To Conclude..

Overall, this blog has given me a great insight into Prometheus and his actions. It has also shown me that the gods can be seen from many different viewpoints, and in that respect are similar to humans, but act on a much higher level. By looking back at my previous postings I have come to realise that Prometheus’ actions and reasons can be contested. In a sense he wanted to avenge his titan brothers and punish Zeus. He saved mankind from being destroyed by Zeus and taught them how to grow crops and make tools and gave them fire to keep them warm etc. However he decided to do this in a dishonest way, by means of using mortals as a weapon to trick Zeus. When I think about it, Prometheus didn’t really accomplish much in tricking Zeus, because he knew all along he was being tricked. Instead I assume that it was Prometheus’ fate to eventually be chained to the rock for his trickery. In terms of humanity, Pandora opening her jar and releasing all the evils of the world upon mankind was meant to show what separates humans from gods. Gods have everything and know everything and live forever, however humans die, and they have to work to earn their living. But humans have one thing the gods don’t have, and that is hope. Hope that someday their hard work will pay off, or hope that they might get lucky by doing nothing all day. These differences are thanks to Prometheus and his master plan to get revenge on Zeus. Through Prometheus’ actions the human race has made great progress, in terms of technology, which can be seen in modern society. This is all thanks to fire. ‘Before fire, men were no better off than beasts’, explains Dougherty, but with fire, ‘humans will be able to develop the skills and crafts necessary to create a better world for themselves’ [Dougherty (2006): 75]. The bringing of fire may have, in Hesiod’s terms, brought about the fall of humanity from the Golden Age to the Iron Age, but Prometheus himself in Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound, says that before he intervened men lived like animals [Aesch. PB. 442-71]. Therefore Prometheus made them ‘masters of their minds’ [Aesch. PB. 442-4], and saved them from Zeus’ destruction. Also, although Pandora released sickness upon the earth, Prometheus had already taught man how to use medicine, so mankind was not necessarily cursed. Therefore Prometheus had given mankind some great skills during his ‘rebellion’ against Zeus.

In conclusion, the Prometheus myth can be interpreted in many different ways. Ways in which Prometheus and Zeus can be contested as to who is ‘right’ and who is ‘wrong’. I believe that the main purpose of the Prometheus myth is to establish the difference between gods, humans and beasts. Prometheus aided man in becoming free-thinkers, enabling them to rise above beasts. No matter what kind of conclusion you come to regarding whose ‘side’ to choose between Prometheus and Zeus, the ever present conclusion is that Prometheus instils in humanity the human condition, which inevitably separates man from beasts and gods. Hesiod’s Works and Days emphasises the necessity and difficulty of work for mankind, whereas Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound celebrates the technological accomplishments that mankind has been able to make thanks to Prometheus’ gifts. Prometheus helps 5^th century Athenians to think about what it means to be human, and he will continue to do so throughout history.

Works cited:

Dougherty, C. (2006), Prometheus, ‘Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World’, Routledge

Hesiod’s Theogony

Hesiod’s Works and Days

Aeschylus’ PrometheusBound