Student Question
What did Prometheus intend to give to mankind, and for what reason?
Quick answer:
Prometheus intended to give fire to mankind to alleviate their suffering and vulnerability in the cold. By stealing fire from the gods on Mount Olympus, he provided humans with the crucial means to develop and thrive. Additionally, he introduced metalworking to humanity. His actions, however, incurred the wrath of Zeus, resulting in Prometheus being punished with eternal torment, having his liver eaten daily by a bird of prey as retribution for his theft.
In Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus was tasked by the gods with providing mankind with the comforts that were needed to thrive. Prometheus recognized that humans were suffering naked and afraid in the cold. He decided to break into Mt. Olympus, the home of the gods and steal fire to help the humans. Prometheus took the fire from the workshop of Athena. Prometheus also gave metalworking to the humans as a gift, but fire was the big coup. Zeus was so angered by the theft that he heavily punished the Titan. The punishment for the immortal Prometheus was that he was exiled by Zeus to the East. The exile itself was not nearly as unsettling as the fact that Prometheus was to have his liver eaten by a bird of prey on a daily basis. This was the cost of fire, according the Greek mythology.
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