To better
understand Prometheus’s crime, we first have to understand the nature of the
prize itself: fire. It doesn’t seem like that big a deal to us, since we can
summon up fire with the strike of a match or the flick of a Zippo. But to
ancient people’s, fire is the difference between a caveman existence with rough
furs and the height of democracy and cool togas. No, I’m not exaggerating.
Prometheus
himself makes sure to mention in the myths that fire is for developing
civilization: cooking, pottery-making, smithing, light in the darkness, and
much, much more. Fire is what will elevate mankind from animals to thinking,
evolved beings. Fire in this myth isn’t simply the substance and what can be
done with it; it’s the knowledge that will be gained as a result of fire.
Simply, fire is everything.
So with a
prize of this value, it’s a little easier to understand why Zeus levied such an
extreme punishment on Prometheus. But it is a little perplexing that Prometheus
gets locked up, but humanity doesn’t. Coming soon: Pandora.