Shall　measure　all　the　miserable　length
  That　parts　rule　absolute　from　servitude。
  CHORUS
  Methinks　the　wish　is　father　to　the　thought
  And　whets　thy　railing　tongue。
  PROMETHEUS
  Not　so：　the　wish　And　the　accomplishment　go　hand　in　hand。
  CHORUS
  Then　must　we　look　for　one　who　shall　supplant
  And　reign　instead　of　Zeus？
  Far；　far　more　grievous　shall　bow　down　his　neck。
  CHORUS
  Hast　thou　no　fear　venting　such　blasphemy？
  PROMETHEUS
  What　should　I　fear　who　have　no　part　nor　lot
  In　doom　of　dying？
  CHORUS
  But　he　might　afflict　the
  With　agony　more　dreadful；　pain　beyond
  These　pains。
  PROMETHEUS
  Why　let　him　if　he　will
  All　evils　I　foreknow。
  CHORUS
  Ah；　they　are　wise
  Who　do　obeisance；　prostrate　in　the　dust；
  To　the　implacable；　eternal　Will。
  PROMETHEUS
  Go　thou　and　worship；　fold　thy　hands　in　prayer；
  And　be　the　dog　that　licks　the　foot　of　power！
  Nothing　care　I　for　Zeus；　yea；　less　than　naught！
  Let　him　do　what　he　will；　and　sway　the　world
  His　little　hour；　he　has　not　long　to　lord　it
  Among　the　Gods。
  Oh　here　here　runner　comes
  The　upstart　tyrant's　lacquey！　He'll　bring　news；
  A　message；　never　doubt　it；　from　his　master。
  Enter　HERMES。
  Hermes。　You；　the　sophistical　rogue；　the　heart　of　gall；
  The　renegade　of　heaven；　to　short…lived　men
  Purveyor　of　prerogatives　and　tities；
  Fire…thief！　Dost　hear　me？　I've　a　word　for　thee。
  Thou'rt　to　declare…this　is　the　Father's　pleasure
  These　marriage…feasts　of　thine；　whereof　thy　tongue
  Rattles　a…pace；　and　by　the　which　his　greatness
  Shall　take　a　fall。　And　look　you　rede　no　riddles；
  But　tell　the　truth；　in　each　particular
  Exact。　I　am　not　to　sweat　for　thee；　Prometheus；
  Upon　a　double　journey。　And　thou　seest
  Zeus　by　thy　dark　defiance　is　not　moved。
  PROMETHEUS
  A　very　solemn　piece　of　insolence
  Spoken　like　an　underling　of　the　Gods！　Ye　are　young！
  Ye　are　young！　New　come　to　power　And　ye　suppose
  Your　towered　citadel　Calamity
  Can　never　enter！　Ah；　and　have　not
  Seen　from　those　pinnacles　a　two…fold　fall
  Of　tyrants？　And　the　third；　who　his　brief　〃now〃
  Of　lordship　arrogates；　I　shall　see　yet
  By　lapse　most　swift'　most　ignominious；
  Sink　to　perdition。　And　dost　thou　suppose
  I　crouch　and　cower　in　reverence　and　awe
  To　Gods　of　yesterday？　I　fail　of　that
  So　much；　the　total　all　of　space　and　time
  Bulks　in　between。　Take　thyself　hence　and　count
  Thy　toiling　steps　back　by　the　way　thou　camest；
  In　nothing　wiser　for　thy　questionings。
  HERMES
  This　is　that　former　stubbornness　of　thine
  That　brought　thee　hither　to　foul　anchorage。
  PROMETHEUS
  Mistake　me　not；　I　would　not；　if　I　might；
  Change　my　misfortunes　for　thy　vassalage。
  HERMES
  Oh！　better　be　the　vassal　of　this　rock
  Than　born　the　trusty　messenger　of　Zeus
  PROMETHEUS
  I　answer　insolence；　as　it　deserves；
  With　insolence。　How　else　should　it　be　answered？
  HERMES
  Surely；　and；　being　in　trouble；　it　is　plain
  You　revel　in　your　plight。
  PROMETHEUS
  Revel；　forsooth！
  I　would　my　enemies　might　hold　such　revels
  And　thou　amongst　the　first。
  HERMES
  Dost　thou　blame　me
  For　thy　misfortunes？
  PROMETHEUS
  I　hate　all　the　Gods；
  Because；　having　received　good　at　my　hands；
  They　have　rewarded　me　with　evil。
  Proves　thee　stark　mad！
  HERMES
  This　proves　thee　stark　mad！
  PROMETHEUS
  Mad　as　you　please；　if　hating
  Your　enemies　is　madness
  HERMES
  Were　all　well
  With　thee；　thou'dst　be　insufferable！
  PROMETHEUS
  Alas！
  HERMES
  Alas；　that　Zeus　knows　not　that　word；　Alas！
  PROMETHEUS
  But　ageing　Time　teacheth　all　knowledge。
  HERMES
  Time
  Hath　not　yet　taught　thy　rash；　imperious　will
  Over　wild　impulse　to　win　mastery。
  PROMETHEUS
  Nay：　had　Time　taught　me　that；　I　had　not　stooped
  To　bandy　words　with　such　a　slave　as　thou。
  HERMES
  This；　then；　is　all　thine　answer：　thou'lt　not
  One　syllable　of　what　our　Father　asks。
  PROMETHEUS
  Oh；　that　I　were　a　debtor　to　his　kindness！
  I　would　requite　him　to　the　uttermost！
  HERMES
  A　cutting　speech！　You　take　me　for　a　boy
  Whom　you　may　taunt　and　tease。
  PROMETHEUS
  Why　art　thou　not
  A　boy…a　very　booby…to　suppose
  Thou　wilt　get　aught　from　me？　There　is　no　wrong
  However　shameful；　nor　no　shift　of　malice
  Whereby　Zeus　shall　persuade　me　to　unlock
  My　lips　until　these　shackles　be　cast　loose。
  Therefore　let　lightning　leap　with　smoke　and　flame；
  And　all　that　is　be　beat　and　tossed　together；
  With　whirl　of　feathery　snowflakes　and　loud　crack
  Of　subterranean　thunder；　none　of　these
  Shall　bend　my　will　or　force　me　to　disclose
  By　whom　'tis　fated　he　shall　fall　from　power。
  HERMES
  What　good　can　come　of　this？　Think　yet　again！
  PROMETHEUS
  I　long　ago　have　thought　and　long　ago
  Determined。
  HERMES
  Patience！　patience！　thou　rash　fool
  Have　so　much　patience　as　to　school　thy　mind
  To　a　right　judgment　in　thy　present　troubles。
  PROMETHEUS
  Lo；　I　am　rockfast；　and　thy　words　are　wave
  That　weary　me　in　vain。　Let　not　the　thought
  Enter　thy　mind；　that　I　in　awe　of　Zeus
  Shall　change　my　nature　for　a　girl's；　or　beg
  The　Loathed　beyond　all　loathing…with　my　hands
  Spread　out　in　woman's　fashion…to　cast　loose
  These　bonds；　from　that　I　am　utterly　removed。
  HERMES
  I　have　talked　much；　yet　further　not　my　purpose；
  For　thou　art　in　no　whit　melted　or　moved
  By　my　prolonged　entreaties：　like　a　colt
  New　to　the　harness　thou　dost　back　and　Plunge。
  Snap　at　thy　bit　and　fight　against　the　rein。
  And　yet　thy　confidence　is　in　a　straw；
  For　stubbornness；　if　one　be　in　the　wrong；
  Is　in　itself　weaker　than　naught　at　all。
  See　now；　if　thou　wilt　not　obey　my　words；
  What　storm；　what　triple…crested　wave　of　woe
  Unshunnable　shall　come　upon　thee。　First；
  This　rocky　chasm　shall　the　Father　split
  With　earthquake　thunder　and　his　burning　bolt；
  And　he　shall　hide　thy　form；　and　thou　shalt　hang
  Bolt　upright；　dandled　in　the　rock's　rude　arms。
  Nor　till　thou　hast　completed　thy　long　term
  Shalt　thou　come　back　into　the　light；　and　then
  The　hound　of　Zeus；　the　tawny　eagle；
  Shall　violently　fall　upon　thy　flesh
  And　rend　it　as　'twere　rags；　and　every　day
  And　all　day　long　shall　thine　unbidden　guest
  Sit　at　thy　table；　feasting　on　thy　liver
  Till　he　hath　gnawn　it　black。　Look　for　no　term
  To　such　an　agony　till　there　stand　forth
  Among　the　Gods　one　who　shall　take　upon　him
  Thy　sufferings　and　consent　to　enter　hell
  Far　from　the　light　of　Sun；　yea；　the　deep　pit
  And　mirk　of　Tartarus；　for　thee。　Be　advised；
  This　is　not　stuffed　speech　framed　to　frighten　the
  But　woeful　truth。　For　Zeus　knows　not　to　lie
  CHORUS
  To　our　mind
  The　words　of　Hermes　fail　not　of　the　mark。
  For　he　enjoins　thee　to　let　self…will　go
  And　follow　after　prudent　counsels。　Him
  Harken；　for　error　in　the　wise　is　shame。
  PROMETHEUS
  These　are　stale　tidings　I　foreknew；
  Therefore；　since　suffering　is　the　due
  A　foe　must　pay　his　foes；
  Let　curled　lightnings　clasp　and　clash
  And　close　upon　my　limbs：　loud　crash
  The　thunder；　and　fierce　throes
  Of　savage　winds　convulse　calm　air：
  The　embowelled　blast　earth's　roots　uptear
  And　toss　beyond　its　bars；
  The　rough　surge；　till　the　roaring　deep
  In　one　devouring　deluge　sweep
  The　pathway　of　the　stars
  Finally；　let　him　fling　my　form
  Down　whirling　gulfs；　the　central　storm
  Of　being；　let　me　lie
  Plunged　in　the　black　Tartarean　gloom；
  Yet…yet…his　sentence　shall　not　doom
  This　deathless　self　to　die！
  HERMES
  These　are　the　workings　of　a　brain
  More　than　a　little　touched；　the　vein
  Of　voluble　ecstasy！
  Surely　he　wandereth　from　the　way；
  His　reason　lost；　who　thus　can　pray
  A　mouthing　mad　man　he！
  Therefore；　O　ye　who　court　his　fate；
  Rash　mourners…ere　it　be　too　late
  And　ye　indeed　are　sad
  For　vengeance　spurring　hither　fast…
  Hence！　lest　the　bellowing　thunderblast
  Like　him　should　strike　you　mad　I
  CHORUS
  Words　which　might　work　persuasion　speak
  If　thou　must　counsel　me；　nor　seek
  Thus；　like　a　stream　in　spate；
  To　uproot　mine　honour。　Dost　thou　dare
  Urge　me　to　baseness！　I　will　bear
  With　him　all　blows　of　fate；
  For　false　forsakers　I　despise；
  At　treachery　my　gorge　doth　rise：
  I　spew　it　forth　with　hate！
  HERMES
  Only…with　ruin　on　your　track…
  Rail　not　at　fortune；　but　look　back
  And　these　my　words　recall；
  Neither　blame　Zeus　that　he　h