Smyth (1922) · Smyth (1922)

Enter Power and Force, bringing with them the captive Prometheus; also Hephaestus.

1 Κρ.Χθονὸς μὲν ἐς τηλουρὸν ἥκομεν πέδον,

Σκύθην ἐς οἷμον, ἄβατον εἰς ἐρημίαν.

Ἥφαιστε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς

ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο, τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις

5 ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι

ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις.

τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος, παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας,

θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν. τοιᾶσδέ τοι

ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,

10 ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα

στέργειν, φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου.

PowerTo earth’s remotest limit we come, to the Scythian land, an untrodden solitude. And now, Hephaestus, yours is the charge to observe the mandates laid upon you by the Father—to clamp this miscreant upon the high craggy rocks in shackles of binding adamant that cannot be broken. For your own flower, flashing fire, source of all arts, he has purloined and bestowed upon mortal creatures. Such is his offence; for this he is bound to make requital to the gods, so that he may learn to bear with the sovereignty of Zeus and cease his man-loving ways.

Ἥφ.Κράτος Βία τε, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς

ἔχει τέλος δὴ κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι·

ἐγὼ δʼ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν

15 δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ.

πάντως δʼ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν·

ἐξωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ.

τῆς ὀρθοβούλου Θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ,

ἄκοντά σʼ ἄκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασι

20 προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδʼ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ

ἵνʼ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν

ὄψει, σταθευτὸς δʼ ἡλίου φοίβῃ φλογὶ

χροιᾶς ἀμείψεις ἄνθος. ἀσμένῳ δέ σοι

ἡ ποικιλείμων νὺξ ἀποκρύψει φάος,

25 πάχνην θʼ ἑῴαν ἥλιος σκεδᾷ πάλιν·

ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀχθηδὼν κακοῦ

τρύσει σʼ· ὁ λωφήσων γὰρ οὐ πέφυκέ πω.

τοιαῦτʼ ἐπηύρω τοῦ φιλανθρώπου τρόπου.

θεὸς θεῶν γὰρ οὐχ ὑποπτήσσων χόλον

30 βροτοῖσι τιμὰς ὤπασας πέρα δίκης.

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἀτερπῆ τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

ὀρθοστάδην, ἄυπνος, οὐ κάμπτων γόνυ·

πολλοὺς δʼ ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ γόους ἀνωφελεῖς

φθέγξῃ· Διὸς γὰρ δυσπαραίτητοι φρένες.

35 ἅπας δὲ τραχὺς ὅστις ἂν νέον κρατῇ.

HephaestusPower and Force, for you indeed the behest of Zeus is now fulfilled, and nothing remains to stop you. But for me—I do not have the nerve myself to bind with force a kindred god upon this rocky cleft assailed by cruel winter. Yet, come what may, I am constrained to summon courage to this deed; for it is perilous to disregard the commandments of the Father. Lofty-minded son of Themis who counsels straight, against my will, no less than yours, I must rivet you with brazen bonds no hand can loose to this desolate crag, where neither voice nor form of mortal man shall you perceive; but, scorched by the sun’s bright beams, you shall lose the fair bloom of your flesh. And glad you shall be when spangled-robed night shall veil his brightness and when the sun shall scatter again the frost of morning. Evermore the burden of your present ill shall wear you out; for your deliverer is not yet born. Such is the prize you have gained for your championship of man. For, god though you are, you did not fear the wrath of the gods, but you bestowed honors upon mortal creatures beyond their due. Therefore on this joyless rock you must stand sentinel, erect, sleepless, your knee unbent. And many a groan and unavailing lament you shall utter; for the heart of Zeus is hard, and everyone is harsh whose power is new.

Κρ.εἶεν, τί μέλλεις καὶ κατοικτίζῃ μάτην;

τί τὸν θεοῖς ἔχθιστον οὐ στυγεῖς θεόν,

ὅστις τὸ σὸν θνητοῖσι προὔδωκεν γέρας;

PowerWell, why delay and excite pity in vain? Why do you not detest a god most hateful to the gods, since he has betrayed your prerogative to mortals?

Ἥφ.τὸ συγγενές τοι δεινὸν ἥ θʼ ὁμιλία.

HephaestusA strangely potent tie is kinship, and companionship as well.

40 Κρ.σύμφημʼ· ἀνηκουστεῖν δὲ τῶν πατρὸς λόγων

οἷόν τε πῶς; οὐ τοῦτο δειμαίνεις πλέον;

PowerI agree; yet to refuse to obey the commands of the Father; is this possible? Do you not fear that more?

Ἥφ.αἰεί γε δὴ νηλὴς σὺ καὶ θράσους πλέως.

HephaestusYes, you are ever pitiless and steeped in insolence.

Κρ.ἄκος γὰρ οὐδὲν τόνδε θρηνεῖσθαι. σὺ δὲ

τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει μάτην.

PowerYes, for it does not good to bemoan this fellow. Stop wasting your labor at an unprofitable task.

45 Ἥφ.ὦ πολλὰ μισηθεῖσα χειρωναξία.

HephaestusOh handicraft that I hate so much!

Κρ.τί νιν στυγεῖς; πόνων γὰρ ὡς ἁπλῷ λόγῳ

τῶν νῦν παρόντων οὐδὲν αἰτία τέχνη.

PowerWhy hate it? Since in truth your craft is in no way to blame for these present troubles.

Ἥφ.ἔμπας τις αὐτὴν ἄλλος ὤφελεν λαχεῖν.

HephaestusNevertheless, i wish it had fallen to another’s lot!

Κρ.ἅπαντʼ ἐπαχθῆ πλὴν θεοῖσι κοιρανεῖν·

50 ἐλεύθερος γὰρ οὔτις ἐστὶ πλὴν Διός.

PowerEvery job is troublesome except to be the commander of gods; no one is free except Zeus.

Ἥφ.ἔγνωκα τοῖσδε κοὐδὲν ἀντειπεῖν ἔχω.

HephaestusI know it by this task; I cannot deny it.

Κρ.οὔκουν ἐπείξῃ τῷδε δεσμὰ περιβαλεῖν,

ὡς μή σʼ ἐλινύοντα προσδερχθῇ πατήρ;

PowerHurry then to cast the fetters about him, so that the Father does not see you loitering.

Ἥφ.καὶ δὴ πρόχειρα ψάλια δέρκεσθαι πάρα.

HephaestusWell, there then! The bands are ready, as you may see.

55 Κρ.βαλών νιν ἀμφὶ χερσὶν ἐγκρατεῖ σθένει

ῥαιστῆρι θεῖνε, πασσάλευε πρὸς πέτραις.

PowerCast them about his wrists and with might strike with your hammer; rivet him to the rocks.

Ἥφ.περαίνεται δὴ κοὐ ματᾷ τοὔργον τόδε.

HephaestusThere! The work is getting done and not improperly.

Κρ.ἄρασσε μᾶλλον, σφίγγε, μηδαμῇ χάλα.

δεινὸς γὰρ εὑρεῖν κἀξ ἀμηχάνων πόρον.

PowerStrike harder, clamp him tight, leave nothing loose; for he is wondrously clever at finding a way even out of desperate straits.

60 Ἥφ.ἄραρεν ἥδε γʼ ὠλένη δυσεκλύτως.

HephaestusThis arm, at least, is fixed permanently.

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound — Greek text with English translation