PROMETHEUS
  Nay；　thou　are　free　to　choose。　Say；　therefore；　whether
  I　shall　declare　to　thee　thy　future　woes
  Or　him　who　shall　be　my　deliverer。
  CHORUS
  Nay；　but　let　both　be　granted！　Unto　her
  That　which　she　chooseth；　unto　me　my　choice；
  That　I；　too；　may　have　honour　from　thy　lips。
  First　unto　her　declare　her　wanderings；
  And　unto　me　him　who　shall　set　thee　free；
  'Tis　that　I　long　to　know。
  PROMETHEUS
  I　will　resist
  No　further；　but　to　your　importunacy
  All　things　which　ye…desire　to　learn　reveal。
  And；　Io；　first　to　thee　I　will　declare
  Thy　far…driven　wanderings；　write　thou　my　words
  In　the　retentive　tablets　of　thy　heart。
  When　thou　hast　crossed　the　flood　that　flows　between
  And　is　the　boundary　of　two　continents；
  Turn　to　the　sun's　uprising；　where　he　treads
  Printing　with　fiery　steps　the　eastern　sky；
  And　from　the　roaring　of　the　Pontic　surge
  Do　thou　pass　on；　until　before　thee　lies
  The　Gorgonean　plain；　Kisthene　called；
  Where　dwell　the　gray…haired　three；　the　Phorcides；
  Old；　mumbling　maids；　swan…shaped；　having　one　eye
  Betwixt　the　three；　and　but　a　single　tooth。
  On　them　the　sun　with　his　brightbeams　ne'er　glanceth
  Nor　moon　that　lamps　the　night。　Not　far　from　them
  The　sisters　three；　the　Gorgons；　have　their　haunt；
  Winged　forms；　with　snaky　locks；　hateful　to　man；
  Whom　nothing　mortal　looking　on　can　live。
  Thus　much　that　thou　may'st　have　a　care　of　these。
  Now　of　another　portent　thou　shalt　hear。
  Beware　the　dogs　of　Zeus　that　ne'er　give　tongue；
  The　sharp…beaked　gryphons；　and　the　one…eyed　horde
  Of　Arimaspians；　riding　upon　horses；
  Who　dwell　around　the　river　rolling　gold；
  The　ferry　and　the　frith　of　Pluto's　port。
  Go　not　thou　nigh　them。　After　thou　shalt　come
  To　a　far　land；　a　dark…skinned　race；　that　dwell
  Beside　the　fountains　of　the　sun；　whence　flows
  The　river　Ethiops：　follow　its　banks
  Until　thou　comest　to　the　steep…down　slope
  Where　from　the　Bibline　mountains　Nilus　old
  Pours　the　sweet　waters　of　his　holy　stream。
  And　thou；　the　river　guiding　thee；　shalt　come
  To　the　three…sided；　wedge…shaped　land　of　Nile；
  Where　for　thyself；　Io；　and　for　thy　children
  Long　sojourn　is　appointed。　If　in　aught
  My　story　seems　to　stammer　and　to　er
  From　indirectness；　ask　and　ask　again
  Till　all　be　manifest。　I　do　not　lack
  For　leisure；　having　more　than　well　contents　me
  CHORUS
  If　there　be　aught　that　she　must　suffer　yet；
  Or　aught　omitted　in　the　narrative
  Of　her　long　wanderings；　I　pray　thee　speak。
  But　if　thou　hast　told　all；　then　grant　the　boon
  We　asked　and　doubtless　thou　wilt　call　to　mind。
  PROMETHEUS
  Nay；　she　has　heard　the　last　of　her　long　journey。
  But；　as　some　warrant　for　her　patient　hearing
  I　will　relate　her　former　sufferings
  Ere　she　came　hither。　Much　I　will　omit
  That　had　detained　us　else　with　long　discourse
  And　touch　at　once　her　journey's　thus　far　goal。
  When　thou　wast　come　to　the　Molossian　plain
  That　lies　about　the　high　top　of　Dodona；
  Where　is　an　oracle　and　shrine　of　Zeus
  Thesprotian；　and…portent　past　belief…
  The　talking　oaks；　the　same　from　whom　the　word
  Flashed　clear　and　nothing　questionably　hailed　the
  The　destined　spouse…ah！　do　I　touch　old　wounds？…
  Of　Zeus；　honoured　above　thy　sex；　stung　thence
  In　torment；　where　the　road　runs　by　the　sea；
  Thou　cam'st　to　the　broad　gulf　of　Rhea；　whence
  Beat　back　by　a　strong　wind；　thou　didst　retrace
  Most　painfully　thy　course；　and　it　shall　be
  That　times　to　come　in　memory　of　thy　passage
  Shall　call　that　inlet　the　Ionian　Sea。
  Thus　much　for　thee　in　witness　that　my　mind
  Beholdeth　more　than　that　which　leaps　to　light。
  Now　for　the　things　to　come；　what　I　shall　say
  Concerns　ye　both　alike。　Return　we　then
  And　follow　our　old　track。　There　is　a　city
  Yclept　Canobus；　built　at　the　land's　end；
  Even　at　the　mouth　and　mounded　silt　of　Nile；
  And　there　shall　Zeus　restore　to　thee　thy　mind
  With　touch　benign　and　laying　on　of　hands。
  And　from　that　touch　thou　shalt　conceive　and　bear
  Swarth　Epaphus；　touch…born；　and　he　shall　reap
  As　much　of　earth　as　Nilus　watereth
  With　his　broad…flowing　river。　In　descent
  The　fifth　from　him　there　shall　come　back　to　Argos；
  Thine　ancient　home；　but　driven　by　hard　hap；
  Two　score　and　ten　maids；　daughters　of　one　house；
  Fleeing　pollution　of　unlawful　marriage
  With　their　next　kin；　who　winged　with　wild　desire；
  As　hawks　that　follow　hard　on　cushat…doves；
  Shall　harry　prey　which　they　should　not　pursue
  And　hunt　forbidden　brides。　But　God　shall　be
  Exceeding　jealous　for　their　chastity；
  And　old　Pelasgia；　for　the　mortal　thrust
  Of　woman's　hands　and　midnight　murder　done
  Upon　their　new…wed　lords；　shall　shelter　them；
  For　every　wife　shall　strike　her　husband　down
  Dipping　a　two…edged　broadsword　in　his　blood。
  Oh；　that　mine　enemies　might　wed　such　wivesl
  But　of　the　fifty；　one　alone　desire
  Shall　tame；　as　with　the　stroke　of　charming…wand；
  So　that　she　shall　not　lift　her　hands　to　slay
  The　partner　of　her　bed；　yea；　melting　love
  Shall　blunt　her　sharp…set　will；　and　she　shall　choose
  Rather　to　be　called　weak　and　womanly
  Than　the　dark　stain　of　blood；　and　she　shall　be
  Mother　of　kings　in　Argos。　'Tis　a　tale
  Were't　told　in　full；　would　occupy　us　long。
  For；　of　her　sowing；　there　shall　spring　to　fame
  The　lion's　whelp；　the　archer　bold；　whose　bow
  Shall　set　me　free。　This　is　the　oracle
  Themis；　my　ancient　Mother；　Titan…born；
  Disclosed　to　me；　but　how　and　in　what　wise
  Were　long　to　tell；　nor　would　it　profit　thee。
  IO
  Again　they　come；　again
  The　fury　and　the　pain！
  The　gangrened　wound！　The　ache　of　pulses　dinned
  With　raging　throes
  It　beats　upon　my　brain…the　burning　wind
  That　madness　blows！
  It　pricks…the　barb；　the　hook　not　forged　with　heat；
  The　gadfly　dart！
  Against　my　ribs　with　thud　of　trampling　feet
  Hammers　my　heart！
  And　like　a　bowling　wheel　mine　eyeballs　spin；
  And　I　am　flung
  By　fierce　winds　from　my　course；　nor　can　rein　in
  My　frantic　tongue
  That　raves　I　know　not　what！…a　random　tide
  Of　words…a　froth
  Of　muddied　waters　buffeting　the　wide；
  High…crested；　hateful　wave　of　ruin　and　God's　wrath！
  Exit　raving。
  CHORUS
  I　hold　him　wise　who　first　in　his　own　mind
  This　canon　fixed　and　taught　it　to　mankind：
  True　marriage　is　the　union　that　mates
  Equal　with　equal；　not　where　wealth　emasculates；
  Or　mighty　lineage　is　magnified；
  Should　he　who　earns　his　bread　look　for　a　bride。
  Therefore；　grave　mistresses　of　fate；　I　pray
  That　I　may　never　live　to　see　the　day
  When　Zeus　takes　me　for　his　bedfellow；　or
  Draw　near　in　love　to　husband　from　on　high。
  For　I　am　full　of　fear　when　I　behold
  Io；　the　maid　no　human　love　may　fold；
  And　her　virginity　disconsolate；
  Homeless　and　husbandless　by　Hera's　hate。
  For　me；　when　love　is　level；　fear　is　far。
  May　none　of　all　the　Gods　that　greater　are
  Eve　me　with　his　unshunnable　regard；
  Fir　in　that　warfare　victory　is　hard；
  And　of　that　plenty　cometh　emptiness。
  What　should　befall　me　then　I　dare　not　guess；
  Nor　whither　I　should　flee　that　I　might　shun
  The　craft　and　subtlety　of　Cronos'　Son。
  PROMETHEUS
  I　tell　thee　that　the　self…willed　pride　of　Zeus
  Shall　surely　be　abased；　that　even　now
  He　plots　a　marriage　that　shall　hurl　him　forth
  Far　out　of　sight　of　his　imperial　throne
  And　kingly　dignity。　Then；　in　that　hour；
  Shall　be　fulfilled；　nor　in　one　tittle　fail；
  The　curse　wherewith　his　father　Cronos　cursed　him；
  What　time　he　fell　from　his　majestic　place
  Established　from　of　old。　And　such　a　stroke
  None　of　the　Gods　save　me　could　turn　aside。
  I　know　these　things　shall　be　and　on　what　wise。
  Therefore　let　him　secure　him　in　his　seat；
  And　put　his　trust　in　airy　noise；　and　swing
  His　bright；　two…handed；　blazing　thunderbolt；
  For　these　shall　nothing　stead　him；　nor　avert
  Fall　insupportable　and　glory　humbled。
  A　wrestler　of　such　might　he　maketh　ready
  For　his　own　ruin；　yea；　a　wonder；　strong
  In　strength　unmatchable；　and　he　shall　find
  Fire　that　shall　set　at　naught　the　burning　bolt
  And　blasts　more　dreadful　that　o'er…crow　the　thunder。
  The　pestilence　that　scourgeth　the　deep　seas
  And　shaketh　solid　earth；　the　three…pronged　mace；
  Poseidon's　spear；　a　mightier　shall　scatter；
  And　when　he　stumbleth　striking　there　his　foot；
  Fallen　on　evil　days；　the　tyrant's　pride
  Shall　measure　all　the　miserable　length
  That　parts　rule　abso