Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/127

97 PROMETHEUS BOUND 97

The counsel I thought meetest, could not move 245

The Titans, children of the Heaven and Earth,

What time, disdaining in their rugged souls

My subtle machinations, they assumed

It was an easy thing for force to take

The mastery of fate. My mother, then, 250

Who is called not only Themis, but Earth too,

(Her single beauty joys in many names) ^

Did teach me with reiterant prophecy

What future should be, and how conquering gods

Should not prevail by strength and violence, 25.5

But by guile only. When I told them so,

They would not deign to contemplate the truth

On all sides round ; whereat I deemed it best

To lead my willing mother upwardly.

And set my Themis face to face with Zeus 260

As willing to receive her. Tartarus,

IVith its abysmal cloister of the Dark,

Because I gave that counsel, covers up

The antique Cronos and his siding hosts,

And, by that counsel helped, the king of gods 265

Hath recompensed me with these bitter pangs ;

For kingship wears a cancer at the heart, —

Distrust in friendship. Do ye also ask

What crime it is for which he tortures me ?

That shall be clear before you. When at first 270

He filled his father's throne, he instantly

Made various gifts of glory to the gods.

And dealt the empire out. Alone of men,

Of miserable men, he took no count.

But yearned to sweep their track off from the world, 275

And plant a newer race there. Not a god

Resisted such desire, except myself.

1 More literallj-, '" one form (i. e., one person) of many names,"