Prometheus and his secret

While reading Edith Hamilton's Mythology I came across who Prometheus is. He brought fire to the mortals and in return Zeus didn't like what he did. Zeus had Prometheus bound to Mt. Caucasus wherein an eagle will be there to eat his liver, his liver will grow each day and the eagle will be there again to eat the liver.

Zeus sent Hermes to persuade Prometheus to tell him a very important secret: it says that a son from Zeus will overthrow him and will become the king of the gods. it also says that Prometheus knew who the mother is, but he prefer not to tell this to anyone.

Do you have any idea or know any myth about this "son" or even know who the mother is?
 

Nadai

Active Member
Maybe it could mean Thetis.
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According to Ovid's Metamorphosis
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Thetis was a beautiful Nereid. Both Poseidon and Zeus fell in love with her, but an oracle told the two that the son birthed by Thetis would one day be ruler over his father. Because of this Zeus realized that, were Thetis to give birth to a god child, her son would be greater than the gods, but were her son to be birthed from a human, he would only be greater than man. So Zeus came up with the brilliant idea to have the virgin Thetis raped.
He went to his friend Peleus, a mortal, and convinced him to take her.
Peleus had great difficulty being only mortal so the gods aided him. First he attempted to charm her. He found her bathing in a pool one day and went to her but she refused him, when she tried to run he held on to her, but because she continually changed shape, he lost his hold and she fled. The gods help Peleus with his next attempt. She continued to transform, but he used some type of rope and when she finally tired and returnd to her normal body he was able to rape her. Zeus then gives her to Peleus when she becomes pregnant with Achilles to marry. All of the gods were invited to the wedding except Eris, goddess of strife and discord. She was angry at the injustice and so sought to punish mankind (why not the gods I don't know). She threw a golden apple into the midst of the wedding procession. On the apple was inscribed, "to the fairest". The goddesses each thought the apple was meant for them (Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite) so they called upon Paris to judge and decide which should receive the apple. Of course Paris chose Helen and so the Trojan War began.
 
ah, I have read another version wherein Thetis and Peleus have lots of children before Achilles, and Thetis attempted to make them invulnerable but she failed (it said that the children died or whatsoever) until Thetis succeeded with Achilles (though not that successful, I think, because Achilles is vulnerable at his heel)

I don't know if this is a reliable info, I just read it at the net.
 

Nadai

Active Member
I've never heard of that version, but with Greek myth there tends to be several interpritations for the same story; it tends to be the same story told from different points of view. One myth states the Trojan war began when Paris chose Aphrodite over the other goddess, in turn made it so that beautiful women would fall in love with him, Helen was one of those women. Another version of the same myth states that Paris chose Helen over the goddesses and so cursed himself and Troy.
Thetis wanted to make her son invincible so she dipped him in the river Styx, unfortunately she held him by his heel and so all of him was covered by water except that portion of him making it his only weak point. Apollo went to Paris and guided his arrow straight to Achilles' heel.
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
There is also the story of Zeus swallowing his pregnant wife when hearing this prophecy.
I forgot her name, it was either Themis or Metis. (He married Hera later).
He then developed a headache and had Haephaistus split his head open with an axe.
Out popped Athena, fully grown and clothed.
I suppose the threat of a child taking over Zeus's position was somehow nullified.
You don't hear of Athena battling Zeus for supremacy.
 

Nadai

Active Member
There is also the story of Zeus swallowing his pregnant wife when hearing this prophecy.
I forgot her name, it was either Themis or Metis. (He married Hera later).
He then developed a headache and had Haephaistus split his head open with an axe.
Out popped Athena, fully grown and clothed.
I suppose the threat of a child taking over Zeus's position was somehow nullified.
You don't hear of Athena battling Zeus for supremacy.
Zeus swallowed the pregnant Metis. Because she was the goddess of wisdom it was prophesied that if Zeus bore a child by Metis it would surpass him, not in strength, but in wisdom which she does. Zeus is pretty hopeless, even with the wise Athena and just Themis he continually made terrible judgement calls and screwed people over:oops:
 
ohhh, but isn't it that Athena is also included when Poseidon, Apollo and Hera tried to dethrone Zeus? Poseidon and Apollo were punished by being a servant to a king, and Hera was punished by hanging her to heaven with heavy weights on her feet. I just wondered why Athena is not punished, or we just didn't know she's punished?
 

fibi ducks

Active Member
i do like the idea that it was another female who would produce a sone to overthrow Zeus, and tha Promethues wouldn't tell. then Zeus would have had an uncomfortable feeling every time he thought of having his way with anyone. maybe i'm a bit jelous that he got to use his equipment so much. but also, i am quite afraid of having children, i wonder if its the same unease that Zeus had at the idea of being superceded.

i read that Thetis tried with previous chidren to make them immortal by burning away the mortal parts of them. i can't remember why it didn't work. the theory sounds ok. sort of.
 

Nadai

Active Member
I personally have never seen that image associated with Prometheus. Prometheus' symbol is most often times a torch or the flame representing the fire that he stole from Zeus and gave to humans.
I would bet that the symbol in your tattoo image is not for Prometheus, but for the artist's initials (JS).
 

killerclown

New Member
I followed the discussion and I found it really exciting. I'm studying English now and I'm taking Greek Myth as one of my courses. Why did Prometheus steal fire and gave it to mortals? why fire? that made Zeus raged. Secondly, why is Zeus known as the God of thunder? who begets whom?
 

Nadai

Active Member
Zeus is the son of Cronus. Cronus was the king of the Titans, god of time and the ages(he presided over the Golden Age) and his sister, Rhea, was queen. Cronus received a prophecy stating that he would be overthrown by his son just as his father, Uranus, was overthrown (castrated) by him. To avoid this, he swallowed each of his children immediately after their births: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and lastly Zeus who was not eaten. Rhea tricked Cronus by wrapping a stone in blankets to make Cronus think it was the baby Zeus. When Zeus was old enough and strong enough, he called on his uncles, Cronus' brothers, the cyclopses, whom Cronus had imprisoned. Zeus defeated the Titans along with his brothers and sisters who were freed from Cronus' belly, and they were all cast into Tartarus, the worst level of Hades. Before Cronus was locked away he cursed Zeus, as his father had done to him, to bare the same fate as to be overthrown by his own son. The brothers (Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus) "drew straws" to see who would inherit which kingdom: Zeus got the heavens, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades got the underworld. After his victory, Prometheus warned him about bedding Thetis because a child born by her would be greater than his father and so Zeus took Metis (goddess of wisdom) as his first wife. Unfortunately for her he received a prophecy that Metis' child would be the wisest of the gods and so he swallowed her, baby and all. After swallowing her, he inherited her wisdom and so also became the god of wisdom and law and order (thanks to Themis and her daughters) and so was called also The Wisest Councellor. Of course from Zeus' head sprang the fully-formed Athena who also became the goddess of wisdom, but only wisdom in battle.
Because Zeus is a sky god he is known also as The Cloud-Gatherer, The Thunderer, etc. When he shakes his aegis it produces the storm and tempest. After his wife Hera birthed Hephaestus, the smith god, he made Zeus his legendary thunder bolts.
Prometheus is the Titan god of forethought (he's not really a titan though, only the son of one), his brother (in some myths his son) Epimetheus, is the god of after-thought. Pometheus is most often associated with fire or the torch because of his gift to man. He is called the father of man, while his brother, After-thought, is supposed to be the father of woman. Prometheus was responsible for molding mankind out of clay. He created the men of the Golden Age, but because Gaie provided all that they needed, they had no use for fire. Fruit grew itself and the rivers streamed with milk and honey (some myths say ambrosia), animals were not hunted (they could talk!) and there was only one season, Spring, so there was never any cold. Man lived beneath the sun and slept beneath the stars. When Zeus took over he ushered in a new race, the men of the Silver Age. Along with this new age came new seasons. People had to sleep in caves to avoid the harsh elements. Fruit no longer grew year round and so they had to hunt. Animals turned their backs from men and so could no longer speak with them. Prometheus wanted to protect his creation; he saw that, without fire, man-kind would not survive and so he stole it from Zeus and took it to them. Zeus was angry because of Prometheus' trick and so he imprisioned him on Mount Kaukasos and ordered an eagle to visit him during the day to eat his liver. Because Prometheus was immortal he could not die and so his liver would regenerate each night only to be eaten again the next day! For man, Zeus punished them by creating Pandora and gifting her with the box that contained every evil and wicked thing, along with hope. Pandora opened the box and so ushered in the next age, the Bronze Age. It was after the Bronze Age that King Lycaon offended Zeus and Zeus flooded the Earth that man was remolded by Deucalion and Phyrra with the help of Themis out of stone and so became cold and hard and the last age was ushered in, The Iron Age. Some myths state that there was an age in between the two called the Hero Age where the gods went through a raping-spree, but it is sometimes simply lumped in with the Bronze Age.
If you really want to start getting into Greek myth you can read Edith Hamilton's Mythology or take a look at Ovid's Metamorphosis. They're both great reads, but Hamilton's is a little easier on beginners.
 
"Themis out of stone and so became cold and hard and the last age was ushered in, The Iron Age. Some myths state that there was an age in between the two called the Hero Age where the gods went through a raping-spree, but it is sometimes simply lumped in with the Bronze Age."

raping-spree? lol

yeah Hamilton's mythology is a good read. :)

I also read that Prometheus tricked Zeus. It happens when the people needed to offer a sacrifice [an animal (forgot what kind of animal it is)] to the gods. Prometheus loved the mortals so much that he gathered two different shares/parts of the sacrifice. The first part, a big chunk of gleaming "meat" (actually it's the fatty part of the animal) and the other part, hmm, not that big and have a bone. These two parts Prometheus brought to the gods and asked Zeus to choose the part to be sacrificed to the gods. Zeus chose the "gleaming meat" not knowing that these are just animal fats. Having chosen this part, automatically the other part was given to the mortals. This part indeed is the meat. Zeus became mad and angry with Prometheus, I'm not sure if this is one of the reason why they had Prometheus bound.
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
I also read that Prometheus tricked Zeus. It happens when the people needed to offer a sacrifice [an animal (forgot what kind of animal it is)] to the gods. Prometheus loved the mortals so much that he gathered two different shares/parts of the sacrifice. The first part, a big chunk of gleaming "meat" (actually it's the fatty part of the animal) and the other part, hmm, not that big and have a bone. These two parts Prometheus brought to the gods and asked Zeus to choose the part to be sacrificed to the gods. Zeus chose the "gleaming meat" not knowing that these are just animal fats. Having chosen this part, automatically the other part was given to the mortals. This part indeed is the meat. Zeus became mad and angry with Prometheus, I'm not sure if this is one of the reason why they had Prometheus bound.
And Zeus is supposed to be a wise god? Something doesn't quite fit here...
 

killerclown

New Member
Zeus is the son of Cronus. Cronus was the king of the Titans, god of time and the ages(he presided over the Golden Age) and his sister, Rhea, was queen. Cronus received a prophecy stating that he would be overthrown by his son just as his father, Uranus, was overthrown (castrated) by him. To avoid this, he swallowed each of his children immediately after their births: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and lastly Zeus who was not eaten. Rhea tricked Cronus by wrapping a stone in blankets to make Cronus think it was the baby Zeus. When Zeus was old enough and strong enough, he called on his uncles, Cronus' brothers, the cyclopses, whom Cronus had imprisoned. Zeus defeated the Titans along with his brothers and sisters who were freed from Cronus' belly, and they were all cast into Tartarus, the worst level of Hades. Before Cronus was locked away he cursed Zeus, as his father had done to him, to bare the same fate as to be overthrown by his own son. The brothers (Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus) "drew straws" to see who would inherit which kingdom: Zeus got the heavens, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades got the underworld. After his victory, Prometheus warned him about bedding Thetis because a child born by her would be greater than his father and so Zeus took Metis (goddess of wisdom) as his first wife. Unfortunately for her he received a prophecy that Metis' child would be the wisest of the gods and so he swallowed her, baby and all. After swallowing her, he inherited her wisdom and so also became the god of wisdom and law and order (thanks to Themis and her daughters) and so was called also The Wisest Councellor. Of course from Zeus' head sprang the fully-formed Athena who also became the goddess of wisdom, but only wisdom in battle.
Because Zeus is a sky god he is known also as The Cloud-Gatherer, The Thunderer, etc. When he shakes his aegis it produces the storm and tempest. After his wife Hera birthed Hephaestus, the smith god, he made Zeus his legendary thunder bolts.
Prometheus is the Titan god of forethought (he's not really a titan though, only the son of one), his brother (in some myths his son) Epimetheus, is the god of after-thought. Pometheus is most often associated with fire or the torch because of his gift to man. He is called the father of man, while his brother, After-thought, is supposed to be the father of woman. Prometheus was responsible for molding mankind out of clay. He created the men of the Golden Age, but because Gaie provided all that they needed, they had no use for fire. Fruit grew itself and the rivers streamed with milk and honey (some myths say ambrosia), animals were not hunted (they could talk!) and there was only one season, Spring, so there was never any cold. Man lived beneath the sun and slept beneath the stars. When Zeus took over he ushered in a new race, the men of the Silver Age. Along with this new age came new seasons. People had to sleep in caves to avoid the harsh elements. Fruit no longer grew year round and so they had to hunt. Animals turned their backs from men and so could no longer speak with them. Prometheus wanted to protect his creation; he saw that, without fire, man-kind would not survive and so he stole it from Zeus and took it to them. Zeus was angry because of Prometheus' trick and so he imprisioned him on Mount Kaukasos and ordered an eagle to visit him during the day to eat his liver. Because Prometheus was immortal he could not die and so his liver would regenerate each night only to be eaten again the next day! For man, Zeus punished them by creating Pandora and gifting her with the box that contained every evil and wicked thing, along with hope. Pandora opened the box and so ushered in the next age, the Bronze Age. It was after the Bronze Age that King Lycaon offended Zeus and Zeus flooded the Earth that man was remolded by Deucalion and Phyrra with the help of Themis out of stone and so became cold and hard and the last age was ushered in, The Iron Age. Some myths state that there was an age in between the two called the Hero Age where the gods went through a raping-spree, but it is sometimes simply lumped in with the Bronze Age.
If you really want to start getting into Greek myth you can read Edith Hamilton's Mythology or take a look at Ovid's Metamorphosis. They're both great reads, but Hamilton's is a little easier on beginners.
i couldt find the hamilton's. do u have the link for its ebook? :D
thanks for the answer, it encouraged me to find the dots in greek myth
 

Nadai

Active Member
And Zeus is supposed to be a wise god? Something doesn't quite fit here...
The gods aren't always as smart as they're made out to be. Remember that Demeter was tricked into eating Pelops' shoulder.
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Pelops was a king of Eleian Pisa in the western Peloponnesos, after whom the whole region was named.​
He was an immigrant from the Anatolian country of Lydia where he grew up a prince in the court of King Tantalos. His father wanted to test the gods and so he butchered Pelops and served him up at a feast for the gods. Zeus and the other gods recognized the deception before he could be eaten and so Pelops was resurrected by the Fates who cast his parts into a boiling cauldron. Unfortunately Demeter had inadvertedely consumed his shoulder and so the Fates had to replaced it with ivory.​
Young Pelops then became the lover of Poseidon who provided him with a fabulous chariot drawn by winged horses. He was able to travel across the sea to Greece and compet with King Oinomaos of Pisa in a chariot race for the hand of his daughter, Hippodameia, in marriage. The king would slay the suitors who lost and so Pelops bribed his charioteer, Myrtilos, to tamper with King Oinomaos' axle. Oinomaos was killed, and Pelops became king. When Myrtilos came seeking his reward for his part in the king's murder, Pelops refused him and cast him into the sea. As a result, a heavy curse was called down upon his house.​
Pelops was able to extend his empire to control most of the western Peloponnesos. His rival in the east was Perseus. A union was formed between the two houses with the marriage of the daughters of Pelops to the sons of Perseus.​
Pelops was one of the important founding kings of myth.​
His descendants included Herakles, Theseus, Augeas, Atreus and Thyestes, Agamemnon and Menelaus.​
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Myrddin

Well-Known Member
The gods aren't always as smart as they're made out to be. Remember that Demeter was tricked into eating Pelops' shoulder.
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...​
Pelops was a king of Eleian Pisa in the western Peloponnesos, after whom the whole region was named.​
He was an immigrant from the Anatolian country of Lydia where he grew up a prince in the court of King Tantalos. His father wanted to test the gods and so he butchered Pelops and served him up at a feast for the gods. Zeus and the other gods recognized the deception before he could be eaten and so Pelops was resurrected by the Fates who cast his parts into a boiling cauldron. Unfortunately Demeter had inadvertedely consumed his shoulder and so the Fates had to replaced it with ivory.​
Young Pelops then became the lover of Poseidon who provided him with a fabulous chariot drawn by winged horses. He was able to travel across the sea to Greece and compet with King Oinomaos of Pisa in a chariot race for the hand of his daughter, Hippodameia, in marriage. The king would slay the suitors who lost and so Pelops bribed his charioteer, Myrtilos, to tamper with King Oinomaos' axle. Oinomaos was killed, and Pelops became king. When Myrtilos came seeking his reward for his part in the king's murder, Pelops refused him and cast him into the sea. As a result, a heavy curse was called down upon his house.​
Pelops was able to extend his empire to control most of the western Peloponnesos. His rival in the east was Perseus. A union was formed between the two houses with the marriage of the daughters of Pelops to the sons of Perseus.​
Pelops was one of the important founding kings of myth.​
His descendants included Herakles, Theseus, Augeas, Atreus and Thyestes, Agamemnon and Menelaus.​
...​
...​
...​
Pelops seems to have a number of known descendants. Amazing.
 
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