PROMETHEUS

In Greek mythology, the TitanPrometheus had a reputation as being something of a clever trickster
and he famously gave the human race the gift of fire and the skill of metalwork, an action for which he
was punished by Zeus, who ensured everyday that an eagle ate the liver of the Titan as he was
helplessly chained to a rock.
Prometheus (Forethought) was one of the ringleaders of the battle between the Titans and the Olympian
gods led by Zeus to gain control of the heavens, a struggle which was said to have lasted ten years.
Prometheus did, however, switch sides and support the victorious Olympians when the Titans would
not follow his advice to use trickery in the battle.
In some traditions, Prometheus made the first man from clay, whilst in others, the gods made all
creatures on Earth, and Epimetheus and Prometheus were given the task of endowing them with gifts
so that they might survive and prosper. Epimetheus liberally spread around such gifts as fur and wings
but by the time he got around to man, he had run out of gifts. Feeling sorry for mans weak and naked
state, Prometheus raided the workshop of Hephaistos and Athena on Mt. Olympus and stole fire, and
by hiding it in a hollow fennel-stalk, he gave the valuable gift to man which would help him in lifes
struggle. The Titan also taught man how to use their gift and so the skill of metalwork began; he also
came to be associated with science and culture.
PROMETHEUS RAIDED THE WORKSHOP OF HEPHAISTOS AND ATHENA ON MT.
OLYMPUS AND STOLE FIRE; HE THEN GAVE THE VALUABLE GIFT TO MANKIND.
In a slightly different version of the story, mankind already had fire, and when Prometheus tried to trick
Zeus into eating bones and fat instead of the best meat during a meal at Mt. Olympus, Zeus, in anger,
took away fire so that man would have to eat his meat raw. Prometheus then stole the fire as in the
alternative version. This also explained why, in animal sacrifices, the Greeks always dedicated the
bones and fat to the gods and ate the meat themselves.
Zeus was outraged by Prometheus' theft of fire and so punished the Titan by having him taken far to the
east, perhaps the Caucasus. Here Prometheus was chained to a rock (or pillar) and Zeus sent an eagle to
eat the Titans liver. Even worse, the liver re-grew every night and the eagle returned each day to
perpetually torment Prometheus. Fortunately for mans benefactor, but only after many years, the hero
Hercules, when passing one day during his celebrated labours, killed the eagle with one of his arrows.
In Hesiods Works & Days we are told that Zeus punished man for receiving the fire by instructing
Hephaistos to create the first woman, Pandora, from clay and through her all the negative aspects of life
would befall the human race - toil, illness, war, and death - and definitively separate mankind from the
gods.