On the wind of my frenzy, unbridled my tongue,

And a torrent of speech falls broken upon

Irresistible waves of disaster.

(Exit)

CHORUS (Strophe 1)

Wise in exceeding wisdom

He who first did weigh in his heart and declare this saying in speech to his neighbours:

Blest are they who seek not a marriage above their own degree;

May not the meek and lowly aspire to the hand

Full of gold and exalted in riches, or seek

Wedlock with the nobles of the world.

Antistrophe 1

Ne’er may it fall to my lot, O

Fate all things fulfilling, to be called to the bed of Zeus as the bride of the Highest;

Ne’er may I by lords of the heavenly host be woo’d or won;

I tremble ev’n to look on the maiden who hates

Her Olympian wooer, destined to wander in pain

Far and wide, pursued by Hera’s jealous rage.

Epode

For me, when even-matched the union,

Naught is there to fear, but only

Ne’er may god above let fall love’s glance upon me!

O helpless agony, fruitful in fruitless tears!

What the end might be I know not.

Yea, the plan that Zeus designs

None shall avail to alter.

PROMETHEUS

And yet shall Zeus, so obstinate of spirit,

Be humbled, such a marriage will he make

Which shall o’erthrow him from his tyranny’s

Celestial seat for ever; and then the curse

His father Cronos uttered as he fell

From his ancestral throne shall be fulfilled.

Such is his fate, which to avert can none

Of all the gods instruct him, only I —

I know the manner of it. So let him sit

Proudly exultant in his airy thunders

And brandishing his bolt of lightning fire;

For nothing can avail to save him from

Downfall disastrous and dishonourable.

Such is the wrestler he now trains against

Himself, a prodigy unconquerable,

Whose strength shall battle down the lightning blast

And master the mighty roar of heaven’s thunder;

And then that brandished spear which plagues the Earth,

The trident of Poseidon, shall be shattered,

And, stumbling upon disaster, Zeus shall learn

How far from sovranty is servitude.

CHORUS

Thy wish has fathered this proud threat to Zeus.

PROMETHEUS

I speak what shall be, likewise what I desire.

CHORUS

Is it possible that Zeus shall serve another?

PROMETHEUS

Yea, and be yoked to harsher pains than these.

CHORUS

Hast thou no fear to hurl such menaces?

PROMETHEUS

What should I fear, predestined not to die?

CHORUS

He will devise yet greater anguish for thee.

PROMETHEUS

Then let him do it! All things have I foreseen.

CHORUS

The wise are those who bow to Adrasteia.

PROMETHEUS

Bow down, adore, cringe on thy present master;

To me is Zeus a thing of no account.

Nay, let him reign supreme and work his will

For his brief day —he shall not rule for long.

But see where comes the courier of Zeus,

The lackey of the new tyrant of the gods.

Some news, assuredly, he has to tell.