Prometheus and man

The two Titans, clever Prometheus and his intelligence-challenged brother Epimetheus, were sparedimprisonment after the war between the Olympians and the Titans because they had stayed neutral. According to one legend Prometheus shaped man out of mud, and Athena breathed life into the clay figure. Then Prometheus allowed Epimetheus to dispense various qualities to the animals and man. Epimetheus started off with the animals to whom he gave the best traits (swiftness, courage, cunning, stealth, etc.) and soon found he had nothing left to give man. So Prometheus took over, and after long deliberation, gave man an upright posture like the gods. This enabled man to survive.

Prometheus' primary affection was to the man he had created and endowed, and not to the Olympic gods who had banished his relatives (the rest of the Titans) to Tartarus. It was decided by the Olympians that man would sacrifice animals to the gods to show their respect. Zeus was to decide which parts of the animals would go to the gods and which parts would go to man. Prometheus made two piles of various parts of an animal so Zeus could make his choice. But wily Prometheus (remember he favored man over gods) made one pile of bones which he wrapped in the juicy fat of the animal and another pile of the edible meat which he wrapped in the ugly hide of the animal. Naturally Zeus chose the fat-wrapped package, and was livid with anger when he saw that he had been duped. In revenge he deprived man of fire.

But Prometheus was not done yet. He ascended into heaven and lighted a torch at the sun; then returned to earth and gave the fire to man. Now Zeus went ballistic with rage. He ordered Hephaestus to create a mortal of stunning beauty, to whom Hermes gave a deceptive heart and a lying tongue. This was the first woman, Pandora, and a worse calamity never befell man. Prometheus had warned his brother about accepting gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus could not resist this radiant creature and brought her to man. The gods had given her a jar, which they forbade her to open, but being a woman, her curiosity won out (as the gods had planned). As she opened the lid a multitude of evils flew out and scattered over the world to afflict man. Remaining in the jar was Hope, the only thing that could keep man going. For Prometheus, Zeus reserved a special punishment. He had Prometheus chained to a rock, and every day he sent an eagle to peck out the Titan's liver, which grew back again every night. This agony was to last for eternity, or until, first, an immortal would sacrifice his life for Prometheus and, second, a mortal would kill the eagle and unchain Prometheus.

Eventually, after many ages, the centaur Chiron agreed to die for Prometheus, and Heracles (Hercules) killed the eagle and unbound Prometheus.