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108 108 AESCHYLUS

Hard to interpret, and defined as plain

The wayside omens, — flights of crook - clawed

birds, — Showed which are by their nature fortunate,^ And which not so, and what the food of each, And what the hates, affections, social needs seo

Of all to one another, — taught what sign Of visceral lightness, colored to a shade, May charm the genial gods, and what fair spots Commend the lung and liver. Burning so The limbs incased in fat, and the long chine, ses

I led my mortals on to an art abstruse. And cleared their eyes to the image in the fire, Erst filmed in dark. Enough said now of this. For the other helps of man hid underground. The iron and the brass, silver and gold, 570

Can any dare affirm he found them out Before me ? None, I know ! unless he choose To lie in his vaunt. In one word learn the whole, — That all arts came to mortals from Prometheus.

Chorus. Give mortals now no inexpedient help, 575 Neglecting thine own sorrow.^ I have hope still To see thee, breaking from the fetter here, Stand up as strong as Zeus.

Prometheus. This ends not thus,

The oracular fate ordains. I must be bowed By infinite woes and pangs to escape this chain. sso Necessity is stronger than mine art.

Chorus. "Who holds the helm of that Necessity ?

Prometheus. The threefold Fates and the unfor- getting Furies.

^ I. e., of good omen. See Aristophanes' BirrJs, p. 266. 2 The Chorus hopes that if he will use his unbounded ingenuity in his own behalf, he will secure release and power.