Prometheus Bound

The legend of Prometheus Bound is included here not because it is directly connected with Syracuse, but because it helps explain the beautiful sculpture by Biagio Poidimani, Prometheus Bound, located near the entrance to the Archaeological Park, close to the Altar of Hieron II, the Greek Theatre, the Ear of Dionysius, and the so-called Tomb of Archimedes.

Statue of Prometheus in Syracuse, near the entrance to the Archaeological Park.

According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Prometheus, the son of the Titan Iapetus, was the wisest and most ingenious of the Titans.

After learning them from the goddess Athena, he passed on the arts and sciences to humankind. Astronomy, mathematics, metallurgy, architecture, and the art of navigation would never have become part of human knowledge without his guidance. He also saved the human race when Zeus, in his anger, had decided to destroy it.

One day, Prometheus was called upon to settle a dispute over which parts of a sacrificial animal should be offered to the gods.

Determined to favour humanity, he devised a clever trick. Using the hide of the sacrificial bull, he prepared two bundles. In one, he concealed the finest cuts of meat inside the animal’s unappealing stomach. In the other, he placed only the bones, carefully covering them with a thick layer of rich fat.

He then invited Zeus to choose the portion that would belong to the gods. Deceived by the attractive appearance of the fat, Zeus selected the bundle containing the bones. From that day onward, people burned only the bones of sacrificial animals on the altars as offerings to the gods.

When Zeus realized he had been deceived, he could no longer reverse his choice. Furious, he took fire away from humanity, preventing people from cooking their food.

Prometheus refused to accept this punishment. He secretly stole a glowing ember from the chariot of the Sun as it crossed the heavens of Olympus, hid it inside a hollow reed, and brought it back to earth, restoring the gift of fire to mankind.

This time Zeus showed no mercy. Enraged beyond measure, he ordered Prometheus to be chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains. Every day an eagle came to tear out and devour his liver, which miraculously grew back each night, condemning him to endless suffering.

Only after countless years of torment was Prometheus finally freed by Heracles, with Zeus’s consent.

Hesiod also tells that Zeus decided to punish humanity for Prometheus’ defiance. He ordered Hephaestus to fashion a being from earth and water, giving it human form and strength and the beauty of the immortal goddesses. The goddesses then bestowed upon her the skills of weaving and household crafts, as well as extraordinary beauty. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, was instructed to give her a bold, deceitful, and cunning nature.

Thus Pandora, the first woman, came into being. She was destined to bring misfortune upon hardworking mankind.

Driven by curiosity, Pandora opened the earthenware jar in which Zeus had imprisoned all the evils of the world. In doing so, she released suffering, disease, sorrow, and death upon humanity, giving rise to the famous legend of Pandora’s Box.

Translated from Italian with the support of AI.