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Shall measure all the miserable length
That parts rule absolute from servitude。
CHORUS
Methinks the wish is father to the thought
And whets thy railing tongue。
PROMETHEUS
Not so： the wish And the accomplishment go hand in hand。
CHORUS
Then must we look for one who shall supplant
And reign instead of Zeus？
Far； far more grievous shall bow down his neck。
CHORUS
Hast thou no fear venting such blasphemy？
PROMETHEUS
What should I fear who have no part nor lot
In doom of dying？
CHORUS
But he might afflict the
With agony more dreadful； pain beyond
These pains。
PROMETHEUS
Why let him if he will
All evils I foreknow。
CHORUS
Ah； they are wise
Who do obeisance； prostrate in the dust；
To the implacable； eternal Will。
PROMETHEUS
Go thou and worship； fold thy hands in prayer；
And be the dog that licks the foot of power！
Nothing care I for Zeus； yea； less than naught！
Let him do what he will； and sway the world
His little hour； he has not long to lord it
Among the Gods。
Oh here here runner comes
The upstart tyrant's lacquey！ He'll bring news；
A message； never doubt it； from his master。
Enter HERMES。
Hermes。 You； the sophistical rogue； the heart of gall；
The renegade of heaven； to short…lived men
Purveyor of prerogatives and tities；
Fire…thief！ Dost hear me？ I've a word for thee。
Thou'rt to declare…this is the Father's pleasure
These marriage…feasts of thine； whereof thy tongue
Rattles a…pace； and by the which his greatness
Shall take a fall。 And look you rede no riddles；
But tell the truth； in each particular
Exact。 I am not to sweat for thee； Prometheus；
Upon a double journey。 And thou seest
Zeus by thy dark defiance is not moved。
PROMETHEUS
A very solemn piece of insolence
Spoken like an underling of the Gods！ Ye are young！
Ye are young！ New come to power And ye suppose
Your towered citadel Calamity
Can never enter！ Ah； and have not
Seen from those pinnacles a two…fold fall
Of tyrants？ And the third； who his brief 〃now〃
Of lordship arrogates； I shall see yet
By lapse most swift' most ignominious；
Sink to perdition。 And dost thou suppose
I crouch and cower in reverence and awe
To Gods of yesterday？ I fail of that
So much； the total all of space and time
Bulks in between。 Take thyself hence and count
Thy toiling steps back by the way thou camest；
In nothing wiser for thy questionings。
HERMES
This is that former stubbornness of thine
That brought thee hither to foul anchorage。
PROMETHEUS
Mistake me not； I would not； if I might；
Change my misfortunes for thy vassalage。
HERMES
Oh！ better be the vassal of this rock
Than born the trusty messenger of Zeus
PROMETHEUS
I answer insolence； as it deserves；
With insolence。 How else should it be answered？
HERMES
Surely； and； being in trouble； it is plain
You revel in your plight。
PROMETHEUS
Revel； forsooth！
I would my enemies might hold such revels
And thou amongst the first。
HERMES
Dost thou blame me
For thy misfortunes？
PROMETHEUS
I hate all the Gods；
Because； having received good at my hands；
They have rewarded me with evil。
Proves thee stark mad！
HERMES
This proves thee stark mad！
PROMETHEUS
Mad as you please； if hating
Your enemies is madness
HERMES
Were all well
With thee； thou'dst be insufferable！
PROMETHEUS
Alas！
HERMES
Alas； that Zeus knows not that word； Alas！
PROMETHEUS
But ageing Time teacheth all knowledge。
HERMES
Time
Hath not yet taught thy rash； imperious will
Over wild impulse to win mastery。
PROMETHEUS
Nay： had Time taught me that； I had not stooped
To bandy words with such a slave as thou。
HERMES
This； then； is all thine answer： thou'lt not
One syllable of what our Father asks。
PROMETHEUS
Oh； that I were a debtor to his kindness！
I would requite him to the uttermost！
HERMES
A cutting speech！ You take me for a boy
Whom you may taunt and tease。
PROMETHEUS
Why art thou not
A boy…a very booby…to suppose
Thou wilt get aught from me？ There is no wrong
However shameful； nor no shift of malice
Whereby Zeus shall persuade me to unlock
My lips until these shackles be cast loose。
Therefore let lightning leap with smoke and flame；
And all that is be beat and tossed together；
With whirl of feathery snowflakes and loud crack
Of subterranean thunder； none of these
Shall bend my will or force me to disclose
By whom 'tis fated he shall fall from power。
HERMES
What good can come of this？ Think yet again！
PROMETHEUS
I long ago have thought and long ago
Determined。
HERMES
Patience！ patience！ thou rash fool
Have so much patience as to school thy mind
To a right judgment in thy present troubles。
PROMETHEUS
Lo； I am rockfast； and thy words are wave
That weary me in vain。 Let not the thought
Enter thy mind； that I in awe of Zeus
Shall change my nature for a girl's； or beg
The Loathed beyond all loathing…with my hands
Spread out in woman's fashion…to cast loose
These bonds； from that I am utterly removed。
HERMES
I have talked much； yet further not my purpose；
For thou art in no whit melted or moved
By my prolonged entreaties： like a colt
New to the harness thou dost back and Plunge。
Snap at thy bit and fight against the rein。
And yet thy confidence is in a straw；
For stubbornness； if one be in the wrong；
Is in itself weaker than naught at all。
See now； if thou wilt not obey my words；
What storm； what triple…crested wave of woe
Unshunnable shall come upon thee。 First；
This rocky chasm shall the Father split
With earthquake thunder and his burning bolt；
And he shall hide thy form； and thou shalt hang
Bolt upright； dandled in the rock's rude arms。
Nor till thou hast completed thy long term
Shalt thou come back into the light； and then
The hound of Zeus； the tawny eagle；
Shall violently fall upon thy flesh
And rend it as 'twere rags； and every day
And all day long shall thine unbidden guest
Sit at thy table； feasting on thy liver
Till he hath gnawn it black。 Look for no term
To such an agony till there stand forth
Among the Gods one who shall take upon him
Thy sufferings and consent to enter hell
Far from the light of Sun； yea； the deep pit
And mirk of Tartarus； for thee。 Be advised；
This is not stuffed speech framed to frighten the
But woeful truth。 For Zeus knows not to lie
CHORUS
To our mind
The words of Hermes fail not of the mark。
For he enjoins thee to let self…will go
And follow after prudent counsels。 Him
Harken； for error in the wise is shame。
PROMETHEUS
These are stale tidings I foreknew；
Therefore； since suffering is the due
A foe must pay his foes；
Let curled lightnings clasp and clash
And close upon my limbs： loud crash
The thunder； and fierce throes
Of savage winds convulse calm air：
The embowelled blast earth's roots uptear
And toss beyond its bars；
The rough surge； till the roaring deep
In one devouring deluge sweep
The pathway of the stars
Finally； let him fling my form
Down whirling gulfs； the central storm
Of being； let me lie
Plunged in the black Tartarean gloom；
Yet…yet…his sentence shall not doom
This deathless self to die！
HERMES
These are the workings of a brain
More than a little touched； the vein
Of voluble ecstasy！
Surely he wandereth from the way；
His reason lost； who thus can pray
A mouthing mad man he！
Therefore； O ye who court his fate；
Rash mourners…ere it be too late
And ye indeed are sad
For vengeance spurring hither fast…
Hence！ lest the bellowing thunderblast
Like him should strike you mad I
CHORUS
Words which might work persuasion speak
If thou must counsel me； nor seek
Thus； like a stream in spate；
To uproot mine honour。 Dost thou dare
Urge me to baseness！ I will bear
With him all blows of fate；
For false forsakers I despise；
At treachery my gorge doth rise：
I spew it forth with hate！
HERMES
Only…with ruin on your track…
Rail not at fortune； but look back
And these my words recall；
Neither blame Zeus that he h