普羅米修斯與人類英語美文
In the conflict between Cronus and Jupiter, Prometheus had adopted the cause of the Olympian deities. To him and his brother Epimetheus was now committed the office of making man and providing him and all other animals with the faculties necessary for their preservation. Epimetheus proceeded to bestow upon the different animals the various gifts of courage, strength, swiftness, and sagacity. Taking some earth and kneading it with water. Prometheus made man in the image of the gods. He gave him an upright stature. Then since Epimetheus had been so prodigal of his gifts to other animals that no blessing was left worth conferring upon the noblest of creatures, Prometheus ascended to heaven, lighted his torch at the chariot of the sun, and brought down fire. But it was only rather grudgingly that Jupiter granted mortals the use of fire.
Then there came the occasion that when gods and men were in dispute at Sicyon concerning the prerogatives of each, Prometheus, by an ingenious trick, attempted to settle the question in favor of man. Dividing into two portions a sacrificial bull, he wrapped all the eatable parts in the skin, cunningly surmounted with uninviting entrails; but the bones he garnished with a plausible mass of fat. He then offered Jupiter his choice. The king of Heaven, although he perceived the intended fraud, took the heap of bones and fat, and forthwith availing himself of this insult as an excuse for punishing mankind, deprived the race of fire. But Prometheus regained the treasure, stealing it from heaven in a hollow tube.
By Jove"s order Prometheus was chained to a rock on Mount Caucasus, and subjected to the attack of an eagle which, for ages, preyed upon his liver, yet succeeded not in consuming it.
In his steadfastness to withstand the torment the Titan was supported by the knowledge that in the thirteenth generation there should arrive a hero, - sprung from Jove himself, - to release him. And in fullness of time the hero did arrive: none other than the mighty Hercules. No higher service, thinks this radiant and masterful personage, remains to be performed than to free the champion of mankind. Hercules utters these words to the Titan --
The soul of man can never be enslaved
Save by its own infirmities, nor freed
Save by its very strength and own resolve
And constant vision and supreme endeavor!
You will be free? Then, courage, O my brother!
O let the soul stand in the open door
Of life and death and knowledge and desire
And see the peaks of thought kindle with sunrise!
Then shall the soul return to rest no more,
Nor harvest dreams in the dark field of sleep -
Rather the soul shall go with great resolve
To dwell at last upon the shining mountains
In liberal converse with the eternal stars.
Thereupon he kills the eagle; and sets Jove"s victim free.
在克洛諾斯反對朱庇特的鬥爭中，普羅米修斯站到了奧林波斯山諸神的一邊。後來塑造人和賦予人和其他所有動物以生存本領的任務就交給了他和他的弟弟厄庇墨透斯。厄庇墨透斯將勇敢、力氣、快速、伶俐等天賦分別賜予各種動物。普羅米修斯則用土和水揉成了泥，照着神的模樣捏出了人；他使人呈站立的姿勢。厄庇墨透斯把各種天資都慷慨地贈予了其他動物，竟沒有剩下什麼象樣的天賦能賜給最崇高的被造物了。於是普羅米修斯升到天上，在太陽馬車那裏點燃了一隻火把，將火送到地上來。可是，朱庇特卻是不大樂意允准人們用火的。有一次，神和人在西錫安對各自的權限爭執不休，普羅米修斯耍了一個聰明的計謀，企圖使問題的解決對人類有利。他把一頭獻祭用的牛分為兩份，把所有可食用的部分包在牛皮裏，並狡滑地在上面擺滿不招人喜歡的內臟；把骨頭用一層肥脂裹起來，看上去象是好肉。然後他讓朱庇特挑選。天國之王看穿了他的陰謀詭計，但還是挑了那堆骨頭和肥膘，從而利用這一侮辱為藉口剝奪人類使用火的權利。但是普羅米修斯用一根空心管子從天府偷盜火種，再次取得了寶貴的天火。
為此，朱庇特命令將普羅米修斯鎖在高加索山上的一塊絕巖峭壁上，成年累月地受着一頭老鷹的折磨，它天天啄食他的肝臟卻總不能把它吃光。這位提坦巨人堅忍不拔地忍受着煎熬，因為他知道在第十三代時就會有一個英雄—朱庇特的親兒子———來解救他。果然不爽，時候一到英雄真的來了。他不是別人，就是那個力大無窮的`海格立斯。這個奮煥英偉的人物認為他需要作的最大貢獻莫過於解救這個人類的衞士。海格立斯向提坦巨人説：
人的靈魂永遠不能被征服
除非自身變得脆弱；也永遠不能得解放
除非自身充滿決心和力量，以及
不稍虧的目光和無以復加的努力！
想自由嗎？那就鼓起勇氣，我的兄弟！
啊！讓靈魂站在生與死，知與欲
敞開的門扉前，
見到旭日點燃思想的頂峯！
那時靈魂再不會依然故態，
或在黑色的睡鄉中收穫夢幻
靈魂將邁着堅定的步伐
直上光芒萬丈的山巔
和不落的羣星自由交談。
然後他殺死了老鷹解放了朱庇特的囚徒。
