Prometheus Bound Power Quotes

Hm, Machiavelli recommends almost the same thing: if you come to power through a rebellion, you've got to double down on the harshness to make sure you don't get knocked off your throne as quickly as you gained it. But is that really the best way to win the support of your new people?

In other words, Power doesn't see himself as having any power at all. It's kind of funny. Here he is, the representative of the most awesome (as in, awe-inspiring) power on earth, and he doesn't seem to think he has any agency at all. He's a tool. (Both kinds.)

Prometheus points out that there's brawn—and then there's brain. As any high school nerd can tell you (or wants to believe), brawn might be good in a fight, but brain has a lot more long-term potential.

Knowledge is power, and Prometheus's knowledge is more powerful than lightning bolts. But here's the thing: it's only powerful if it's secret. Once knowledge is spread around, it becomes useful. So much for the Information Age?

Here the Chorus expresses a popular opinion: Prometheus is nuts. It's just ridiculous for him to go around standing up to Zeus. Boy, we're glad Prometheus didn't listen to them.

And here's why the Chorus doesn't want Prometheus to help mortals: they can't help him back. Hm. It seems like Prometheus might be the only person in the play who acts selflessly—but is he really selfless, or is he out for something more?

Here, Prometheus appears to be making a powerful argument about the relationship between power and justice. But he says it in a pretty sneaky way, so we have to read between the lines a bit. Let's take the last part first. Io asks Prometheus what "wrongdoing" he did that he's now being punished for. Prometheus's reply translates basically as, "I've already answered your question by what I said before." Well, what did Prometheus say before? He said that he was chained up by the "decision of Zeus and the hand of Hephaestus." Putting these two pieces together, it looks like Prometheus is saying, "It doesn't matter what I did wrong. All you need to know is that Zeus wanted me chained up and Hephaestus did it." In other words, where Zeus is concerned, might makes right.

Something to look forward to: one day, Zeus will fall, and it'll be his own fault. The balance of power is always changing, and even the longest dynasty doesn't last forever. Just another reason to be nice to the little guy—one day, he might be your boss.

Here, the Chorus is praying that no god will ever take a liking to them in the same way that Zeus did to Io. Talk about power imbalance—there is literally no way that could end well. Hm, that message still kind of resonates today.

This is some radical talk, here. Prometheus is saying that Zeus's power isn't a ruler—he's a slaver. People do what he wants them to, sure, but only because they're afraid of him. He might be better off with a little mutual respect.