_Prom._ Things that shall be, and things I wish, I speak. 950 _Chor._ And must we look for one to master Zeus? _Prom._ Yea, troubles harder far than these are his. _Chor._ Art not afraid to vent such words as these? _Prom._ What can I fear whose fate is not to die? _Chor._ But He may send on thee worse pain than this. _Prom._ So let Him do: nought finds me unprepared. _Chor._ Wisdom is theirs who Adrasteia worship.[201] _Prom._ Worship then, praise and flatter him that rules; My care for Zeus is nought, and less than nought: Let Him act, let Him rule this little while, 960 E'en as He will; for long He shall not rule Over the Gods. But lo! I see at hand The courier of the Gods, the minister Of our new sovereign. Doubtless he has come To bring me tidings of some new device. _Enter_ HERMES _Herm._ Thee do I speak to,—thee, the teacher wise, The bitterly o'er-bitter, who 'gainst Gods Hast sinned in giving gifts to short-lived men— I speak to thee, the filcher of bright fire. The Father bids thee say what marriage thou Dost vaunt, and who shall hurl Him from his might; And this too not in dark mysterious speech, 970 But tell each point out clearly. Give me not, Prometheus, task of double journey. Zeus Thou see'st, is not with such words appeased. _Prom._ Stately of utterance, full of haughtiness Thy speech, as fits a messenger of Gods. Ye yet are young in your new rule, and think To dwell in painless towers. Have I not Seen two great rulers driven forth from thence?[202] And now the third, who reigneth, I shall see In basest, quickest fall. Seem I to thee 980 To shrink and quail before these new-made Gods? Far, very far from that am I. But thou, Track once again the path by which thou camest; Thou shalt learn nought of what thou askest me. _Herm._ It was by such self-will as this before That thou did'st bring these sufferings on thyself. _Prom._ I for my part, be sure, would never change My evil state for that thy bondslave's lot. _Herm._ To be the bondslave of this rock, I trow, Is better than to be Zeus' trusty herald! 990 _Prom._ So it is meet the insulter to insult. _Herm._ Thou waxest proud, 'twould seem, of this thy doom. _Prom._ Wax proud! God grant that I may see my foes Thus waxing proud, and thee among the rest! _Herm._ Dost blame me then for thy calamities? _Prom._ In one short sentence—all the Gods I hate, Who my good turns with evil turns repay. _Herm._ Thy words prove thee with no slight madness plagued. _Prom._ If to hate foes be madness, mad I am. _Herm._ Not one could bear thee wert thou prosperous. 1000 _Prom._ Ah me! _Herm._ That word is all unknown to Zeus. _Prom._ Time waxing old can many a lesson teach. _Herm._ Yet thou at least hast not true wisdom learnt.