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131 PROMETHEUS BOUND 131

Hermes. No answer thou vouchsafest, I believe, To the great Sire's requirement.

Prometheus. Verily

I owe him grateful service, and should pay it.

Hermes. Why, thou dost mock me, Titan, as I stood A child before thy face.

Prometheus. No child, forsooth, ino

But yet more foolish than a foolish child. If thou expect that I should answer aught Thy Zeus can ask. No torture from his hand, Nor any machination in the world. Shall force mine utterance ere he loose, himself, uts These cankerous fetters from me. For the rest, Let him now hurl his blanching lightnings down, And with his white-winged snows, and mutterings deep Of subterranean thunders, mix all things, Confound them in disorder. None of this uso

Shall bend my sturdy will, and make me speak The name of his dethroner who shall come.

Heimies. Can this avail thee ? Look to it !

Prometheus. Lons; a^o

It was looked forward to, precounselled of.

HeiTnes. Vain god, take righteous courage ! Dare for once uss

To apprehend and front thine agonies With a just prudence.

Prometheus. Vainly dost thou chafe

Aly soul with exhortation, as yonder sea Goes beating on the rock. Oh ! think no more That I, fear-struck by Zeus to a woman's mind. Will supplicate him, loathed as he is, iiso

With feminine upliftings of ray hands, To break these chains. Far from me be the thoufflit I