοφίζῃ με, ὦ Προμηθεῦ.

Προμηθεύς

καὶ τί πλέον ἕξω; οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοήσεις αὖθις ἔνθα ὁ Καύκασός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἀπορήσεις δεσμῶν, ἤν τι τεχνάζων ἁλίσκωμαι.

Ζεύς

εἰπὲ πρότερον, ὅντινα μισθὸν ἀποτίσεις αναγκαῖον ἡμῖν ὄντα.

Προμηθεύς

ἢν εἴπω ἐφʼ ὅ τι βαδίζεις νῦν, ἀξιόπιστος ἔσομαί σοι καὶ περὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων μαντευόμενος;

Ζεύς

Πῶς γὰρ οὔ;

Προμηθεύς

παρὰ τὴν Θέτιν, συνεσόμενος αὐτῇ.

Ζεύς

τουτὶ μὲν ἔγνως· τί δʼ οὖν τὸ ἐπὶ τούτῳ; δοκεῖς γὰρ ἀληθές τι ἐρεῖν.

Προμηθεύς

μηδέν, ὦ Ζεῦ, κοινωνήσῃς τῇ Νηρηΐδι· ἢν γὰρ αὕτη κυοφορήσῃ ἐκ σοῦ, τὸ τεχθὲν ἴσα ἐργάσεταί σε οἷα καὶ σὺ ἔδρασας —

Ζεύς

τοῦτο φής, ἐκπεσεῖσθαί με τῆς ἀρχῆς;

Προμηθεύς

μὴ γένοιτο, ὦ Ζεῦ. πλὴν τοιοῦτό γε ἡ μῖξις αὐτῆς ἀπειλεῖ.

Ζεύς

χαιρέτω τοιγαροῦν ἡ Θέτις· σὲ δὲ ὁ Ἥφαιστος ἐπὶ τούτοις λυσάτω.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Εὐφήμει. ὦ Ἄρες· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς λέγειν τὰ τοιαῦτα, μὴ καί τι κακὸν ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς φλυαρίας.

ΕΡΜΗΣ

Σιώπα, φημί· οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς οὔτε σοὶ λέγειν οὔτ' ἐμοὶ ἀκούειν τὰ τοιαῦτα.

HERMES

Hush, Ares. It isn’t safe to talk like that, or we may be sorry for our silly chatter.

HERMES

Quiet, I tell you. It’s dangerous for you to talk like that, and for me to listen.