Prometheus

Prometheus was always considered by the Greeks to be an ancient friend and benefactor of mankind. Prometheus had lived alongside them in ancient antiquity, teaching them the arts of: raising crops, compounding medicines, husbandry, caring for flocks, divination, and interpreting omens and dreams. It was Prometheus who stole fire from heaven and delivered it gratis as a precious gift to mankind. Zeus discovered the theft, and was not pleased. He punished the thief by hurting those he loved - the sons of men. For Zeus, too, gave to mankind a gift: Pandora, whose boundless curiosity unleashed a myriad of ills, which Prometheus tried to mitigate as best he could. But it was Prometheus' gift of foreknowledge that came to constitute his final act of treason. Zeus demanded Prometheus identity who would arise to overthrow him. Prometheus did, in fact, know the answer. But Prometheus had no love for Zeus, the tyrant who kept his brothers chained in torment in prisons deep underground. Prometheus looked Zeus in the eye, and refused. Zeus did not take Prometheus' refusal well. With his own hands, Zeus hurled Prometheus out of Olympus down to earth, and then ordered his minions to chain the titan to the rocks of the Caucasus mountains. To encourage Prometheus to change his mind, a royal eagle sent by Zeus came daily to tear out his liver. As long as Prometheus continued in obstinate silence, the eagle continued his diurnal feast. We can only imagine the titan's relief when, one day, Heracles shot the eagle dead with a single arrow, before breaking Prometheus' bonds and setting him free. The titan blessed his rescuer and quickly set out to journey beyond the reach of his enemies, leaving the realms of heaven and earth far behind.