Book 2, Chapter 10

“Can we despise pain, when we see Hercules himself suffering so impatiently?

23 “Let Aeschylus come forward, not merely a poet but a Pythagorean too, so tradition tells us. In his play, how does Prometheus bear the pain he suffers for the theft on Lemnos,

“‘From where, men say, fire was secretly“‘Shared out to mortals? Skillful Prometheus“‘Stole it by stealth and paid the penalty“‘To Jupiter, in his final doom.’

“Paying that penalty, fastened to the Caucasus, he says:

“‘Children of the Titans, kindred of my blood,“‘Offspring of Heaven, look on me bound and chained“‘To jagged rocks, as frightened sailors, fearing“‘Night, moor a ship on a sea that roars with terror.“‘So Jupiter, Saturn’s son, has pinned me here,“‘And Jupiter’s will enlisted Mulciber’s hands.“‘Driving these wedges with cruel workmanship,“‘He pierced my limbs. Transfixed by his ingenuity,“‘I live in misery in this stronghold of the Furies.

24 “‘Now every third accursed day, “‘Swooping grimly down, with hooked talons tearing, “‘Jupiter’s attendant rends me for its savage feast. “‘Then, stuffed and glutted with my rich liver, “‘It utters a vast shriek and, flying high, “‘Fans my blood with its feathered tail. “‘But when the eaten liver swells and is renewed, “‘It returns, ravenous, to its hideous feeding. “‘So I nourish this guardian of my mournful torment, “‘Which disfigures me alive in everlasting misery. “‘For, as you see, bound tight in Jupiter’s chains, “‘I cannot keep the dreadful bird away from my breast.

25 “‘So, all alone, I suffer these anguished torments, “‘Longing for death, seeking an end to evil; “‘But Jupiter’s power drives me far from dying, “‘And this ancient, grief-laden ruin, heaped through “‘Horrible ages, is rooted in my body. “‘From it, melted by the burning sun, fall “‘Drops that drip unceasingly on the rocks of Caucasus.’

“We seem scarcely able, then, to call someone in such a condition anything but miserable; and if he is miserable, pain is certainly an evil.”

“Can we disregard pain when we see Hercules himself taking it so badly?

23 “Let Aeschylus come forward. He wasn’t just a poet but a Pythagorean too, according to what we’ve been told. How does his Prometheus bear the pain he’s given for that theft on Lemnos, “‘From which fire is said to have secretly reached mortals, “‘Shared out? Clever Prometheus “‘Stole it, they say, by a trick, and paid Jupiter “‘For it with the final punishment fate imposed.’ “Nailed to the Caucasus and paying that penalty, he says this: “‘Children of Titans, sharing my blood, “‘Born from Heaven, look at me tied and bound “‘To jagged rocks, like a ship on a roaring sea “‘Moored by frightened sailors afraid of the night. “‘Jupiter, Saturn’s son, has pinned me here like this, “‘And Jupiter’s power enlisted Mulciber’s hands. “‘He drove these wedges in with his brutal workmanship “‘And smashed through my limbs. Pierced through by his skill, “‘I live in misery in this fortress of the Furies.

24 “‘Now, every third accursed day, “‘Jupiter’s servant swoops grimly down, tearing with hooked claws, “‘And rips me apart for its savage meal. “‘Then, stuffed full with my rich liver, satisfied to the limit, “‘It lets out an enormous shriek and flies high away, “‘Brushing my blood with its feathered tail. “‘But when the eaten liver has swollen and grown back, “‘It eagerly returns to that dreadful feeding. “‘So I feed this guardian of my grim torture, “‘Which ravages me alive with never-ending misery. “‘As you can see, I’m held tight by Jupiter’s chains “‘And can’t keep this terrible bird away from my chest.

25 “‘So, all alone, I face these agonizing torments, “‘Longing for death and searching for an end to suffering. “‘But Jupiter’s power drives me far away from death, “‘And this age-old, grief-filled disaster, “‘Piled up through dreadful ages, is fastened to my body. “‘Melted drops fall from it in the sun’s heat “‘And drip continually onto the rocks of the Caucasus.’ “We can hardly avoid calling someone in that condition miserable. And if he’s miserable, then surely pain is bad.”