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Prometheus bound
This is a great translation of this classic Greek tragedy. Modern, but sticks to the original tale of the Titan Prometheus.
Punished by the King of the Gods, Zeus the thunder God, Prometheus is first chained by the the master craftsman Hephaestus,
on jagged rocks atop the Caucasus Mountains.
This Titan loved humans so much, that he gifted us with fire. Also, with other gifts that lighted us from caves to being
thinking being with skills that made life livable. Fire enlighten humans and was the crime that Zeus punished Prometheus
for. The story goes on with the other part of the Titan's punishment. But, a glimmer of hope in Prometheus' mind had a way
to get back at Zeus.
To know the rest, read this wonderful version of the classic and enjoy this adventure.
Punished by the King of the Gods, Zeus the thunder God, Prometheus is first chained by the the master craftsman Hephaestus,
on jagged rocks atop the Caucasus Mountains.
This Titan loved humans so much, that he gifted us with fire. Also, with other gifts that lighted us from caves to being
thinking being with skills that made life livable. Fire enlighten humans and was the crime that Zeus punished Prometheus
for. The story goes on with the other part of the Titan's punishment. But, a glimmer of hope in Prometheus' mind had a way
to get back at Zeus.
To know the rest, read this wonderful version of the classic and enjoy this adventure.
Unknown Binding
First published March 24, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 3, 2023
CHORUS
Did you perhaps go further than you told us?
PROMETHEUS
I gave men power to stop foreseeing their death.
CHORUS
What cure did you prescribe for this disease?
PROMETHEUS
I sowed blind hopes to live as their companions.
I read several translations of this play and watched several performances. Bia( Force and Violence), who stands by quietly, is a character I find fascinating. The translator Joel Agee explains her role in the play in the introduction of the book.
“Bia…does not speak….Bia, as an embodiment of brute force, needs no words. Hephaistos’s hammer expresses her meaning eloquently enough.”
Is it that brute force needs no words because the power is simply self evident? A representation of violence could illicit fear, a feeling of menace, and would prove hard to quantify. And therefore it makes sense that Bia stands quietly to the side while on the stage.
I started reading Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound while reading American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
“When it went off…that first atomic bomb, we thought of Alfred Nobel…his vain hope, that dynamite would put an end to wars. We thought of the legend of Prometheus, of that deep sense of guilt in man's new powers, that reflects his recognition of evil, and his long knowledge of it.”
-Robert Oppenheimer
Did you perhaps go further than you told us?
PROMETHEUS
I gave men power to stop foreseeing their death.
CHORUS
What cure did you prescribe for this disease?
PROMETHEUS
I sowed blind hopes to live as their companions.
I read several translations of this play and watched several performances. Bia( Force and Violence), who stands by quietly, is a character I find fascinating. The translator Joel Agee explains her role in the play in the introduction of the book.
“Bia…does not speak….Bia, as an embodiment of brute force, needs no words. Hephaistos’s hammer expresses her meaning eloquently enough.”
Is it that brute force needs no words because the power is simply self evident? A representation of violence could illicit fear, a feeling of menace, and would prove hard to quantify. And therefore it makes sense that Bia stands quietly to the side while on the stage.
I started reading Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound while reading American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
“When it went off…that first atomic bomb, we thought of Alfred Nobel…his vain hope, that dynamite would put an end to wars. We thought of the legend of Prometheus, of that deep sense of guilt in man's new powers, that reflects his recognition of evil, and his long knowledge of it.”
-Robert Oppenheimer
April 17, 2015
I received a review copy from NYRB through Edelweiss.
I have to admit that when I found out that the translator of this ancient classic drama is not himself a classicist and does not know Ancient Greek I was rather skeptical. After reading the introduction to the work, however, I began to come around to the idea that Joel Agee was capable of giving us a modern rendition of this play while making it accessible to a 21st century audience. Agee describes his process of consulting older, literal translations as well as consulting experts in Ancient Greek philology. The result is an impressive translation of one of the oldest Greek dramas in existence.
Prometheus is a Titan and in Zeus’ fight against the generation of Titans, Prometheus knows that Zeus will reign supreme and so Prometheus wisely takes the side of the god of thunder. Yet, after his defense of Zeus, Prometheus betrays him by stealing fire for mankind. As his name in Greek tells us, Prometheus is literally “forethought,” he knows what will happen before anyone else. So we might wonder why Prometheus chose to steal fire from Zeus and gift it to humans if he understands perfectly well that his punishment from Zeus will be long-lasting and most severe.
When the play opens Prometheus is being chained to a rock by Hephaistos for his crimes against Zeus. Zeus is about to destroy man and create a new race of beings when Prometheus gives these pathetic humans the gift of fire. Fire allows them many things, including warmth, food, light, and civilization. Prometheus becomes the champion of civilized societies, artists and those who fight against any form of tyranny.
One of the most interesting aspects of this play is the fact that Zeus himself is not a character and never speaks a word. Zeus’ thugs, or henchmen, which include Kratos (Power), Bia (Force), Hephaistos and Hermes speak on his behalf. The Chorus in the play is a group of water-nymphs, the Oceanids, who are horrified at and sympathetic to Prometheus’ sufferings. The other female in the play, which I have always found to be an interesting choice, is Io who also explains her path of suffering which is caused by Zeus. Io and Prometheus commiserate with one another and Prometheus, even though he is tortured, still manages to give Io hope about her own situation and her release from torment. It is Io’s progeny who will ultimately be responsible for freeing Prometheus.
Prometheus Bound is not the most action oriented of the early Greek dramas yet, it is one of the more thought-provoking: Is Prometheus the champion of mankind who opposes all manner of tyranny or is he a dangerous revolutionary who challenges the authority that is necessary to maintain order and justice?
Thanks to the New York Review of Books Classics series for providing us with another great translation of a classic.
I have to admit that when I found out that the translator of this ancient classic drama is not himself a classicist and does not know Ancient Greek I was rather skeptical. After reading the introduction to the work, however, I began to come around to the idea that Joel Agee was capable of giving us a modern rendition of this play while making it accessible to a 21st century audience. Agee describes his process of consulting older, literal translations as well as consulting experts in Ancient Greek philology. The result is an impressive translation of one of the oldest Greek dramas in existence.
Prometheus is a Titan and in Zeus’ fight against the generation of Titans, Prometheus knows that Zeus will reign supreme and so Prometheus wisely takes the side of the god of thunder. Yet, after his defense of Zeus, Prometheus betrays him by stealing fire for mankind. As his name in Greek tells us, Prometheus is literally “forethought,” he knows what will happen before anyone else. So we might wonder why Prometheus chose to steal fire from Zeus and gift it to humans if he understands perfectly well that his punishment from Zeus will be long-lasting and most severe.
When the play opens Prometheus is being chained to a rock by Hephaistos for his crimes against Zeus. Zeus is about to destroy man and create a new race of beings when Prometheus gives these pathetic humans the gift of fire. Fire allows them many things, including warmth, food, light, and civilization. Prometheus becomes the champion of civilized societies, artists and those who fight against any form of tyranny.
One of the most interesting aspects of this play is the fact that Zeus himself is not a character and never speaks a word. Zeus’ thugs, or henchmen, which include Kratos (Power), Bia (Force), Hephaistos and Hermes speak on his behalf. The Chorus in the play is a group of water-nymphs, the Oceanids, who are horrified at and sympathetic to Prometheus’ sufferings. The other female in the play, which I have always found to be an interesting choice, is Io who also explains her path of suffering which is caused by Zeus. Io and Prometheus commiserate with one another and Prometheus, even though he is tortured, still manages to give Io hope about her own situation and her release from torment. It is Io’s progeny who will ultimately be responsible for freeing Prometheus.
Prometheus Bound is not the most action oriented of the early Greek dramas yet, it is one of the more thought-provoking: Is Prometheus the champion of mankind who opposes all manner of tyranny or is he a dangerous revolutionary who challenges the authority that is necessary to maintain order and justice?
Thanks to the New York Review of Books Classics series for providing us with another great translation of a classic.
April 6, 2015
This is a great translation of this classic Greek tragedy. Modern, but sticks to the original tale of the Titan Prometheus.
Punished by the King of the Gods, Zeus the thunder God, Prometheus is first chained by the the master craftsman Hephaestus,
on jagged rocks atop the Caucasus Mountains.
This Titan loved humans so much, that he gifted us with fire. Also, with other gifts that lighted us from caves to being
thinking being with skills that made life livable. Fire enlighten humans and was the crime that Zeus punished Prometheus
for. The story goes on with the other part of the Titan's punishment. But, a glimmer of hope in Prometheus' mind had a way
to get back at Zeus.
To know the rest, read this wonderful version of the classic and enjoy this adventure.
Punished by the King of the Gods, Zeus the thunder God, Prometheus is first chained by the the master craftsman Hephaestus,
on jagged rocks atop the Caucasus Mountains.
This Titan loved humans so much, that he gifted us with fire. Also, with other gifts that lighted us from caves to being
thinking being with skills that made life livable. Fire enlighten humans and was the crime that Zeus punished Prometheus
for. The story goes on with the other part of the Titan's punishment. But, a glimmer of hope in Prometheus' mind had a way
to get back at Zeus.
To know the rest, read this wonderful version of the classic and enjoy this adventure.
January 17, 2025
The introduction provides a great analysis and summary of the tragedy. It is written as a play, so without the summary it would make for a very dull read despite the setting and surrounding circusmtances. Overall, Prometheus might be GOAT'ed?
November 6, 2022
Read this for my Greek Mythology credit.
It’s very short but an interesting story.
It’s very short but an interesting story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews