ARGUMENT.
Prometheus took part with Zeus against Kronos,
because Zeus was ready to contend by guile, but
Kronos and the Titans were for open force, and
Prometheus knew that by guile the victory would
be won. Now, when he had made Zeus king of
heaven, he gave fire to men to comfort their estate;
but Zeus, being envious against men, caused him to
be chained upon Kaukasos. Howbeit, Prometheus
knew that, unless he should warn Zeus against
Thetis, he would take her to wife, and beget a son
who should take away his kingdom; and in this
knowledge he vaunted himself, but Thetis' name he
did not speak. Wherefore, Zeus sent from heaven
to ask what he meant; but he made no answer, and
Zeus buried him under the earth, and with him a
company of ocean nymphs, who had come to comfort
him. Notwithstanding, after many years the earth
opened and set the ocean nymphs free; but Zeus
sent a vulture to feed upon Prometheus' liver by
day, and it grew again by night. Now, after the
war of the giants, the times of the heroes drew
nigh; so the ocean nymphs brought from the tower
of Kronos the flower whereby Hera was to conceive
Ares, god of war. At that time came Peleus, the
son of Aiakos (who was to espouse Thetis indeed,
as Prometheus also knew). And Thetis herself
was with him; for Peleus would inquire of
Prometheus how he might atone the Curse of his
brother Phokos, whom he had slain, and Thetis was
troubled with dreams foreboding her marriage with
Zeus, which was not to her mind. But Prometheus
wrought hard with her to be queen of heaven, and
she would not; nor, when Hermes came, would she
consent to him; so Hermes bound her and led her
away. Then came Herakles, by the counsel of
Phoibos, to inquire what road he should take to find
the oxen of the Sun, stolen in Spain by Geruones.
And Herakles slew the vulture, because Prometheus
told him all that was in his heart to know; and as
he tarried, Hermes came with tidings that Zeus had
loosed the Titans, for the love of Thetis, and would
loose Prometheus also, since Cheiron being very
sore wounded desired to die. For Zeus had sworn
that Prometheus should not be loosed till an
immortal was content to die for him. Now
Prometheus was ready to serve Zeus while he
should reign; but Hermes required him to serve
him for evermore: so Hermes departed in anger.
Herakles also departed; and the Curse came again
to Peleus, and bare him away to Pelion. Then the
Titans came upon Prometheus and the ocean
nymphs, and cast them away to the ends of the
earth, because Prometheus had taken part with
Zeus against them. Then a fear took Zeus, and
he sent Hermes for the third time to let Prometheus
go, and being sick for desire of Thetis, he could not
abide his messenger's coming again, but set forth
himself to release Prometheus. There the Fates
and the Curse of his father overtook Zeus; but
Prometheus taught him a name to be safe from
them for a season. So they loosed him, and they
parted in peace; but Zeus let Thetis go.
