The Flaws of Prometheus and the Wrath of Zeus: Major Figures in Hesiod’s Theogony

Zeus is undoubtedly not a person to trifle with, specially when it comes to his sacred fire. The punishments dealt out by Zeus are possibly anything but fair but are all extremely metaphorical and symbolic if the reader reads in between the lines. Prometheus, creator of man and thief of fire, is punished by getting his liver eaten by an eagle each and every day till the end of time. In The Story of Prometheus translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, the reader sees that hot-headed Zeus’ reactions to Prometheus’ sensible jokes symbolize the severity of the ancient Greek government, the intolerance of disobedience and overconfidence, and the fear of the wrath of the gods’ energy in ancient Greek culture. Ought to the reader delve deeper into the history of ancient Greece and its culture, he ought to find out a wonderful deal about Zeus’ relationship with Prometheus.

Zeus’ drastic punishment for Prometheus in reaction to the theft of the sacred fire signifies the severity of the ancient Greek government in numerous methods. To punish Prometheus, Zeus “he bound with inextricable bonds, cruel chains, and drove a shaft via his middle, and set on him a extended-winged eagle, which utilized to consume his immortal liver but by night the liver grew as significantly once again everyway as the long-winged bird devoured every day.” (“The Story of Prometheus,” 11. 507-543) This punishment is really considerable as it represents Zeus taking fire from Prometheus. The imagery portrayed in this line is fairly vivid and The eagle – Zeus – comes back day after day to consume Prometheus’ liver – most commonly thought of as the human fire simply because it controls blood and temperature in the body. When Hesiod writes the word “devoured,” he implies that Prometheus’ liver is becoming ripped out, as “devoured” is a much more violent-sounding word. The descriptive value placed on the bonds, or “cruel chains” is immensely associated to how the Greek government has a firm, everlasting, “inextricable” hold on Greece’s men and women. Inextricable also shows how serious Zeus is about his punishment, for if he were to be lighter in punishing Prometheus, he could have just made the bonds destructible so that Prometheus could one particular day be set free of charge.

Pandora is 1 of Zeus’ far more extravagant punishments, “For from her is the race of lady and female sort: of her is the deadly race and tribe of ladies who live amongst mortal males to their fantastic difficulty, no helpmeets in hateful poverty, but only in wealth.” (“The Story of Prometheus,” 11. 561-584) Just as Zeus curses the Greeks with Pandora soon after they were offered fire, the Greek government would compromise one thing great for some thing bad. Zeus feels that due to the fact the humans have been offered fire, they need to find out that not every thing will go well for them. Since of this, he creates Pandora and her box. In the box, Zeus locations greed, illness, pain, misery, and negativities of all sorts. Even so, he also locations hope at the bottom of the jar, symbolizing Prometheus, man’s only hope for is was he that had often defended mankind. Zeus’ impatience with Prometheus represents how disobedience and over self-confidence have been not tolerated in ancient Greek culture. Prometheus typically was blinded in his decisions by his compellment to play sensible jokes and amuse himself. Compelled by his ambition and his amusement in wiles, Prometheus attempts to trick Zeus, “…even then Prometheus was forward to cut up a wonderful ox and see portions just before them, attempting to befool the thoughts of Zeus. Ahead of the rest he set flesh and inner components thick with fat upon the hide, covering them with an ox paunch but for Zeus he place the white bones dressed up with cunning art and covered with shining fat.” (“The Story of Prometheus,” 11. 507-543) Zeus is all knowing and knows that Prometheus is trying to trick him, in spite of his evident powers.

Every person knows of Zeus’ omniscience. In the act of hubris – overconfidence in oneself – Prometheus thinks he can outwit Zeus and in doing so becomes overly confident in himself. This deeply enrages Zeus. Ancient Greek government regarded as hubris a punishable crime just as the gods did. The ancient Greek government punishes hubris and does not tolerate hubris and disobedience because they are following the myths such as “The Story of Prometheus” where it is deemed unacceptable by the gods. Because the gods were the “role models” of the ancient Greeks, it is expectable that they would take after Zeus and his rage. The ancient Greeks fear the wrath of the gods – especially Zeus – for quite a couple of valid reasons. Taking his anger out on the ancient Greek people, “…Zeus who thunders on high was stung in spirit, and his dear heart was angered when he saw amongst guys the far-observed ray of fire. Forthwith he made an evil factor for males as the value of fire for the extremely well-known Limping God formed of earth the likeness of a shy maiden…” (“The Story of Prometheus,” 11. 561-584) Zeus’ vexation against humanity causes many outrages and negative forthcomings rationalizing why men worry the gods’ wrath. Pandora brings with her illness, hatred, theft, and a manner of other negative consequences. The ancient Greeks swiftly find out that the gods were not to be messed with and would sooner punish them than reward them. In the ancient Greek civilization, gods had been revered and feared for their power. Zeus’ epithets – all-being aware of, smart, and pansophical – show his omniscience. The ancient Greek government constantly relates itself to the dozens of myths.

In Hesiod’s writing, Prometheus’ tricks continuously irritate Zeus, driving him to deal out underhand punishments. Government in ancient Greece can be characterized as extreme, intolerant, and god-fearing particularly since of Zeus’ punishment for Prometheus in this myth. Thinking about Zeus’ behaviors and temperament-primarily based actions, it is achievable that the reader and the people of ancient Greece ought to not have produced Zeus king of the gods. Even so, if the Greeks have been generating Zeus to answer their inquiries, it proves that Zeus is not a god – it proves that he’s only human.