The myth of Prometheus - Iseult Gillespie

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Mile Živković

Before the creation of humanity,

Pre stvaranja čovečanstva,

the Greek gods won a great battle against a race of giants called the Titans.

grčki bogovi su pobedili u velikoj bici protiv rase džinova zvanih Titani.

Most Titans were destroyed or driven to the eternal hell of Tartarus.

Većina Titana je uništena ili oterana u večni pakao Tartar.

But the Titan Prometheus, whose name means foresight,

Međutim, titan Prometej čije ime znači predviđanje,

persuaded his brother Epimetheus to fight with him on the side of the gods.

ubedio je svog brata Epimeteja da se bori s njim na strani bogova.

As thanks, Zeus entrusted the brothers

Kao znak zahvalnosti, Zevs je braći poverio

with the task of creating all living things.

zadatak stvaranja svih živih bića.

Epimetheus was to distribute the gifts of the gods among the creatures.

Epimetej je trebalo među stvorenjima da rasporedi darove bogova.

To some, he gave flight;

Nekima je dao let;

to others, the ability to move through water

drugima, mogućnost kretanja kroz vodu

or race through grass.

ili trčanja kroz travu.

He gave the beasts glittering scales,

Dao je zverima svetlucave krljušti,

soft fur,

meko krzno

and sharp claws.

i oštre kandže.

Meanwhile, Prometheus shaped the first humans out of mud.

U međuvremenu, Prometej je oblikovao prve ljude od blata.

He formed them in the image of the gods,

Oblikovao ih je po uzoru na bogove,

but Zeus decreed they were too remain mortal

no Zevs je naredio da moraju da ostanu smrtni

and worship the inhabitants of Mount Olympus from below.

i da sa podnožja obožavaju stanovnike planine Olimp.

Zeus deemed humans subservient creatures vulnerable to the elements

Zevs je ljude smatrao podređenim bićima, podložnim elementima

and dependent on the gods for protection.

i čija zaštita zavisi od bogova.

However, Prometheus envisioned his crude creations with a greater purpose.

Međutim, Prometej je svojim sirovim bićima odredio veću svrhu.

So when Zeus asked him to decide how sacrifices would be made,

Pa, kad mu je Zevs zatražio da odluči kako će da polažu žrtve,

the wily Prometheus planned a trick that would give humans some advantage.

lukavi Prometej je isplanirao trik koji će ljudima da da određenu prednost.

He killed a bull and divided it into two parts to present to Zeus.

Ubio je bika i podelio ga na dva dela kako bi ga pokazao Zevsu.

On one side, he concealed the succulent flesh and skin

S jedne strane, sakrio je sočno meso i kožu

under the unappealing belly of the animal.

ispod neprivlačnog stomaka životinje.

On the other, he hid the bones under a thick layer of fat.

S druge strane, sakrio je kosti ispod debelog sloja masti.

When Zeus chose the seemingly best portion for himself,

Kada je Zevs odabrao naizgled najbolji deo za sebe,

he was outraged at Prometheus's deception.

bio je zgrožen Prometejevom prevarom.

Fuming, Zeus forbade the use of fire on Earth,

Gnevan, Zevs je zabranio upotrebu vatre na Zemlji,

whether to cook meat or for any other purpose.

bilo radi kuvanja mesa ili u bilo koje svrhe.

But Prometheus refused to see his creations denied this resource.

Ali Prometej je odbio da svedoči kako njegovim bićima biva uskraćen ovaj resurs.

And so, he scaled Mount Olympus to steal fire

Pa se popeo na Olimp kako bi ukrao vatru

from the workshop of Hephaestus and Athena.

iz Hefestove i Atinine radionice.

He hid the flames in a hollow fennel stalk and brought it safely down to the people.

Sakrio je plamen u šuplju stabljiku mirođije i doneo je bezbedno ljudima.

This gave them the power to harness nature for their own benefit

Ovo im je dalo moć da upregnu prirodu u sopstvenu korist

and ultimately dominate the natural order.

i da naposletku dominiraju prirodnim poretkom.

With fire, humans could care for themselves with food and warmth.

S vatrom, ljudi su mogi da brinu o sebi što se tiče hrane i toplote.

But they could also forge weapons and wage war.

Međutim, mogli su i da kuju oružje i vode ratove.

Prometheus's flames acted as a catalyst for the rapid progression of civilization.

Prometejev plamen je služio kao katalizator brzog napretka civilizacije.

When Zeus looked down at this scene, he realized what had happened.

Kada je Zevs pogledao dole na ovaj prizor, shvatio je šta se desilo.

Prometheus had once again wounded his pride

Prometej mu je još jednom povredio ponos

and subverted his authority.

i podrio je njegov autoritet.

Furious, Zeus imposed a brutal punishment.

Besan, Zevs mu je nametnuo okrutnu kaznu.

Prometheus was to be chained to a cliff for eternity.

Prometej je trebalo da bude večno okovan za stenu.

Each day, he would be visited by a vulture who would tear out his liver

Svakog dana su ga posećivale lešinarke koje su mu kidale jetru,

and each night his liver would grow back to be attacked again in the morning.

a svake noći jetra mu je nanovo izrastala da bi je ponovo napali ujutru.

Although Prometheus remained in perpetual agony,

Iako je Prometej ostao u večnoj agoniji,

he never expressed regret at his act of rebellion.

nikad nije izrazio kajanje zbog svog čina pobune.

His resilience in the face of oppression made him a beloved figure in mythology.

Zbog postojanosti pred tlačiteljem postao je omiljeni lik iz mitologije.

He was also celebrated for his mischievous and inquisitive spirit,

Takođe su ga slavili sbog njegovog nestašnog i radoznalog duha,

and for the knowledge, progress, and power he brought to human hands.

kao i zbog znanja, napretka i moći koje je stavio u ljudske ruke.

He's also a recurring figure in art and literature.

On je i česta pojava u umetnosti i književnosti.

In Percy Bysshe Shelley's lyrical drama "Prometheus Unbound,"

U lirskoj drami "Oslobođeni Prometej" Persija Biš Šelija,

the author imagines Prometheus as a romantic hero

pisac zamišlja Prometeja kao romantičarskog heroja

who escapes and continues to spread empathy and knowledge.

koji beži i nastavlja da širi empatiju i znanje.

Of his protagonist, Shelley wrote,

Šeli je za svog protagonistu napisao:

"Prometheus is the type of the highest perfection

"Prometej je najveći vid savršenstva

of moral and intellectual nature,

moralne i intelektualne prirode,

impelled by the purest and the truest motives

vođen najčistijim i najiskrenijim motivima

to the best and noblest ends."

zarad najboljih i najplemenitijih ciljeva."

His wife Mary envisaged Prometheus as a more cautionary figure

Njegova supruga Meri je zamislila Prometeja više kao poučnu pojavu

and subtitled her novel "Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus."

i podnaslovila je svoj roman: "Frankenštajn: Moderni Prometej".

This suggests the damage of corrupting the natural order

Ovime se nagoveštava šteta podrivanja prirodnog ustrojstva

and remains relevant to the ethical questions

i ostaje relevantno za etička pitanja

surrounding science and technology today.

koja okružuju današnju nauku i tehnologiju.

As hero, rebel, or trickster,

Kao heroj, buntovnik, varalica,

Prometheus remains a symbol of our capacity to capture the powers of nature,

Prometej ostaje simbol naše sposobnosti da zarobimo snagu prirode

and ultimately,

i, naposletku,

he reminds us of the potential of individual acts to ignite the world.

podseća nas na to kako jedna iskra može da zapali fitilj svetskog napretka.