4.3: The Promethean Family of Origin
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- 279516
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Hesiod’s Works and Days cites Prometheus' mother as Clymene [Klee-MAH-nee], a daughter of the Titan Ocean, known for her prophetic abilities. His father Iapetus [ee-AP-ah-toos] was brother to Kronos, and considered an older Titan. According to Hesiod, his brother Atlas was also punished by Zeus for leading the rebellion against the Olympians in the Titanomachy. Atlas was condemned to hold up the vault of Heaven, though other references in mythology and art show Atlas shouldering Earth; his surname, Telamon, means “to suffer” or “to bear.” Menoetius, whose name (menos) means “might,” or “passion,” or “force,” and (oitos/etius) “ill-fated” or “doomed,” may have been the embodiment of rashness and violent rage. He too was punished by Zeus, who struck him with his thunderbolt and imprisoned him in Tartarus, ”because of his mad presumption and exceeding pride,” (Hesiod Theogony) and for siding with Atlas during the Titanomachy. The two brothers who sided with Zeus and the Olympians, Prometheus (forethought) and Epimetheus (afterthought) are differentiated by their motives; whereas Prometheus rebels out of a sense of justice and protectiveness for humanity, Epimetheus acts capriciously and foolishly, accepting the “gift” of Pandora on behalf of mankind. In doing so, he disregards Prometheus' fateful warning about gifts from the gods.
Unlike Hesiod, Aeschylus sites Prometheus' mother as Themis, a prophetic goddess of divine law and order. This genetic lineage brings his rebellion into sharper focus, as it refutes the edicts of Zeus, while calling for greater justice for humans. Aeschylus’s aim, however, may have been far more nuanced if we consider Themis’s affiliation with Gaea (Earth), further connecting Prometheus to Earth’s inherent powers of prophecy. As an agent of intelligent prophecy, Prometheus finds himself on both sides of Zeus' ascension of power: “Although he had used his intelligence to help Zeus overthrow the Titans, in Prometheus Bound he must use it to maintain universal absolutes of justice and freedom, principles that Zeus' despotism threaten to obliterate” (Harris and Platzner 122).