The Hope-kindler

[1]

In the earliest of time when all was void,

When naught was old and old was new,

The world took shape from Chaos’ mind,

The world, ethereal and nascent, grew.

The primordial forces, outward they flew,

Of Ouranos, the Sky – Gaia, she knew,

From them sprang forth the first god-fold:

The Meliae fair; the Titans bold;

The Cyclopes violent; The Hundred-hand fold;

The Giants large; The Furies cold;

And the beauteous Aphrodite –

Who came from him alone.

A dozen they reckoned – the Elder Titans,

A dozen that reflected Cronos’ glow,

A golden rule over Grecian shore,

As gods to those that dwelt below.

Among them one – Iapetus, the piercer,

Favourite of Cronos and of craftsmen,

The reminder of mortality to all humans,

Easer of loss whether hill or in glen.

His consort was Clymene, an Oceanid fair,

Four tall sons he had to ease his care,

Two were called Menoetius and Epimetheus,

While renowned were Atlas and Prometheus.

[2]

Well-learned was Prometheus,

A teacher of all mortal men,

Of arts, sciences and healing,

He showed and taught them.

With knowledge and learning civilization thrived,

The humans grew powerful and strong,

While up in the Heavens Titanomachia raged,

And Cronos paid dearly for every wrong.

The war above seethed for an age,

As both sides for control sought,

The Olympians proved victorious,

Aided by Prometheus’ forethought.

Then did Zeus display his might and power,

And to chthonic depths his enemies banished,

Hypotartarioi they became – the gods of old,

From folklore and song, soon they vanished.

[3]

At Mecone – Sicyon of old – was held a gathering great,

Of new gods and mortals alike,

To debate over the apportionment of foods,

To dispute about sacrifice.

Then did Prometheus commence to slay a great ox,

Its entrails he proceeded to divide,

At one hand was meat shrouded by unsightly stomach,

Shining, fat-drenched bones the other side.

Verily as he forethought, Zeus made his choice,

He picked the shimmering bone-pile to be the gods’ share,

While nourishing meats hid by bloated gut,

Was forever mankind’s he deemed, and so did he declare.

Much rejoicing there was at the end of the meet,

And all of humanity celebrated with many feasts,

Joyously they hailed Prometheus with toasts,

To Zeus they sent burnt bones of the beasts.

Sorely vexed was Zeus with the transgression,

And mankind faced the Jovian ire,

For the part they played in the Trick at Mecone,

He denied them the use of fire.

Blessed as he was with foresight and wisdom,

Prometheus came to the aid of humanity,

So stole he to the wondrous forge of Hephaestus,

And came upon the eternal Fire of Divinity.

He set the flame to fennel-stalk,

And slipped away to mortal lands,

Acknowledging not praise nor thanks,

Set the kindling in mortal hands.

Olympia fumed as people honoured,

The fire-bringer by fire-glow,

A mighty storm Zeus raised and,

The winds he set to blow.

[4]

The gods did then gift Pandora a cleverly-crafted box,

They bade her keep it safe and never to look inside,

But curious was the lady and as the gods knew she would,

She cast the box open to see what it would hide.

Out leaped fork-tongued Malice and his brother Strife,

Followed closely by gaunt Suffering and her sister Sin,

One by one the Horrors were let loose upon the earth,

Until only Hope was left; completely trapped within.

The Titan-son the god-king bound to rock,

High atop Kazbek,

His liver Zeus opened and bid his eagle,

Forever to peck.

Thus doth mighty Zeus have revenge on all that disobey,

Hope’s loss was the cost; for in the box it lay,

Prometheus stands alone, defying the gods for his part,

Through his selfless deeds, bringing Hope to mortal heart.