When men and other living creatures had been moulded , the two Titans Epimetheus and Prometheus were called to complete the task and distribute among the newly born creatures all sorts of natural qualities. Epimetheus set to work but, being unwise, distributed all the gifts of nature among the animals, leaving men naked and unprotected, unable to defend themselves and to survive in a hostile world. Prometheus then stole the fire and gave it to mankind.
Then immortals and mortal humans had arranged a meeting at Mecone where the matter of division of sacrifice between immortals and men was to be settled. Prometheus slew a large ox, and divided it into two piles. In one pile he put all the meat and most of the fat, skillfully covering it with the ox's grotesque stomach, while in the other pile, he dressed up the bones artfully with shining fat. Prometheus then invited Zeus to choose; Zeus chose the pile of bones. Hesiod describes Zeus as having seen through the trick, realizing that in purposefully getting tricked he would have an excuse to vent his anger on mortal humans.
As an act of revenge, Zeus hid fire from humankind, leaving them cold and shivering at night.
Feeling sorry for man's weak and naked state, Prometheus raided the workshop of Hephaistos and Athena on Mt. Olympus and stole fire, and by hiding it in a hollow fennel-stalk, he gave the valuable gift to man which would help him in life's struggle.
Zeus was outraged by Prometheus' theft of fire and so punished Prometheus by having him taken far to the east, perhaps the Caucasus. Here Prometheus was chained to a rock (or pillar) and Zeus sent an eagle to eat his liver. Even worse, the liver re-grew every night and the eagle returned each day to perpetually torment Prometheus.
Torment of Prometheus
by Zaheeruddin Babar
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