No More Learning

Alone of men,
Of miserable men, he took no count,
But yearned to sweep their track off from the world
And plant a newer race there. Not a god
Resisted such desire except myself.
_I_ dared it! _I_ drew mortals back to light,
From meditated ruin deep as hell!
For which wrong, I am bent down in these pangs
Dreadful to suffer, mournful to behold,
And I, who pitied man, am thought myself
Unworthy of pity; while I render out
Deep rhythms of anguish 'neath the harping hand
That strikes me thus--a sight to shame your Zeus!

_Chorus. _ Hard as thy chains and cold as all these rocks
Is he, Prometheus, who withholds his heart

From joining in thy woe. I yearned before
To fly this sight; and, now I gaze on it,
I sicken inwards.

_Prometheus. _ To my friends, indeed,
I must be a sad sight.

_Chorus. _ And didst thou sin
No more than so?

_Prometheus. _ I did restrain besides
My mortals from premeditating death.

_Chorus.
_ How didst thou medicine the plague-fear of death?

_Prometheus. _ I set blind Hopes to inhabit in their house.

_Chorus. _ By that gift thou didst help thy mortals well.

_Prometheus. _ I gave them also fire.

_Chorus. _ And have they now,
Those creatures of a day, the red-eyed fire?

_Prometheus. _ They have: and shall learn by it many arts.

_Chorus. _ And truly for such sins Zeus tortures thee
And will remit no anguish? Is there set
No limit before thee to thine agony?

_Prometheus. _ No other: only what seems good to HIM.