Summary
When
the young king of the Olmpion gods, Zeus was trying to establish his own rules
and governance, Titans didn’t agree to him and a long and terrible war ensued
between the Olympians and Titans. The Titan soldiers were led by Zeus's father
Cronus and the mighty Atlas.
Zeus
and his fellow Olympian gods fought the deadly battle for 10 long years and
finally defeated the Titans. Few Titans also fought from the side of Zeus.
Among them Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus were the main Titans who contributed
the most to make Zeus win.
Evaluating
the great contribution, Zeus permitted Prometheus and Epimetheus to populate
the earth with humans and other creatures. Epimetheus (whose name means
'afterthought') foolishly gave all the good qualities to the creatures like the
strength, to be able to survive in all condition, to fly, to live underwater
etc. When the time came to giving qualities to the humans, there were very few
good qualities left.
Desperate
and not knowing what to do, Epimetheus asks Prometheus for help. Prometheus
(whose name means 'forethought') was given wisdom and knowledge by the goddess
of wisdom 'Athena'. Prometheus shapes the humans just like gods and Athena
fills soul to them. He provides humans with wisdom and the ability to gain
knowledge. In this way, Prometheus made humans superior to other creatures and
sent them to the earth. Humans had fire with them with which they could cook
food and keep themselves warm during winter.
When
the time of providing offerings to the god Zeus, Prometheus tricked Zeus into
choosing one pile of offerings cleverly disguised to look delicious, but
instead hiding fat and bones. In this way, humans got the best part of the
meat.
When
Zeus knew about this betrayal, he thought of punishing Prometheus. But knowing
that it would be ungrateful to directly punish Prometheus who had helped him so
much during the war, he took the fire back from the earth instead. As the fire
was taken away humans began to suffer again, people started to die due to
hunger and cold.
Seeing
the humans' pity, Prometheus felt bad for them and asked 'Athena' for help.
Athena tells Prometheus to steal the fire from Zeus. It was the only way to help humans.
Prometheus
became ready to take the risk of sleeping the fire from Zeus just for the sake
of humans.
Prometheus
became successful in stealing the fire and taking it to the humans humans again
began to live a happy life. But as we know there are both positive and negative
part of a deed. With fire people began to make weapons and used it to gain
power. They began to start wars and many humans were killed.
When
Zeus came to know this, he promptly knew that it is non other than Prometheus
who gave humans fire again. Prometheus was arrested and was taken to the
highest peak of Caucasus mountain. On a huge rock the giants bound Prometheus
with unbreakable chains.
As
a punishment, Zeus sent his giant eagle everyday who would eat the liver of
Prometheus but as Prometheus was immortal, his liver would grow up overnight
again. This pitiest process continued for thirty years. Zeus began to feel bad
since he was not a bad spirited god. Zeus told Prometheus that he would set him
free if two conditions were met.
-
An immortal would have to give up his life for Prometheus.
- A mortal would have to slay the liver eating
eagle.
Prometheus
thought that what immortal would ever give up his life for a Titan? And there
was no mortal brave and strong enough to kill the evil giant. Prometheus, being
fully aware that he had done the right thing in stealing fire from Olympus and
giving it to human, chose to spend the eternal life on the rocks.
But
destiny had something else written for him. A badly injured Centuar (half man,
half horse) named Chiron, who was accidentally shot by Hercules, decided to scarify
himself for Prometheus. This fulfilled the first part of Zeus's terms.
After
some time, Hercules saw Prometheus bound to the rock with the frightful eagle
merrily munching on his liver, he kills the ferocious giant eagle with his bow
and arrow.
Zeus
also realizes his fault and invites Prometheus to live on Mount Olympus. Zeus
did make Prometheus wear a ring, in which a piece of the Caucasus rock was set
as a symbol of his painful connection with the mountain. This represented the
first ring to have a setting, and ever since humans have worn rings in humour of
the Titan, in gratitude for all the agony he had endured on their behalf.
