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This reading comes from the Cave’s

The Best of Hesiod’s Theogony & Works and Days

(where it appears as chapter nine).

__________

AND IAPETOS BROUGHT KLYMENE HOME in marriage, Ocean’s beautiful-ankled daughter, and he climbed into the same bed with her. And she brought to life a strong-hearted son, Atlas. [510] She also gave birth to Menoitios, who is exceedingly famous, and Prometheus (Forethought), who is ever changing and full of wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus (Afterthought), who, from the beginning, was a misfortune to men who labor for bread.

Epimetheus was a misfortune because he was the first one to welcome the young maiden woman into his house. She was from Zeus, who had formed her.

But Menoitios was insolent, and farseeing Zeus struck him with a smoldering thunderbolt and sent him down to Darkness (Erebos) because of his reckless arrogance and overwhelming presumption.

And by the force of mighty necessity, Atlas tirelessly holds up the far-spread sky with his hands and head. He does so standing at the limits of the earth near the clear-voiced Hesperides. [520] Zeus the counselor gave him this portion.

And Zeus bound scheming Prometheus with unbreakable bonds, cruel chains, and he hammered them through the middle of a pillar. And he set on him a long-winged eagle that used to eat Prometheus’ immortal liver. But at night the liver rapidly grew again in a way that matched what the long-winged bird had eaten during the whole day.

Heracles, the strong son of beautiful-ankled Alcmene, killed the bird. He delivered the son of Iapetos from the cruel plague and released him from his affliction. This was not, however, against the will of Olympian Zeus, who rules on high. [530] It was so that the glory of Theban-born Heracles might be even greater than it was before upon the all-nourishing earth. Amazed at these things, Zeus honored his famous son.

And although he was angry with Prometheus, he dropped the anger he had felt when Prometheus vied in counsels with the almighty son of Kronos.

For when the gods and mortal men were making choices at Mekone, Prometheus eagerly divided up a great ox and set it before Zeus, trying to deceive his mind. On the one side, he set down upon the skin the flesh and the inner parts, rich with fat, concealing them within the ox’s stomach. [540] On the other, he set down the ox’s white bones, arranging them with deceit and skill, concealing them with glistening fat.

Then the father of men and gods said to him, “Son of Iapetos, the most distinguished of all the ruling gods, my good friend, how unfairly have you divided the portions!” That’s what he derisively said, Zeus, whose counsels do not fail.

And smiling a little, wily Prometheus said to him in return, not forgetting his deceit and skill, “Zeus, most glorious and greatest of the everlasting gods, take from the two portions whichever your heart and mind within leads you to take.” [550] So he spoke, planning deception.

But Zeus, whose counsels do not fail, successfully perceived and knew well the trick. And in his spirit he foresaw misfortunes for mortal human beings, evils he intended to accomplish. He took up the white fat with both hands, and wrath came upon his spirit and anger filled his heart when he saw the ox’s white bones that had been put there by means of deceit and skill.

It is because of this that the tribes of men dwelling upon the earth burn white bones on fragrantly smoking altars to the immortals.

Greatly angered, cloud-gathering Zeus said to him, “Son of Iapetos, cleverest of all, you who have schemes for everything—[560] my good friend, up to this moment you still haven’t let go of your deceit and skill!”

That’s what he said in anger, Zeus, whose counsels do not fail.

So ends Reading 7, “Iapetos and Klymene’s Offspring – Prometheus Tricks Zeus.” See you in Reading 8, “Zeus Punishes Mortal Men – Fire and the First Woman.”