rometheus Bound. Prometheus goes against Zeus’ wishes and befriends the rudimentary race of humans. He is bound to a rock for centuries to be pecked at by a bird everyday. In the play Zeus is depicted as a villainous tyrant, but one with which the other gods give a great amount of respect and fear. Might describes Zeus’ rule perfectly in a conversation to Hephaestus when he remarks that “There is nothing without discomfort except the overlordship of the Gods. For only Zeus is free” (P.B. 49). This shows the power Zeus has over the other gods.The relationship between the Greek gods and the mortals is fairly well defined. Gods can help in a time of crisis, but only if they want to and see it fit to do so. They have power over most everything in a human’s life, from weather to death. Humans usually recognize this and pay their respects to the gods. If a mortal does not give thanks and worship to the gods they can face a terrible doom, as seen in the plays by Sophocles and Euripides. The higher beings sometimes punish humans for situations that they are not at fault for, and humans are forced to realize that they are under the mercy of the gods. As Prometheus Bound demonstrated, the gods have power over each other as well. Euripides, Aeschylus, and Sophocles have demonstrated that the gods possessed an all-encompassing power over the entire ancient Greek world and culture. References ConsultedGrene, D., and Lattimore, R., eds. “Antigone” and “Prometheus Bound.” Greek Tragedies: Volume 1. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1991. 178-232, 65-106.Grene, D., and Lattimore, R., eds. “The Bacchae.” Greek Tragedies: Volume 3. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1991. 195-262.Powell, B.B. Classical Myth. Prentice Hall: New Jersey. 459-462....
