Prometheus:
Prometheus is the Titan god of fire. He was a great trickster. His name, apparently, means “Forethinker.” He was the son of Iepatus and Clymene. Although he was a Titan, he sided with Zeus during the Titan War (along with his brother, Epimetheus). After the Titan War, however, Prometheus started a quarrel with Zeus about Zeus’ unfair treatment toward humanity. Prometheus tried to trick Zeus, which resulted in Zeus punishing the humans by hiding the gift of fire from them. Prometheus stole fire from Olympus and brought it to the humans. Zeus punished Prometheus by chaining him up and sending a giant eagle to eat Prometheus’ liver every day, which would regenerate every night. Zeus had Hephaestus mold/forge a creature as beautiful and as devious as no mortal had ever been. All of the gods gifted the being with “seductive gifts,” and even they were amazed at the being’s “beautiful evil” she embodied, and the “sheer guile” of her appearance. Her name was Pandora, the very first woman of history. Hesiod wrote, “...of her is the deadly race and tribe of women who live amongst the mortal men to their great trouble, no helpmeets in hateful poverty, but only in wealth.” When Pandora came to Earth, she was accepted by the afterthinking Epimetheus. When this happened, Pandora opened the jar that she’d brought with her, which released all kinds of diseases and pains, which has plagued humanity ever since. After a time, Hercules (known as Heracles by the Greeks) killed the eagle and freed Prometheus from the chains, which resulted in Prometheus making peace with Zeus. Prometheus is the one who created the humans. He had “molded men out of water and earth.” Some stories claim that the creation of man was an effort shared between Prometheus and Athena, who was the one to breathe life into the clay figures shaped by the Titan. The first people were eventually wiped completely off the face of the earth by the Great Flood that was sent by Zeus (with the help of Poseidon). The only humans to survive (there were only two of them) was Prometheus’ son Deucalion and his wife, Pyrrha. After the Great Flood, the two of them repopulated the earth by throwing stones over their shoulders, which magically turned into men and women.
- Atlas
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