by Tim Harry

Created on: February 05, 2009

The immortals of Ancient Greece were normally portrayed as benefactors of man to a lesser or greater extent, and although the Olympian god, Hermes, is known as the friend of man, there is one immortal known as the "Benefactor of Man", and that was Prometheus. The story of Prometheus is a complex one, although he is now most famous for being the one to provide the gift of fire to man.

The story of Prometheus begins before the time of Zeus and the other Olympians, during the Golden Age of Greek Mythology. This was the time of the Titans, when Cronus and his siblings ruled the universe. Prometheus was born to one these siblings, Iapetus, the mother is proclaimed to be the Titan Themis, or the Oceanid, Clymene. With Iapetus as the father though Prometheus became known as a second generation Titan, this parentage also meant that Prometheus had three brothers, Atlas, Menoetius and Epimetheus. The Titans were said to have been provided with special powers, and Prometheus's name meant "forethought", linked to the gift of seeing into the future, just as Epimetheus was known as "afterthought".

During this Golden Age Prometheus was also blessed with a son, Deucalion, either with Pronoia or Clymene. Deucalion became known as the saviour of man, when he built his ark in a precursor to the story of Noah. The Golden Age though for the Titans was about to end, as Zeus sought to usurp his father, Cronus. Thus the Titanomachy began, pitting Zeus and his siblings, and allies like the Cyclops, against the might of the Titans. Prometheus though saw the future, and the ultimate success of Zeus, and so along with Epimetheus joined the fight on Zeus' side. Ten year of war followed which saw Prometheus fighting against his father, and brothers, Atlas and Menoetius.

Zeus was of course successful, and so rather than being punished, Prometheus, along with Epimetheus, were then given the task of filling the world with living creatures. Thus through the use of clay and mud the animals and man were created, with the breath of life provided by Zeus himself. Zeus then gave the brothers the additional task of naming and providing everything with their own characteristics. It was though a task that Epimetheus wished to complete himself. Thus it was that Epimetheus named and characterised all animals, but ran out of gifts by the time he got to mankind. Zeus decreed that with no more gifts available, mankind would have to remain as unprotected barbarians. Prometheus though was no respecter of Zeus'

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