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Red-Phantom — Prometheus Bound
Published: 2007-11-30 17:30:04 +0000 UTC; Views: 3925; Favourites: 36; Downloads: 112
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(Click on image to enlarge or minimize the image)Mythology Project. Bear will me. I'll explain as soon as I get to class.
-- An hour and some minutes later--
Okay. This digital painting is based on the popular Greek Myths (Hesiod's Theogony and Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound.) about Prometheus. (Disney has NOTHING on Zeus in the interpretive animated film, Hercules. )
Prometheus was best known for outwitting Zeus- the all-powerful, sexed-up King of Gods and thunder and lightning- by stealing fire and giving it to mankind.
Now, BEFORE Prometheus gave man (Women weren't created yet, so don't get touchy with my terms) fire, they were no different from animals. They were basically miniature imitations of gods, lacking in omnipotence and intelligence altogether. Feeling something for man- I know not whether it was pity, sympathy, or defiance against Zeus, Prometheus stole fire and gave mankind the ability to perceive.
Angered, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock, and let his pet eagle eat Prometheus's liver out everyday.
IN ADDITION to Prometheus's torment, Zeus and all the other gods (Athena, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes and so-on..) pitched in to created the first woman, named Pandora; said to be the burden and woe of man. They also gave her a jar- called Pithos (NOT A BOX! Some sixteenth century humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam, translated it wrong by using the Latin word, pryxis, which mean's 'box' ) , which contained all the evils of the world.
Zeus, whilst giving Pandora to man, tells Prometheus that because he gave man fire, he grants to them Pandora and the jar of doom- that way, mankind has to use that fire given to them in order to survive the cruelties brought upon the world by Pandora. (It's sexist, I know.)
So I leave the question with you; was stealing fire and giving it to mankind a good idea?
The red glow on the clouds represent the fire that man uses. It could be warm and inviting- but it can also be foreboding and dangerous.
The blue- represented as the heaven's above- the Gods' realm- symbolizes that clear, purity of the gods. And yet it can also symbolize the bitter, merciless cold...
Do you think Prometheus regrets his actions?
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Comments: 22
awsome work I like the greek , norse and roman myths
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prometheus is the freakin best god ever, if not for his kindness to man, for his overall intelligence compared to the other gods...
He didn't regret his actions, so at least he thought he was right... he probably was right anyway around, but it really only matters in this situation if he thought he was right (even after being tortured)
in the story you are/were reading, was prometheus still saved by Chiron? and he still knew who'd be the father of the child that would overcome Zeus right? (your knowledge is probably much better on this subject than mine, and i know you couldn't put everything in the description, but i was just curious XP)
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You know, I have always really loved this story, and that was a really thought-provoking explanation you gave down there.
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"No, not my liver!" Don't worry, Heracles will come along. Nice pic.
But wasn't it Epimetheus who accepted Pandora leading to the release of evil into the world?
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Yeah, It was. Even as Epimetheus was given warning by Gaia and Cronos (I'm a bit foggy with who exactly warned him) not to accept Pandora. However, Pandora was made to be irresistible to man, thus nullifying the responsibility of Epimetheus's choice on behalf of Pandora's allure.
Least that's the impression I was given. I mean, what guy wouldn't reject an attractive woman- while not knowing of the misery about to plague mankind in making this choice?
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And 'neath the earth the hidden boons for men,
Bronze, iron, silver, gold, who else could say
That he, ere I did, found them? None, I know,
Unless he fain would babble idle words.
In one short word, then, learn the truth condensed--
All arts of mortals from Prometheus spring.
Great visual. I've always loved this story.
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Oh-ho! Was that an exert of your own genius? (I haven't read Hesiod's or Aeschylus's poetry in a long while 
I'm glad you like it so.
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That, my friend, was the result of a mad professor pounding the plot, premise, and prose of that work over and over and over and over and over and over and over....
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Oh wow, this looks awesome! I wish I could take Mythology classes, they sound really interesting! I think Prometheus regrets getting caught. Probably not his actions.
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Well, you'd expect to face the consequences when you defy an all-knowing god in the first place. But oh, Zeus just had to get creative. >:/
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lmao yeah I hate it when gods get creative. It usually involves blood, guts, and lotsa pain.
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Nice. I've never been able to draw that angle very well.
As for Prometheus, I agree with the "going out with a bang" view. In my experience, regret has not been a healthy thing. If Prometheus had to endure a daily physical torture, why would he submit himself to a mental one as well?
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I found this angle easy to draw; I didn't need to do any facial features. :]
Huzzah! Pro-Prometheians!
Very good point you make... Zeus may torment Prometheus by unleashing Pandora and her jar, pithos, and let an Eagle munch his liver each day, but he can never take the satisfaction that, with the gift of fire in man's hands, they can find a way though the horror unleashed upon the earth..
P.S. I've linked this to my Mythology Professor, so he's likely to notice these. The more answers I get, the better it's going to look. >:} shhh.
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you know alot about greek mythology! my english teacher would love you and would want to take you home and keep you forever!
Seriously though..really nice pic. The angle of his body is really well done, especially the squareness of his shoulders...you've made him look whole, not just like some flat image! 
hmm..i wouldn't know how he felt (most likely pain from being eaten alive, ouch..)..but by the way you drew his face it looks like he may regret it...he has that "what have i done?" look to him. all around great job!
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It's all for the eye to interpret. In aspects of modern society, our radily increasing industry is improving our race's survivability- and yet it weakens us, because we no longer rely on our own physical attributes and biological resistance to survive. In addition, our use of 'fire' has desecrated more recourses than our planet can recover in time.
Hesiod describes Prometheus's actions as a downward spiral; It looks slow, and then speeds up to noticeable amounts.
However, in Aeschylus's poetry about Prometheus, he is described in a more positive light- that his actions- although dangerous, was better than leaving human kind in a bestial stupor.
I think Prometheus has no regrets. We're going out with a bang- it would seem fitting, afterall, we did begin with a bang. (In Religious aspects or not. Either way, it was very sudden, and possibly loud.)
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This is really cool!! (and kinda well timed, since I'm sitting in front of a fireplace typing the 
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I rather think he'd be proud of having rebeled. Had he not- in terms of Greek Mythological beliefs- we'd still be wild, unintelligible creatures.
Prometheus symbolizes that freedom against an oppressor, and that his tragedy; defying a superpower, encourages a bystander.
Rebels are never seen as heroic until the aftermath.
I'm glad you like!
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oh the age old promethius story! This is a wonderful picture and is a good reminder of mythologys take on the creation of mankind! I love this pic, fave!
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Although I've never read/heard of the story, its still very good :3
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There, I've updated the artist comment. It's brief, but that's the bottom-line story.
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