ABSTRACT
Myths and legends about Prometheus, the Greek god who defied Zeus to steal fire for humankind, thrive in art and literature from archaic Greece to modern times. As rebel, traitor, culture hero, and protector of mankind, Prometheus embodies the human condition with all its potential for brilliant innovation and for cruel suffering. Throughout the centuries since the Prometheus myth first captured the popular imagination, the fire that he steals for mortals has come to represent the spirit of technology, forbidden knowledge, the conscious intellect, political power, and artistic inspiration. As a god whose name means ‘forethought,’ Prometheus signals mortals’ repeated attempts to overcome the limitations of their knowledge about the future – hope, technology, and prophecy are all part of Prometheus’ complicated gift to mankind.
