Far　off　and　high　above　thee；　Zeus　will　hear；
  And　then　thy　present　multitude　of　ills
  Will　seem　the　mild　correction　of　a　babe。
  Rather；　O　thou　much　chastened　one；　refrain
  Thine　anger；　and　from　suffering　seek　release。
  Stale；　peradventure；　seem　these　words　of　mine：
  Nevertheless；　of　a　too　haughty　tongue
  Such　punishment；　Prometheus；　is　the　wage。
  But　thou；　not　yet　brought　low　by　suffering；
  To　what　thou　hast　of　ill　would'st　add　far　worse。
  Therefore；　while　thou　hast　me　for　schoolmaster；
  Thou　shalt　not　kick　against　the　pricks；　the　more
  That　an　arch…despot　who　no　audit　dreads
  Rules　by　his　own　rough　will。　And　now　I　leave　thee；
  To　strive　with　what　success　I　may　command
  For　thy　deliv'rance。　Keep　a　quiet　mind
  And　use　not　over…vehemence　of　speech…
  Knowest　thou　not；　being　exceeding　wise；
  A　wanton；　idle　tongue　brings　chastisement？
  PROMETHEUS
  I　marvel　that　thou　art　not　in　my　case；
  Seeing　with　me　thou　did'st　adventure　all。
  And　now；　I　do　entreat　thee；　spare　thyself。
  Thou　wilt　not　move　him：　he's　not　easy　moved
  Take　heed　lest　thou　find　trouble　by　the　way。
  OCEANUS
  Thou　are　a　better　counsellor　to　others
  Than　to　thyself：　I　judge　by　deeds　not　words。
  Pluck　me　not　back　when　I　would　fain　set　forth。
  My　oath　upon　it；　Zeus　will　grant　my　prayer
  And　free　thee　from　these　pangs。
  PROMETHEUS
  I　tender　the
  For　this　my　thanks　and　ever…during　praise。
  Certes；　no　backward　friend　art　thou；　and　yet
  Trouble　not　thyself；　for　at　the　best　thy　labour
  Will　nothing　serve　me；　if　thou　mean'st　to　serve。
  Being　thyself　untrammelled　stand　fast。
  For；　not　to　mitigate　my　own　mischance；
  Would　I　see　others　hap　on　evil　days。
  The　thought　be　far　from　me。　I　feel　the　weight
  Of　Atlas'　woes；　my　brother　in　the　west
  Shouldering　the　pillar　that　props　heaven　and　earth；
  No　wieldy　fardel　for　his　arms　to　fold。
  The　giant　dweller　in　Cilician　dens
  I　saw　and　pitied…a　terrific　shape；
  A　hundred…headed　monster…when　he　fell；
  Resistless　Typhon　who　withstood　the　Gods；
  With　fearsome　hiss　of　beak…mouth　horrible；
  While　lightning　from　his　eyes　with　Gorgon…glare
  Flashed　for　the　ravage　of　the　realm　of　Zeus。
  But　on　him　came　the　bolt　that　never　sleeps；
  Down…crashing　thunder；　with　emitted　fire；
  Which　shattered　him　and　all　his　towering　hopes
  Dashed　into　ruin；　smitten　through　the　breast；
  His　strength　as　smoking　cinder；　lightning…charred。
  And　now　a　heap；　a　helpless；　sprawling　hulk；
  He　lies　stretched　out　beside　the　narrow　seas；
  Pounded　and　crushed　deep　under　Etna's　roots。
  But　on　the　mountain…top　Hephaestus　sits
  Forging　the　molten　iron；　whence　shall　burst
  Rivers　of　fire；　with　red　and　ravening　jaws
  To　waste　fair…fruited；　smooth；　Sicilian　fields。
  Such　bilious　up…boiling　of　his　ire
  Shall　Typho　vent；　with　slingstone…showers　red…hot；
  And　unapproachable　surge　of　fiery　spray；
  Although　combusted　by　the　bolt　of　Zeus。
  But　thou　art　not　unlearned；　nor　needest　me
  To　be　thy　teacher：　save　thyself　the　way
  Thou　knowest　and　I　will　fortify　my　heart
  Until　the　wrathfulness　of　Zeus　abate。
  OCEANUS
  Nay　then；　Prometheus；　art　thou　ignorant
  Words　are　physicians　to　a　wrath…sick　soul？
  PROMETHEUS
  Yes；　if　with　skill　one　soften　the　ripe　core；
  Not　by　rough　measures　make　it　obdurate。
  OCEANUS
  Seest　thou　in　warm　affection　detriment
  Or　aught　untoward　in　adventuring？
  PROMETHEUS
  A　load　of　toil　and　a　light　mind　withal。
  OCEANUS
  Then　give　me　leave　to　call　that　sickness　mine。
  Wise　men　accounted　fools　attain　their　ends。
  PROMETHEUS
  But　how　if　I　am　galled　by　thine　offence？
  OCEANUS
  There　very　palpably　thou　thrustest　home。
  PROMETHEUS
  Beware　lest　thou　through　pity　come　to　broils。
  OCEANUS
  With　one　established　in　Omnipotence？
  PROMETHEUS
  Of　him　take　heed　lest　thou　find　heaviness。
  OCEANUS
  I　am　schooled　by　thy　calamity；　Prometheus！
  PROMETHEUS
  Pack　then！　And；　prithee；　do　not　change　thy　mind！
  OCEANUS
  Thou　criest　〃On〃　to　one　in　haste　to　go。
  For　look；　my　dragon　with　impatient　wings
  Flaps　at　the　broad；　smooth　road　of　level　air。
  Fain　would　he　kneel　him　down　in　his　own　stall。
  Exit　OCEANUS。
  CHORUS　（after　alighting）
  I　mourn　for　thee；　Prometheus；
  minished　and　brought　low；
  Watering　my　virgin　cheeks　with　these　sad　drops；　that　flow
  From　sorrow's　rainy　fount；　to　fill　soft…lidded　eyes
  With　pure　libations　for　thy　fortune's　obsequies。
  An　evil　portion　that　none　coveteth　hath　Zeus
  Prepared　for　thee；　by　self…made　laws　established　for　his　use
  Disposing　all；　the　elder　Gods　he　purposeth　to　show
  How　strong　is　that　right　arm　wherewith　he　smites　a　foe。
  There　hath　gone　up　a　cry　from　earth；　a　groaning　for　the　fall
  Of　things　of　old　renown　and　shapes　majestical；
  And　for　thy　passing　an　exceeding　bitter　groan；
  For　thee　and　for　thy　brother　Gods　whose　honour　was　thine　own：
  These　things　all　they　who　dwell　in　Asia's　holy　seat；
  Time's　minions；　mourn　and　with　their　groans　thy　groans　repeat。
  Yea；　and　they　mourn　who　dwell　beside　the　Colchian　shore；
  The　hero　maids　unwedded　that　delight　in　war；
  And　Scythia's　swarming　myriads　who　their　dwelling　make
  Around　the　borders　of　the　world；　the　salt　Maeotian　lake。
  Mourns　Ares'　stock；　that　flowers　in　desert　Araby；
  And　the　strong　city　mourns；　the　hill…fort　planted　high；
  Near　neighbour　to　huge　Caucasus；　dread　mountaineers
  That　love　the　clash　of　arms；　the　counter　of　sharp　spears。
  Beforetime　of　all　Gods　one　have　I　seen　in　pain；
  One　only　Titan　bound　with　adamantine　chain；
  Atlas　in　strength　supreme；　who　groaning　stoops；　downbent
  Under　the　burthen　of　the　earth　and　heaven's　broad　firmament。
  Bellows　the　main　of　waters；　surge　with　foam…seethed　surge
  Clashing　tumultuous；　for　thee　the　deep　seas　chant　their　dirge；
  And　Hell's　dark　under…world　a　hollow　moaning　fills；
  Thee　mourn　the　sacred　streams　with　all　their　fountain…rills。
  PROMETHEUS
  Think　not　that　I　for　pride　and　stubbornness
  Am　silent：　rather　is　my　heart　the　prey
  Of　gnawing　thoughts；　both　for　the　past；　and　now
  Seeing　myself　by　vengeance　buffeted。
  For　to　these　younger　Gods　their　precedence
  Who　severally　determined　if　not　I？
  No　more　of　that：　I　should　but　weary　you
  With　things　ye　know；　but　listen　to　the　tale
  Of　human　sufferings；　and　how　at　first
  Senseless　as　beasts　I　gave　men　sense；　possessed　them
  Of　mind。　I　speak　not　in　contempt　of　man；
  I　do　but　tell　of　good　gifts　I　conferred。
  In　the　beginning；　seeing　they　saw　amiss；
  And　hearing　heard　not；　but；　like　phantoms　huddled
  In　dreams；　the　perplexed　story　of　their　days
  Confounded；　knowing　neither　timber…work
  Nor　brick…built　dwellings　basking　in　the　light；
  But　dug　for　themselves　holes；　wherein　like　ants；
  That　hardly　may　contend　against　a　breath；
  They　dwelt　in　burrows　of　their　unsunned　caves。
  Neither　of　winter's　cold　had　they　fixed　sign；
  Nor　of　the　spring　when　she　comes　decked　with　flowers；
  Nor　yet　of　summer's　heat　with　melting　fruits
  Sure　token：　but　utterly　without　knowledge
  Moiled；　until　I　the　rising　of　the　stars
  Showed　them；　and　when　they　set；　though　much　obscure。
  Moreover；　number；　the　most　excellent
  Of　all　inventions；　I　for　them　devised；
  And　gave　them　writing　that　retaineth　all；
  The　serviceable　mother　of　the　Muse。
  I　was　the　first　that　yoked　unmanaged　beasts；
  To　serve　as　slaves　with　collar　and　with　pack；
  And　take　upon　themselves；　to　man's　relief；
  The　heaviest　labour　of　his　hands：　and
  Tamed　to　the　rein　and　drove　in　wheeled　cars
  The　horse；　of　sumptuous　pride　the　ornament。
  And　those　sea…wanderers　with　the　wings　of　cloth；
  The　shipman's　waggons；　none　but　I　contrived。
  These　manifold　inventions　for　mankind
  I　perfected；　who；　out　upon't；　have　none…
  No；　not　one　shift…to　rid　me　of　this　shame。
  CHORUS
  Thy　sufferings　have　been　shameful；　and　thy　mind
  Strays　at　a　loss：　like　to　a　bad　physician
  Fallen　sick；　thou'rt　out　of　heart：　nor　cans't　prescribe
  For　thine　own　case　the　draught　to　make　thee　sound。
  PROMETHEUS
  But　hear　the　sequel　and　the　more　admire
  What　arts；　what　aids　I　cleverly　evolved。
  The　chiefest　that；　if　any　man　fell　sick；
  There　was　no　help　for　him；　comestible；
  Lotion　or　potion；　but　for　lack　of　drugs
  They　dwindled　quite　away；　until　I　taught　them
  To　compound　draughts　and　mixtures　sanative；
  Wherewith　they　now　are　armed　against　disease。
  I　staked　the　winding　path　of　divination