PROMETHEUS.[n9] O divine ether, and swift-winged winds, And river-fountains, and of ocean waves The multitudinous laughter,[n10] and thou Earth, Boon mother of us all, and thou bright round Of the all-seeing Sun, you I invoke! Behold what ignominy of causeless wrongs I suffer from the gods, myself a god. See what piercing pains shall goad me Through long ages myriad-numbered! With such wrongful chains hath bound me This new leader of the gods. Ah me! present woes and future I bemoan. O! when, O! when Shall the just redemption dawn? {186} Yet why thus prate? I know what ills await me. No unexpected torture can surprise My soul prophetic; and with quiet mind We all must bear our portioned fate, nor idly Court battle with a strong necessity. Alas! alas! 'tis hard to speak to the winds; Still harder to be dumb! my well-deservings To mortal men are all the offence that bowed me Beneath this yoke. The secret fount of fire I sought, and found, and in a reed concealed it;[n11] Whence arts have sprung to man, and life hath drawn Rich store of comforts. For such deed I suffer These bonds, in the broad eye of gracious day, Here crucified. Ah me! ah me! who comes?[n12] What sound, what viewless breath, thus taints the air, God sent, or mortal, or of mingled kind? What errant traveller ill-sped comes to view This naked ridge of extreme Earth, and me? Whoe'er thou art, a hapless god thou see'st Nailed to this crag; the foe of Jove thou seest. Him thou see'st, whom all the Immortals Whoso tread the Olympian threshold, Name with hatred; thou beholdest Man's best friend, and, therefore, hated For excess of love. Hark, again! I hear the whirring As of winged birds approaching; With the light strokes of their pinions Ether pipes ill-boding whispers!-- Alas! alas! that I should fear Each breath that nears me. [_The_ OCEANIDES _approach, borne through the air in a winged car_. STROPHE I. CHORUS. Fear nothing; for a friendly band approaches; Fleet rivalry of wings Oar'd us to this far height, with hard consent Wrung from our careful sire The winds swift-sweeping bore me: for I heard The harsh hammer's note deep deep in ocean caves, And, throwing virgin shame aside, unshod The winged car I mounted. {187} PROMETHEUS. Ah! ah! Daughters of prolific Tethys,[n13] And of ancient father Ocean, With his sleepless current whirling Round the firm ball of the globe. Look! with rueful eyes behold me Nailed by adamantine rivets, Keeping weary watch unenvied On this tempest-rifted rock! ANTISTROPHE I. CHORUS. I look, Prometheus; and a tearful cloud My woeful sight bedims, To see thy goodliest form with insult chained, In adamantine bonds, To this bare crag, where pinching airs shall blast thee New gods now hold the helm of Heaven; new laws Mark Jove's unrighteous rule; the giant trace Of Titan times hath vanished.[n14]