Power

To earth’s remotest limit we come, to the Scythian land, an untrodden solitude. And now, Hephaestus, yours is the charge to observe the mandates laid upon you by the Father—to clamp this miscreant

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upon the high craggy rocks in shackles of binding adamant that cannot be broken. For your own flower, flashing fire, source of all arts, he has purloined and bestowed upon mortal creatures. Such is his offence; for this he is bound to make requital to the gods,

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so that he may learn to bear with the sovereignty of Zeus and cease his man-loving ways.

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Hephaestus

Power and Force, for you indeed the behest of Zeus is now fulfilled, and nothing remains to stop you. But for me—I do not have the nerve myself

to bind with force a kindred god upon this rocky cleft assailed by cruel winter. Yet, come what may, I am constrained to summon courage to this deed; for it is perilous to disregard the commandments of the Father.
  Lofty-minded son of Themis who counsels straight, against my will, no less than yours, I must rivet you with brazen bonds

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no hand can loose to this desolate crag, where neither voice nor form of mortal man shall you perceive; but, scorched by the sun’s bright beams, you shall lose the fair bloom of your flesh. And glad you shall be when spangled-robed night shall veil his brightness and

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when the sun shall scatter again the frost of morning. Evermore the burden of your present ill shall wear you out; for your deliverer is not yet born.
  Such is the prize you have gained for your championship of man. For, god though you are, you did not fear the wrath of the gods, but

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you bestowed honors upon mortal creatures beyond their due. Therefore on this joyless rock you must stand sentinel, erect, sleepless, your knee unbent. And many a groan and unavailing lament you shall utter; for the heart of Zeus is hard,

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and everyone is harsh whose power is new.

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Power

Well, why delay and excite pity in vain? Why do you not detest a god most hateful to the gods, since he has betrayed your prerogative to mortals?

Hephaestus

A strangely potent tie is kinship, and companionship as well.

Power

I agree; yet to refuse to obey the commands of the Father; is this possible? Do you not fear that more?

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Hephaestus

Yes, you are ever pitiless and steeped in insolence.

Power

Yes, for it does not good to bemoan this fellow. Stop wasting your labor at an unprofitable task.

Hephaestus

Oh handicraft that I hate so much!

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Power

Why hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.

Hephaestus

Nevertheless, i wish it had fallen to another’s lot!

Power

Every job is troublesome except to be the commander of gods;

no one is free except Zeus.

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Hephaestus

I know it by this task; I cannot deny it.

Power

Hurry then to cast the fetters about him, so that the Father does not see you loitering.

Hephaestus

Well, there then! The bands are ready, as you may see.

Power

Cast them about his wrists and with might strike with your hammer; rivet him to the rocks.

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Hephaestus

There! The work is getting done and not improperly.

Power

Strike harder, clamp him tight, leave nothing loose; for he is wondrously clever at finding a way even out of desperate straits.

Hephaestus

This arm, at least, is fixed permanently.

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Power

Now rivet this one too and securely, so that he may learn, for all his cleverness, that he is a fool compared to Zeus.

Hephaestus

None but he could justly blame my work.

Power

Now drive the adamantine wedge’s stubborn edge straight

through his chest with your full force.

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Hephaestus

Alas, Prometheus, I groan for your sufferings.

Power

What! Shrinking again and groaning over the enemies of Zeus? Take care, so that the day does not come when you shall grieve for yourself.

Hephaestus

You see a spectacle grievous for eyes to behold.

Power

I see this man getting his deserts. Come, cast the girths about his sides.

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Hephaestus

I must do this; spare me your needless ordering.

Power

Indeed, I’ll order you, yes and more—I’ll hound you on. Get down below, and ring his legs by force.

Hephaestus

There now! The work’s done and without much labor.

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Power

Now hammer the piercing fetters with your full force; for the appraiser of our work is severe.

Hephaestus

The utterance of your tongue matches your looks.

Power

Be softhearted then,

but do not attack my stubborn will and my harsh mood.

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Hephaestus

Let us be gone, since he has got the fetters on his limbs. Exit

Power

There now, indulge your insolence, keep on wresting from the gods their honors to give them to creatures of a day. Are mortals able to lighten your load of sorrow?

Falsely the gods call you Prometheus, ¹ for you yourself need forethought to free yourself from this handiwork. Exeunt Power and Force

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Prometheus

O you bright sky of heaven, you swift-winged breezes, you river-waters, and

infinite laughter of the waves of ocean, O universal mother Earth , and you, all-seeing orb of the sun, to you I call! See what I, a god, endure from the gods.

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93
 

Look, with what shameful torture I am racked and must wrestle

throughout the countless years of time apportioned me. Such is the ignominious bondage the new commander of the blessed has devised against me. Woe! Woe! For present misery and misery to come I groan, not knowing where

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it is fated that deliverance from these sorrows shall arise.

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101
 

And yet, what am I saying? All that is to be I know full well and in advance, nor shall any affliction come upon me unforeseen. I must bear my allotted doom as lightly as I can, knowing that

the might of Necessity permits no resistance.Yet I am not able to speak nor be silent about my fate. For it is because I bestowed good gifts on mortals that this miserable yoke of constraint has been bound upon me. I hunted out and stored in fennel stalk the stolen

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source of fire that has proved a teacher to mortals in every art and a means to mighty ends. Such is the offence for which I pay the penalty, riveted in fetters beneath the open sky.

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114
 

Ha! Behold!

What murmur, what scent wings to me, its source invisible, heavenly or human, or both? Has someone come to this crag at the edge of the world to stare at my sufferings—or with what motive? Behold me, an ill-fated god, chained,

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the foe of Zeus,

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hated of all who enter the court of Zeus, because of my very great love for mankind. Ha! What’s this? What may be this rustling stir of birds I hear

again nearby? The air whirs with the light rush of wings. Whatever approaches causes me alarm. The Daughters of Oceanus enter on a winged car

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VULCAN

Relationship and intimacy are of great power.

STRENGTH

I grant it—but how is it possible to disobey the Sire's word? Dreadest thou not this the rather?

VULCAN

Aye truly thou art ever pitiless and full of boldness.

STRENGTH

For to deplore this wretch is no cure [for him]. But concern not thou thyself vainly with matters that are of no advantage.

VULCAN

O much detested handicraft!

STRENGTH

Wherefore loathest thou it! for with the ills now present thy craft in good truth is not at all chargeable.

VULCAN

For all that, I would that some other had obtained this.

STRENGTH

Every thing has been achieved except for the gods to rule; for no one is free save Jupiter

.

VULCAN

I know it—and I have nothing to say against it

.

STRENGTH

Wilt thou not then bestir thyself to cast fetters about this wretch, that the Sire may not espy thee loitering?

VULCAN

Aye, and in truth you may see the manacles ready.

STRENGTH

Take them, and with mighty force clench them with the mallet about his hands: rivet him close to the crags.

VULCAN

This work of ours is speeding to its consummation and loiters not.

STRENGTH

Smite harder, tighten, slacken at no point, for he hath cunning to find outlets even from impracticable difficulties.

VULCAN

This arm at all events is fastened inextricably.

STRENGTH

HÉPHAISTOS

Les liens du sang sont terriblement forts, quand s'y ajoute l'amitié.

POUVOIR

D'accord ! mais enfreindre l'ordre paternel, est-ce chose possible — et moins terrible à tes yeux ?

HÉPHAISTOS

Le cynisme en toi toujours est égal à la dureté !

POUVOIR

Se lamenter sur lui ne le guérira pas : ne te fatigue pas à gémir pour rien.

HÉPHAISTOS

Ah ! métier mille fois abhorré !

POUVOIR

Pourquoi le maudire ? De tous ces maux ton art, franchement, n'est point cause.

HÉPHAISTOS

Plût au Ciel cependant qu'il fût le lot d'un autre !

POUVOIR

Tout être a vu jadis son sort bien défini ¹ hormis le roi des dieux : nul n'est libre que Zeus !

HÉPHAISTOS

Je le vois ! à cela je n'ai rien à répondre.

POUVOIR

Hâte-toi donc de lui passer ses liens : que Zeus ici ne te voie pas traîner.

HÉPHAISTOS

Il peut me voir déjà le caveçon en mains.

POUVOIR

Mets-lui ce lien au bras ; puis, de toute ta force, frappe du marteau et cloue-le au rocher.

HÉPHAISTOS

Là ! l'ouvrage s'achève, et sans mécompte aucun.

POUVOIR

Frappe plus fort, serre,

VULCAN.

Strong are the ties of kindred and long converſe.

STRENGTH.

Well: but to diſobey thy ſire's commands,

Dareſt thou do that? Is not that fear more ſtrong?

VULCAN.

Soft pity never touch'd thy ruthless mind.

STRENGTH.

Will thy vain pity bring relief? Forbear,

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Nor waſte thyſelf in what avails not him.

VULCAN.

Abhor'd be all the fine ſkill of my hands.

STRENGTH.

And why abhor'd? For of theſe preſent toils

Thy art, in very truth, is not the cauſe.

VULCAN.

Yet wiſh I it had been ſome other's lot.

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STRENGTH.

All have their lot appointed, ſave to reign

In heav'n, for liberty is Jove's alone.

VULCAN.

Truth guides thy words, nor have I to gainſay.

STRENGTH.

Why thus reluctant then to bind his chains?

Let not thy ſire obſerve theſe ſlow delays.

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VULCAN.

The manacles are ready, thou mayſt ſee them.

STRENGTH.

Bind them around his hands; with all thy force

Strike, nail them faſt, drive them into the rock.

VULCAN.

Thus far the work is finiſh'd, and not ſlightly.

STRENGTH.

Strike harder, ſtrain them, let them not relax;

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His craft will work unthought of ways t'eſcape.

VULCAN.

This arm too is inextricably fix'd.

STRENGTH.

POTERE

Ehi, nel compianto indugi? E' vano! Il Nume

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infestissimo ai Numi non aborri

che il privilegio tuo concesse agli uomini?

EFESTO

Parentela, amicizia, han gran potere !

POTERE

Certo. Ma trasgredir del padre gli ordini

si può? Non hai maggior tema di questo?

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EFESTO

Spietato sempre e tracotante sei!

POTERE

Che medela è il compianto? Or vana pena

non ti dare per ciò che nulla giova!

EFESTO

Oh magisterio mio troppo odïoso!

POTERE

Tu l'odî? E perché mai?... Di queste pene,

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in verità, nessuna colpa ha l'arte.

EFESTO

VULCANUS.

Neceſsitas & commercium, res admodum grauis.

ROBUR.

Concedo, repugnare patris sermionibus

Aliquo modo potes: non hoc plus uereris?

VULCANUS.

Semper seūus es, & temeritatis plenus.

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ROBUR.

Nihil prodeſt hunc deſlere: tu uerò

Quæ nihil pro'unt, ne fruſtrà laborato.

VULCANUS.

O diu inuiſum artificium.

VULCANUS (cont.).

Quid ipsum odio proſequeris laborum præſentium

(ut ita dicam)

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Non eſt artificium in cauſa.

VULCANUS.

Vtinam ipſum ſortitus eſſet aliquis alius.

ROBUR.

Omnia fieri poſsunt, præterquam dijs imperare.

Nam nullus liber eſt, Ioue excepto.

VULCANUS.

Nouì quidem, neque his contradicere poſsum.

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ROBUR.

Proindè feſtina huic uincula inijcere,

Ne te torpentem inſpiciat pater.

VULCANUS.

Etiam parata uincula uidere licet.

ROBUR.

Accipe ipſum manibus, robore firmo,

Malleo percute, affige saxis.

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VULCANUS.

Perficitur iam, & non iacet hoc opus.

ROBUR.

Percute magis, conſtringe, nullo pacto laxa.

Nam mirus artifex eſt inueniendi ex inſperatis rebus

exitum.

VULCANUS.

Congruit, ulna autem difficulter soluitur.

65

ROBUR.

Hephaestus

Kinship and friendship wring my heart for him.

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Strength

Ay—but how disregard our Sire's command?

Is not thy pity weaker than thy fear?

Hephaestus

Ruthless as ever, brutal to the full!

Strength

Tears can avail him nothing: strive not thou,

Nor waste thine efforts thus unaidingly.

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Hephaestus

Out on my cursèd mastery of steel!

Strength

Why curse it thus? In sooth that craft of thine

Standeth assoiled of all that here is wrought.

Hephaestus

Would that some other were endowed therewith!

Strength

All hath its burden, save the rule of Heaven,

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And freedom is for Zeus, and Zeus alone.

Hephaestus

I know it; I gainsay no word hereof.

Strength

Up, then, and hasten to do on his bonds,

Lest Zeus behold thee indolent of will!

Hephaestus

Ah well—behold the armlets ready now!

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Strength

Then cast them round his arms and with sheer strength

Swing down the hammer, clinch him to the crags.

Hephaestus

Lo, 'tis toward—no weakness in the work!

Strength

Smite harder, wedge it home—no faltering here!

He hath a craft can pass th' impassable!

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Hephaestus

This arm is fast, inextricably bound.

Strength

Hephästos.

Stark bindet Freundschaft, mächtig eint des Blutes Band.

Kraft.

Es sei! Doch ungehorsam sein des Vaters Wort,

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Wie kannst du dieses? Graute dir davor nicht mehr?

Hephästos.

Wohl bist du stets hartherzig und von Troy erfüllt.

Kraft.

Um diesen hier zu klagen, frommt ja doch zu Nichts:

So ringe du nicht eitel um Vergebliches.

Hephäſtos.

meiner Hände tausendfach verhaßtes Werk!

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Kraft.

Was grollst du diesem? An den Leiden hier, um kurz

Es auszusprechen, trägt die Kunst ja keine Schuld.

Hephästos.

Und doch - o hätt' ein Andrer diese Kunst erlangt!

Kraft.

Wohl wurde Jedem seine Last, nur nicht dem Zeus,

Der Götter König; unbeschränkt herrscht er allein.

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Hephästos.

Das seh' ich hier, und widersprechen kann ich Nichts. ¹

Kraft.

So spute dich, die Fesseln umzuschlingen ihm,

Daß Vater Zeus nicht lässig säumend dich erblickt!

Hephästos.

Hier kannst du schon die Schellen ausgebreitet seh'n.

Kraft.

Die wirf ihm um die Hände, dann mit voller Kraft ²

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Den Hammer schwingend, nagle sie am Felsen fest.

Hephästos.

Schon thu' ich's, ohne Säumen wird das Werk vollbracht.

Kraft.

Noch stärker schlage, keile fest, laß nimmer ab!

Er weiß sich loszuwinden aus der engsten Haft.

Hephästos.

Der Arm ist angeschmiedet, unauflöslichfest.

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Kraft.