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The errand is not foolish。 Never yet
With greater joy did I obey the summons
That sends me earthward。 I will fly so swiftly
That my caduceus in the whistling air
Shall make a sound like the Pandaean pipes；
Cheating the shepherds； for to…day I go；
Commissioned by high…thundering Zeus； to lead
A maiden to Prometheus； in his tower；
And by my cunning arguments persuade him
To marry her。 What mischief lies concealed
In this design I know not； but I know
Who thinks of marrying hath already taken
One step upon the road to penitence。
Such embassies delight me。 Forth I launch
On the sustaining air； nor fear to fall
Like Icarus； nor swerve aside like him
Who drove amiss Hyperion's fiery steeds。
I sink； I fly！ The yielding element
Folds itself round about me like an arm；
And holds me as a mother holds her child。
III
TOWER OF PROMETHEUS ON MOUNT CAUCASUS
PROMETHEUS。
I hear the trumpet of Alectryon
Proclaim the dawn。 The stars begin to fade；
And all the heavens are full of prophecies
And evil auguries。 Blood…red last night
I saw great Kronos rise； the crescent moon
Sank through the mist； as if it were the scythe
His parricidal hand had flung far down
The western steeps。 O ye Immortal Gods；
What evil are ye plotting and contriving？
（HERMES and PANDORA at the threshold。）
PANDORA。
I cannot cross the threshold。 An unseen
And icy hand repels me。 These blank walls
Oppress me with their weight！
PROMETHEUS。
Powerful ye are；
But not omnipotent。 Ye cannot fight
Against Necessity。 The Fates control you；
As they do us； and so far we are equals！
PANDORA。
Motionless； passionless； companionless；
He sits there muttering in his beard。 His voice
Is like a river flowing underground！
HERMES。
Prometheus； hail！
PROMETHEUS。
Who calls me？
HERMES。
It is I。
Dost thou not know me？
PROMETHEUS。
By thy winged cap
And winged heels I know thee。 Thou art Hermes；
Captain of thieves！ Hast thou again been stealing
The heifers of Admetus in the sweet
Meadows of asphodel？ or Hera's girdle？
Or the earth…shaking trident of Poseidon？
HERMES。
And thou； Prometheus； say； hast thou again
Been stealing fire from Helios' chariot…wheels
To light thy furnaces？
PROMETHEUS。
Why comest thou hither
So early in the dawn？
HERMES。
The Immortal Gods
Know naught of late or early。 Zeus himself
The omnipotent hath sent me。
PROMETHEUS。
For what purpose？
HERMES。
To bring this maiden to thee。
PROMETHEUS。
I mistrust
The Gods and all their gifts。 If they have sent her
It is for no good purpose。
HERMES。
What disaster
Could she bring on thy house； who is a woman？
PROMETHEUS。
The Gods are not my friends； nor am I theirs。
Whatever comes from them； though in a shape
As beautiful as this； is evil only。
Who art thou？
PANDORA。
One who； though to thee unknown；
Yet knoweth thee。
PROMETHEUS。
How shouldst thou know me； woman？
PANDORA。
Who knoweth not Prometheus the humane？
PROMETHEUS。
Prometheus the unfortunate； to whom
Both Gods and men have shown themselves ungrateful。
When every spark was quenched on every hearth
Throughout the earth； I brought to man the fire
And all its ministrations。 My reward
Hath been the rock and vulture。
HERMES。
But the Gods
At last relent and pardon。
PROMETHEUS。
They relent not；
They pardon not； they are implacable；
Revengeful； unforgiving！
HERMES。
As a pledge
Of reconciliation they have sent to thee
This divine being； to be thy companion；
And bring into thy melancholy house
The sunshine and the fragrance of her youth。
PROMETHEUS。
I need them not。 I have within myself
All that my heart desires； the ideal beauty
Which the creative faculty of mind
Fashions and follows in a thousand shapes
More lovely than the real。 My own thoughts
Are my companions； my designs and labors
And aspirations are my only friends。
HERMES。
Decide not rashly。 The decision made
Can never be recalled。 The Gods implore not；
Plead not； solicit not； they only offer
Choice and occasion； which once being passed
Return no more。 Dost thou accept the gift？
PROMETHEUS。
No gift of theirs； in whatsoever shape
It comes to me； with whatsoever charm
To fascinate my sense； will I receive。
Leave me。
PANDORA。
Let us go hence。 I will not stay。
HERMES。
We leave thee to thy vacant dreams； and all
The silence and the solitude of thought；
The endless bitterness of unbelief；
The loneliness of existence without love。
CHORUS OF THE FATES
CLOTHO。
How the Titan； the defiant；
The self…centred； self…reliant；
Wrapped in visions and illusions；
Robs himself of life's best gifts！
Till by all the storm…winds shaken；
By the blast of fate o'ertaken；
Hopeless； helpless； and forsaken；
In the mists of his confusions
To the reefs of doom he drifts！
LACHESIS。
Sorely tried and sorely tempted；
From no agonies exempted；
In the penance of his trial；
And the discipline of pain；
Often by illusions cheated；
Often baffled and defeated
In the tasks to be completed；
He； by toil and self…denial；
To the highest shall attain。
ATROPOS。
Tempt no more the noble schemer；
Bear unto some idle dreamer
This new toy and fascination；
This new dalliance and delight！
To the garden where reposes
Epimetheus crowned with roses；
To the door that never closes
Upon pleasure and temptation；
Bring this vision of the night！
IV
THE AIR
HERMES （returning to Olympus。）
As lonely as the tower that he inhabits；
As firm and cold as are the crags about him；
Prometheus stands。 The thunderbolts of Zeus
Alone can move him； but the tender heart
Of Epimetheus； burning at white heat；
Hammers and flames like all his brother's forges！
Now as an arrow from Hyperion's bow；
My errand done； I fly； I float； I soar
Into the air； returning to Olympus。
O joy of motion！ O delight to cleave
The infinite realms of space； the liquid ether；
Through the warm sunshine and the cooling cloud；
Myself as light as sunbeam or as cloud！
With one touch of my swift and winged feet；
I spurn the solid earth； and leave it rocking
As rocks the bough from which a bird takes wing。
V
THE HOUSE OF EPIMETHEUS
EPIMETHEUS。
Beautiful apparition！ go not hence！
Surely thou art a Goddess； for thy voice
Is a celestial melody； and thy form
Self…poised as if it floated on the air！
PANDORA。
No Goddess am I； nor of heavenly birth；
But a mere woman fashioned out of clay
And mortal as the rest。
EPIMETHEUS。
Thy face is fair；
There is a wonder in thine azure eyes
That fascinates me。 Thy whole presence seems
A soft desire； a breathing thought of love。
Say； would thy star like Merope's grow dim
If thou shouldst wed beneath thee？
PANDO