Prometheus

Although there are several stories in which Hermes is depicted as a trickster figure, there are only two stories in which Prometheus displays trickster characteristics. These stories include the deception of Zeus at the sacrifice at Mekone, and the theft of fire from the gods and its deliverance to man. To understand Prometheus’ trickster status, we must look at what is known about Prometheus within these stories. Prometheus was a Titan, one of the sons of Iapetos and his “mind was labyrinthine and swift” (Hesiod, Theog. 510-511). During the battle between the Titans and the gods, the Titanomachy, Prometheus chose to side with the Olympians due to the Titans’ unwillingness to use tactical intelligence against the Olympians. The Titans wished to use brute force in destroying the gods; they did not listen to Prometheus’ warnings about using their intellect and not their strength. Prometheus relates to the Chorus in Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus, “[The Titans] brushed off my sophisticated stratagems” (306-307). After being rebuffed by the Titans, Prometheus and his mother Themis “went as volunteers into the open arms of Zeus” (324-325). Zeus used the strategy devised by Prometheus, and thus, “the black hole of Tartarus holds and hides archaic Kronos and all his allies too” (326-328). By siding with the Olympians, Prometheus became outside the norm. He was one of the few Titans allowed to remain in the upper world, while the others were exiled to Tartarus. Zeus favored Prometheus because of the Titan’s intelligence and quick wit and kept him as one of his closest counselors.

The Sacrifice at Mekone

The disobedience of Prometheus against Zeus in the first sacrifice is one of the most significant events within the Promethean myth. Although Prometheus had sided with Zeus against the Titans, Prometheus later took pity on humans because Zeus “planned to wipe out the whole species and breed another” (345-346). Prometheus helped mankind and angered Zeus at the sacrifice at Mekone. The wrath of Zeus occurs because of the deception of Prometheus in the sacrifice at Mekone and his theft of fire. The sacrifice at Mekone was much more than just the first sacrifice to the gods; it was also the creation of division between gods and mortals. The feast took place early in human history, “When the gods and mortal men were settling their accounts…” (Hesiod, Theog. 535). These accounts refer to the division of the world and the establishment of the gods in the ethereal plane and man in the secular plane (Kerenyi 44). Prometheus tried to deceive Zeus by placing two piles before him: one with the good meat, covered by entrails and the other bones, covered in fat to make it appear the better of the two (Hesiod, Theog. 536-541). Despite Prometheus’ cunning, “Zeus, whose counsels never perish, knew the guile and took note of it” (550-551). Due to Zeus’ supreme knowledge he was able to see through the disguise, but wanting to cause harm to mortal man, Zeus went along with the deception so he could take out his vengeance on man by punishing them later. In the Greek mind it would have been impossible to believe that anyone, man, Titan or god would be able to deceive Zeus, thus this justification would allow for the deceit to take place and allow Zeus to maintain his status as the all-knowing king of the gods.

As a result of Mekone, the division between man and god was made and the order of sacrifice was established. The presence of Prometheus at Mekone shows his intermediary characteristic, as being an immortal siding with the mortals. The creation of sacrifice allows for a way for mortals to communicate with the gods, thus another example of Prometheus’ significance in playing the original conciliator between man and gods.

The Theft of Fire

After Mekone, Zeus resolved to keep fire away from man. The reasons for this are not completely clear. Aeschylus suggests that Zeus kept fire from man to keep them from deserting the gods. Prometheus states, “Humans used to foresee their own deaths. I ended that” (Prometheus 374). This disregard for death could symbolize that once man possesses fire he no longer fears the deathless gods and becomes busy living his life and not worshipping the gods. Yet by this description it seems that fire is not the only thing that Prometheus has stolen. This ‘fire of the gods’, is not only the physical fire, but also the fires of knowledge. Prometheus even states, “I gave them intelligence, I made them masters of their own thought” (633-635). Later, Prometheus discusses all of the practices that he teaches to man including, numbers and letters and he also states, “All human culture comes from Prometheus” (738). Thus the enlightenment of man is through the active participation of Prometheus, who is justly punished for allowing man forbidden knowledge.

The Punishment

Through allowing man access to not only fire, but also knowledge and hope, Prometheus is punished by Zeus, and chained to a rock on the edge of the world. An eagle is sent to eat Prometheus’ liver during the day, and it regenerates every night so the eagle can return forever (1560). Yet Prometheus is given a chance to free himself from such torture. Hermes assures him his suffering will be less if he reveals the name of the woman who will bear Zeus’ son that will overthrow him. It is unclear why Prometheus appears to be the only immortal to have this knowledge. These prophetic abilities allow for an interesting twist within the Prometheus myth. Although Prometheus has the power to have himself released, he chooses not to, thus allowing himself to suffer for man’s benefit. After Prometheus has been punished for many generations, Zeus’ son Herakles kills the eagle and releases Prometheus from his chains. Herakles “did all this obeying the will of Olympian Zeus…to make the glory of Herakles…greater than before over the earth that nurtures many” (Hesiod, Theog. 529-531).