No More Learning

_Pr. _ So far I praise thee, and will never cease;
For zeal you nothing lack. But
Strive not; for in vain, naught helping
Me, thou 'lt strive, if aught to strive you wish.
But be thou quiet, holding thyself aloof,
For I would not, though I'm unfortunate, that on this account
Evils should come to many.

_Oc. _ Surely not, for me too the fortunes of thy brother
Atlas grieve, who towards the evening-places
Stands, the pillar of heaven and earth
Upon his shoulders bearing, a load not easy to be borne.
And the earth-born inhabitant of the Cilician
Caves seeing, I pitied, the savage monster
With a hundred heads, by force o'ercome,
Typhon impetuous, who stood 'gainst all the gods,
With frightful jaws hissing out slaughter;
And from his eyes flashed a Gorgonian light,
Utterly to destroy by force the sovereignty of Zeus;
But there came to him Zeus' sleepless bolt,
Descending thunder, breathing flame,
Which struck him out from lofty
Boastings. For, struck to his very heart,
His strength was scorched and thundered out.
And now a useless and extended carcass
Lies he near a narrow passage of the sea,
Pressed down under the roots of AEtna.
And on the topmost summit seated, Hephaistus
Hammers the ignited mass, whence will burst out at length
Rivers of fire, devouring with wild jaws
Fair-fruited Sicily's smooth fields;
Such rage will Typhon make boil over
With hot discharges of insatiable fire-breathing tempest,
Though by the bolt of Zeus burnt to a coal.

_Pr. _ Thou art not inexperienced, nor dost want
My counsel; secure thyself as thou know'st how;
And I against the present fortune will bear up,
Until the thought of Zeus may cease from wrath.

_Oc. _ Know'st thou not this, Prometheus, that
Words are healers of distempered wrath?

_Pr.
_ If any seasonably soothe the heart,
And swelling passion check not rudely.

_Oc. _ In the consulting and the daring
What harm seest thou existing? Teach me.

_Pr. _ Trouble superfluous, and light-minded folly.

_Oc. _ Be this my ail then, since it is
Most profitable, being wise, not to seem wise.

_Pr. _ This will seem to be my error.

_Oc. _ Plainly homeward thy words remand me.

_Pr. _ Aye, let not grief for me into hostility cast thee.

_Oc. _ To the new occupant of the all-powerful seats?