A critical note on Aeschylus' classical Greek Drama Prometheus Bound. This is supplementary study material. Students and teachers are advised to study the original text and genuine reference sources for better understanding of the text. The presentation is based on various resource and references available.

2. Key Facts:
Full Title:Prometheus Bound
Author: Aeschylus, according to tradition.
Many scholars now believe that either an
unknown follower of Aeschylus wrote it, or
that Aeschylus wrote part of the play and a
follower finished it.
Type Of Work: Drama
Genre: Tragedy; mythology
Language: Ancient Greek
Time And Place Written: Believed to be
around 456 B.C., give or take a few years.
The play was probably written either in
Athens or in Sicily.

3. Prometheus Bound”•
(Gr: “Prometheus
Desmotes”•
) is a tragedy often
attributed to the ancient Greek
playwright Aeschylus although it
is now usually considered to be
almost certainly the work of
another (unknown) hand, perhaps
as late as 415 BCE. It is based on
the myth of Prometheus, the Titan
who was punished by the god
Zeus for giving fire to mankind.
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4. Persons in the Drama
Prometheus, (main character)
The Chorus, Oceanids
Oceanus
Hephaestus, (the craftsman of the
gods)
Io - a woman turned into a heifer
by Hera
Hermes – messenger of Zeus
Kratus (Zeu’s Justice)
Bia (Zeu’s violence)

5. Who was Prometheus?
 Prometheus was the son of earth, (Themis) and belonged to a race of Gods
known as the Titans.
 He was immortal, (couldn’t be killed).
 The Titans ruled the world before Zeus and the Olympians.
 When Zeus fought against his father Cronos, (Cronos was also a Titan),
Prometheus gave Zeus his support.
 Zeus defeated the Titan dynasty and became master of the heavens.
 Prometheus was given the gift of foreknowledge and prophecy by his mother,
Earth.
 He had a natural inclination to protect and be sympathetic to the human
inhabitants of the earth.
 Zeus wanted to destroy human beings and replace them with a more perfect
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6. Why did Zeus punish Prometheus?
 At the beginning of this drama, “strength” and “violence” take
Prometheus up to a Mountain, on the outer edges of the world.
 Hephaestus is ordered to chain him very tightly to a rock –
Hephaestus has clearly some sympathy for Prometheus, but he must
follow his orders.
 Strength tells us, “it was your treasure, (Zeus’) that he (Prometheus)
stole, the flowery splendour of all fashioning fire and gave it to men”.
 For this “intolerable” offence Prometheus must now “suffer” until he
learns to “accept the sovereignty” of Zeus and stop acting as a
“Champion for the human race” .

7. What did Prometheus do for humanity?
Prometheus tells the Chorus why Zeus has apprehended him.
He tells them about the war between Zeus and the Titans,
How he first of all sided with the Titans, but changed sides, when they
arrogantly thought that brute force would win the war.
He then took his “stand” with Zeus, who accepted his advice, (i.e. that cunning
not force would win the war).
When Zeus became king he gave out various positions and powers to the other
gods, giving, “each his set place and authority”. However , Zeus gave no thought
to “wretched humans”.
He wanted to replace them and “create another race”.
Prometheus, saved the human race from “being ground to dust”, from “total
death”.
He stole fire from the heavens, (the divine fire) and gave it to mankind, teaching
them the arts of metal and manual skills, thus making them a more perfect race.
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8. Prometheus and his gifts to mankind
 Prometheus says that he “caused men to no longer see their death”, he gave men
“blind hope”.
 He tells the Chorus that he gave mankind “fire”.
 In the olden days man wandered about, “confused and purposeless”. They had no
notion of “brick-built, sun-warmed houses”, they lived in hovels, in “deep, sunless
caverns”.
 Prometheus also taught them to read the stars, so they could determine the
seasons of the year, (spring , summer, winter etc.).
 Prometheus also taught man to use numbers, “the primary science”.
 He taught them how to write, and how to remember.
 He also showed them to harness beasts, to use a chariot.
 He also gave the human race the art of medicine and healing and gave them the
gifts of prophecy, “how to interpret signs in a sacrifice, (i.e. animal sacrifices).
 He showed them the treasure of the earth, bronze, iron and silver,(mining).“All
human skill and science was Prometheus’ gift” to the human race .

9. The Chorus in this drama
 The chorus are a group of women. They are the daughters of Oceanus.
 They have come to visit Prometheus on a winged ship or carriage.They have
flown to the mountain to see Prometheus.
 They are disturbed to see that his body “withering on this rock”.
 They declare that a new master “holds the helm of Olympus”, (i.e. Zeus).
 In fact Zeus “tyrannically rules” and the “great powers of the past have been
removed”.
 They wonder when Prometheus will reach the end of his torments, and remark
that he is also “defiant” in the face of his sufferings.
 Ask Prometheus why he has been punished: “upon what charges
 Throughout the drama they have sympathy for Prometheus and thanks to their
probing.
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10. The arrival of Oceanus
 Oceanus arrives , seated on a four-footed, winged creature.
 He has come to “visit” Prometheus, he has sympathy for him
and holds him in “respect”.
 Oceanus wonders what he “should do to help”, him, declaring
that he is a firm friend to Prometheus.
 Prometheus wonders if Oceanus has come to “gaze at what
I suffer”.
 To witness the pains he suffers under the discipline of
Zeus.Oceanus says he has come to give Prometheus “the
best advice”.
 He tells him to accept the new situation, the new reality,
“Throw off this angry mood” and seek pardon from Zeus

11. Prometheus and Oceanus
 Oceanus tells Prometheus that his situation is hopeless, “inescapable”.
 He tells him, “we are ruled by one whose harsh and sole dominion none may call to account”,
(i.e. Zeus has absolute control).
 He urges Prometheus to keep quiet, “don’t rage a storm”, and adds he will do all he can to
help him etc.
 Prometheus tells him that Zeus is “immovable” and instructs Oceanus to look out for
“yourself”.
 Oceanus tells that Prometheus gives others better advice than he gives to himself.
 Prometheus repeats that Oceanus can do nothing to help him, and that he should take
care, “stay clear of danger”.
 Prometheus says that he is to suffer, just the same as Atlas and Typhon, who have been
punished by Zeus.
 Prometheus says that Oceanus’ pity for him may make an “enemy” of Zeus.
 Oceanus is ordered away by an impatient Prometheus. Oceanus departs saying that he has
no need to “shout” at him.
 He then departs on his winged creature, having failed to achieve anything.
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12. The Chorus
 “I weep Prometheus for your deadly plight, tears flow from my eyes”.
 They ask Prometheus to save himself from his torments.
 Prometheus tells the Chorus that not even Zeus can escape his fate.
 The Chorus are also respectful of the Gods, including Zeus, “may I never grow
weary in worshipping the Gods with pure offerings of bulls”.
 When Io arrives they let her tell Prometheus her story, before they allow
Prometheus tell them about what is to happen to Zeus.
 They also pity the suffering of Io.
 They ask Prometheus to tell Io her fate, “it comforts those in pain”.
 The Chorus overall demonstrate good qualities.

13. The Io Scene
 Io stumbles on stage, wandering along, trying to escape a stinging gadfly that is
chasing her.
 She has horns on her head and also hounded by the ghost of Argus who is dead,
(Argus was a multi-eye headed monster, sent by Hera, Zeus's’ wife ,to keep an
eye on Io.)
 Hermes killed him and Hera used his eyes to decorate the tail of a peacock.
 Io wonders why Zeus has put on her such a “yoke of torments”.
 She prays for relief, and for death to end her sufferings.
 Prometheus welcomes Io, who asks for guidance and help.
 He tells her he is the one who, “bestowed on mankind the gift of fire”.
 Io wonders why she is chained to the rock.
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14. The Io scene
 Io persuades Prometheus to tell her about her future, but before he does this
the Chorus ask Io to tell them about what happened to her.
 Io says that at night time she had dreams, informing her that Zeus “longed” to
unite with her in “love”. That Zeus wanted to take her virginity.
 In the dream she was informed to go out to the pastures of Lerna, where her
father’s cattle graze, so that Zeus can cast his eyes on her “and be satisfied”.
 When she told her father about these visions, he sent messengers to the
oracles.
 One of them commanded Io to be turned out of her home “to wander homeless”.
 If her father refused he would suffer the fiery thunderbolt of Zeus.
 When Io was locked out of her home and set packing from the land, her shape
changed into that of a horned creature, (a heifer).
 She was chased by a stinging gadfly, to keep her on the move, and watched over
by Argus, “with his thousand eyes”.
 Prometheus then tells Io what is in store for her.

15. The Io Scene
 Prometheus tells Io, she will go to the land of the nomad Scythians. He advises her to
“keep well away from them” because they have powerful bows.
 She will then arrive in the land of the chalybes, these are “savage” who do not
welcome strangers.
 Io must then cross the river Hybristes, at the peak of the Caucasus, where she will
find a pathway leading south, (a crossing anywhere else would be too dangerous).
 Having crossed the river at this pathway, Io will find herself among the Amazons,
who will “gladly guide her on her way”.
 When she arrives at the Cimmerian Isthmus, she must cross and leave the land and
head for the Maeotic strait.This place will be called the Bosporus “to commemorate”
Io.
 “Thus from Europe you will reach the Asian continent”.At this point Io loses hope and
prays for death.
 Prometheus tells Io that he is not fated to die and that Zeus will be deposed from
his throne.
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16. The Io scene
 Prometheus tells Io that Zeus will plan a union with a unnamed person and bear a
son “more powerful” than him.
 Prometheus knows this and could set Zeus “free”.
 Prometheus continues to tell Io about her Journey.
 When she has crossed into Asia, she will press on to Cisthene.
 There she will meet the Phorceys and their three winged sisters.
 Prometheus advises Io to be aware of the sharp beaked griffin, and the tribe of
one-eyed horsemen –”do not go near them”.
 Next, Io is to go to the Ethiopian river. She must follow this until she comes to
the Nile delta.
 Here her journey will end, because it is fated that Io and her descendents will
found a "far-off colony”.
 At the city of Canopus, Zeus will restore Io to her original form and with a
“gentle touch” shall impregnate her.

17. The Io scene
 Her “dark-skinned” child will be called Epaphos.
 Five generations from Epaphos, a family of fifty women shall return to Argos,
desperate to escape the forced marriage to their cousins.
 They will be followed by the “young men”, whom they had been married to.
 During the night the brides will murder their husbands –plunging their sharp
sword in to their throats.
 However one bride will spare the life of her husband and she will live in Argos
with him, to bear kings.
 From this line of kings a “fearless hero” will be born, a skilled archer who will
free Prometheus from his chains.
 Prometheus tells Io that he knows this from his mother Themis.
 After being stung again by the gadfly, Io exits the scene
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18. The importance of the Io scene
 We see how indiscriminate the gods are to the mortals.
 Io is lusted after for her beauty and is then punished by Hera because Zeus fancied after
her.
 Prometheus is compassionate, and clearly does not want to cause Io pain. Explains how her
suffering will eventually end and also gives her well placed advice in the journey ahead.
 In the Io scene, Prometheus demonstrates his gifts of fore-knowledge, he knows Io’s
future and his own, and outlines this in detail.
 We discover how Prometheus will be set free and how Zeus will need his help.
 The Io scene offers us a full geographical description of the ancient world. This adds
variety and interest to the drama.Prometheus tells us that Io’s destiny and his own are
intertwined, i.e. it is through Io’s descendants, her children's children, that Heracles will
be born.This same Heracles will free Prometheus from his torments a thousand years into
the future.Finally after the Io scene Prometheus’ behaviour becomes erratic, he is full of
righteous fury. Note his brazen treatment of Hermes, his refusal to tell Zeus what he
knows, even the Chorus advise him to accept Hermes’ advice. Hermes thinks Prometheus
has gone “insane”.

19. The Chorus
 The Chorus ask, who is the one that will bring “Zeus to his knees”.
 They advise Prometheus to be cautious against speaking out about Zeus or he
might “invent some worse agony for him”.
 When Hermes comes on stage, the Chorus ask Prometheus to take his advice
and not to show resistance.
 At the end of the drama they say they will not desert Prometheus who is a
friend, even though Zeus’ anger has strengthened against Prometheus.
 They don’t seem to heed Hermes warning to “get away” from the place.
Preferring instead to stay loyal to Prometheus
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20. Hermes visit
 Hermes arrives on stage, addressing Prometheus as “you thief of fire”.
 Hermes declares that Zeus wants to know about this marriage Prometheus
has spoken off, and how it will bring Zeus down.
 Hermes says he wants no “riddles” –he has come on Zeus’ behalf for an
answer.
 Prometheus dismisses Hermes as an “underling” and informs him that he and
his “crew” have just gained power.
 Prometheus says that he has already seen two dynasties “hurled from those
same heights”.
 He tells Hermes that he shall also see a third, (Zeus) fall to earth.
 This will be “shameful” and “soon”. Prometheus ask Hermes to “trot back” to
where he came from, “you’ll find out nothing here.”
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21. Hermes visit
 Hermes dismisses Prometheus’ stubborn conduct.
 Prometheus says that he would not trade his “painful plight”, for the “servile
humility” of Hermes.
 Prometheus acidly declares to Hermes, whom he calls, the “trusted messenger
of Zeus”, that he hopes to see the day when his enemies enjoy the “luxury” he
is enduring, i.e. the punishment and trials he is now suffering.
 Hermes asks Prometheus if he is to be blamed for his suffering, and declares
to him that, “your sanity is far advanced”.
 Hermes finally acknowledges that Prometheus will tell Zeus nothing of “what
he wants to know”.
 Prometheus tells Hermes that no torture will get him to reveal what he knows,
“nothing will force me to reveal”.
 Hermes implores him to weigh up his situation whilst there is still time.
 Prometheus tells him he is wasting his breath.
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22. Hermes visit
 Hermes then warns Prometheus of the “punishments” that await him, if he does not tell
Zeus what he knows.
 Hermes says that Zeus will entomb Prometheus underground while still chained to the
rock. After a “long age” he will return to the light.
 Along will come a “savage eagle” , an un-invited banqueter and all day long “will rip your
flesh in rags and feast upon your liver, gnawing it black”.
 He will only be realised from this torment when some god is found, “to take your pains
upon him and of his own will descend to sunless Hades”.
 This prophecy relates to Chiron, the Centaur. He is wounded by an arrow from Heracles.
 He asks Zeus to relieve him of his pain. Zeus allows the Chiron to enter Hades and along
the way he takes Prometheus’ pains with him.
 Hermes asks Prometheus to think again, “wise council is always worth more than
stubbornness”.
 The Chorus urge Prometheus to act on this good advice.Prometheus tells them that he
knew what Hermes was going to say.
 Prometheus acknowledges that what is to take place must happen, but confesses, “I am
the one whom he, (Zeus), cannot kill. 22

23. Hermes visit – the ending of the play
 Hermes gives up, believing that Prometheus has gone utterly insane.
 He even urges the Chorus to “get away quickly from this place”.
 The Chorus say they will remain Prometheus’ friends – they will not desert him
like “cowards”.
 Hermes utters these words of departure to the Chorus, “You know what is
coming, it is neither sudden or secret”.
 The Chorus’ own folly will entangle them “in the net of destruction”.
 He tells them that they should not blame Zeus when this happens, but
“themselves”. Prometheus hears the sound of lightening, the “earth rocks”,
the sky and sea rage together.
 The “cataclysm” is upon him.
 The drama ends with Prometheus praying aloud to his mother, “earth”
declaring, “you see how I am wronged”.
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24. Prometheus as a “Tragic Hero”
 Prometheus has many noble qualities and is clearly the central figure in this
drama.
 However he does contribute to his own downfall and can avoid the punishment
dished out to him by Zeus.
 Prometheus saves humanity from destruction, “ I pitted mortal men”.
 He stole Zeus’ fire to “save them”. He is a champion for the mortals.
 He also gave mankind a range of skills and gifts to elevate them from their
brutish state: “Blind hope”, the power to heal, (medicine), the skills to write
and use numbers, “the primary science”,
 the ability to build and mine metals and to yoke and harness animals to
ploughs, (farming).Prometheus aided Zeus in his battle against the Titans.
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25. Prometheus as a “Tragic Hero”
 He is very sympathetic and caring to Io.
 Prometheus has principles and will not be bullied by Hermes or Zeus.
 Prometheus is arrogant, he refuses any help from Oceanus, who comes to visit
him, he ends up telling him to look after himself and to “go get out”.
 He dismisses Hermes as an “underling”. A lackey of Zeus. He refuses to tell
Zeus about who is to dethrone him, even though Zeus has the power to inflict
torture on him.
 Prometheus is both brave or foolish in equal measure. At the end of the
drama ,Prometheus dismisses the advice of the Chorus who endeavour to get
Prometheus to think about Hermes dire warning about the horrors to come.
 As the drama ends Prometheus is still convinced about his own righteousness
 Throughout the Drama Prometheus has control of his own destiny. At any
time he can avoid the horrible tortures if he wants to.
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26. Zeus
 Zeus act like a tyrant with his new power.
 Hephaestus says to Prometheus, “the heart of Zeus is hard to appease, power
newly one is always harsh”.
 Strength warns Hephaestus, to stop showing sympathy for Prometheus, “How
is it possible to disobey the fathers words, is not that something you dread
more”.
 From the beginning of the play it is clear that Zeus is using force and fear to
implement and secure his rule.
 When the Chorus arrive on stage they see Prometheus chained down and
declare, “A new master holds the helm of Olympus, these are new laws indeed
by which Zeus tyrannically”.
 Zeus has destroyed the great “powers of the past”.
 Prometheus tells the Chorus that he helped Zeus defeat Cronos, but his
reward for this was “black ingratitude”.
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27. Zeus
 Zeus looks at all his friends with suspicion, this is described as a “disease”
“inherent in a tyrants soul”
 Immediately after Zeus gained control he was determined to destroy
mankind.
 Zeus has inflicted punishments on Atlas and Typhon. Atlas was forced to hold
the planet on his shoulder, Typhon, was “subdued by force” by Zeus’
thunderbolt.
 Prometheus tells Oceanus to be weary of Zeus, who may punish her for
supporting him, “Take care, he (Zeus) may get angry with you”.
 Oceanus declares to Prometheus, “your fate is a lesson to me”.
 At the end of the drama Hermes warns the Chorus to quit the place, “lest the
intolerable roar of thunder stun your senses”. Zeus is very angry.
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