Hermes

To you, the clever and crafty, bitter beyond all bitterness,

who has sinned against the gods in bestowing honors upon creatures of a day—to you, thief of fire, I speak. The Father commands that you tell what marriage you boast of, whereby he is to be hurled from power—and this, mark well, set forth in no riddling fashion,

945

but point by point, as the case exactly stands; and do not impose upon me a double journey, Prometheus—you see Zeus is not appeased by dealings such as yours.

950

Prometheus

Bravely spoken, in truth, and swollen with pride is your speech, as befits a minion of the gods.

Young you are, as young your power, and you think indeed that you inhabit heights beyond the reach of grief. Have I not seen two sovereigns cast out from these heights? A third, the present lord, I shall live to see cast out in ruin most shameful and most swift. Do you think

955

I quail, perhaps, and cower before these upstart gods? Far from it—no, not at all. But scurry back the way you came; for you shall learn nothing about which you question me.

960

PROMETHEUS

High sounding, i'faith, aud full of haughtiness is thy speech, as beseems a lackey of the gods. Young in years, ye are young in power

; and ye fancy forsooth that ye dwell in a citadel impregnable against sorrow. Have I not known two monarchs

dethroned from it ? And the third that now is ruler I shall also see expelled most foully and most quickly. Seem I to thee in aught to be dismayed at, and to crouch beneath the new gods ? Widely, aye altogether, do I come short [of sucl feelings]. But do thou hie thee back the way by which thou amest: for not one tittle shalt thou learn of the matter on which thou questionest me.

MERCURY

PROMÉTHÉE

Voilà de bien grands mots et un ton plein de superbe — celui qui convient à un valet des dieux !
Jeunes, vous exercez un pouvoir bien jeune, et vous pensez habiter un château inaccessible à la douleur. Mais n'en ai-je pas vu, moi, chasser déjà deux monarques ? Et le troisième, le maître d'aujourd'hui, ces yeux le verront aussi chassé plus honteusement et plus brusquement
encore ! Eh bien ! te semblé-je avoir peur et me terrer d'effroi devant les jeunes dieux ? Il s'en faut de beaucoup — du tout au tout, plutôt. Va donc, hâte-toi, et refais la route qui t'a conduit ici : tu ne sauras rien de ce que tu viens chercher près de moi.

HERMÈS

MERCURY.

PROMETEO

Solenne suona, d'alterigia piena,

la tua parola, e quale ben s'addice

a ministro di Numi.

1110

Al poter nuovi,

sol da poco regnate: e da cordogli

credete immuni i vostri sogli.

Eppure,

non ne vidi io piombar già due tiranni?

1115

Ben presto quei che terzo ora comanda,

piombar vedrò, ben turpemente.

Credi

ch'io tema, io tremi di novelli Numi?

Oh!, molto, in tutto, io ne son lungi.

1120

E tu

riaffretta la strada onde sei giunto:

ché non saprai di quanto chiedi, nulla.

ERMETE

Vias proijce Prometheu. vides enim, quòd

Talibus Iupiter non mollitur.

955

Pro.

Grauis, & prudentiæ plenus

Tuus sermo est, tanquam deorum ministri.

Recenter iuvenes imperatis, & putatis

Fœliciter inhabitare cœlum: num ego ex his

Geminos tyrannos cadentes sensi?

960

Tertium iam imperantem etiam videbo

Turpiter & celeriter: num tibi videor

Timere & vereri novos deos?

Valde & omnino deficio: tu verò

Viam qua venisti accelera rursus,

965

Intelliges enim nihil eorum quæ me interrogas.

Mer.

Prometheus

Pompous, in sooth, thy word, and swoln with pride,

1075

As doth befit the lacquey of thy lords!

O ye young gods! how, in your youthful sway,

Ye deem secure your citadels of sky,

Beyond the reach of sorrow or of fall!

Have I not seen two dynasties of gods

1080

Already flung therefrom? and soon shall see

A third, that now in tyranny exults,

Shamed, ruined, in an hour! What sayest thou?

Crouch I and tremble at these stripling powers?

Small homage unto such from me, or none!

1085

Betake thee hence, sweat back along thy road—

Look for no answer from me, get thee gone!

Hermes

Prometheus.

Hochfahrend wohl und stolzen Uebermuthes voll

Klingt deine Rede, wie's dem Götterknecht geziemt.

Neu herrscht ihr Neuen, und gedenkt harmlos bereits

In sichrer Burg zu wohnen. Hab' ich wirklich nicht

950

Zwei Herrscher schon aus dieser Höhe stürzen seh'n?

Den dritten, der jetzt waltet, seh' ich ihnen nach

Alsbald und schmachvoll stürzen. Dünkt dir etwa gar,

Die Götter fürcht' ich, beuge mich den Neulingen?

Fern bin ich, allzuferne, traun, von solcher Furcht.

955

Du gehe flugs des Weges, den du kamst, zurück;

Denn Nichts von Allem, was du fragst, verkünd' ich dir.

Hermes.