The myth of Prometheus - Iseult Gillespie

譯者: chenching teng 審譯者: Helen Chang

Before the creation of humanity,

在創造出人類之前

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

在一場與名為泰坦之巨人族的大戰中 希臘神獲得了勝利

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

許多泰坦人被殲滅 或被關進塔耳塔羅斯永恆地獄

But the Titan Prometheus, whose name means foresight,

然而名為遠見的泰坦人普羅米修斯

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

說服他的兄弟厄庇墨透斯 與他一起站在神的那方奮戰

As thanks, Zeus entrusted the brothers

作為感謝

宙斯委以兄弟兩人創造生命體的重任

with the task of creating all living things.

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

厄庇墨透斯負責將神之賞賜 在生物之間分送

To some, he gave flight;

對於某些生命體，他給了飛翔

to others, the ability to move through water

另一部分則給了在水中移動的能力

or race through grass.

或是在草原上奔馳

He gave the beasts glittering scales,

他給了猛獸閃亮的鱗片

soft fur,

柔軟的毛皮

and sharp claws.

以及銳利的爪子

Meanwhile, Prometheus shaped the first humans out of mud.

同一時間 普羅米修斯用泥巴捏出了一個人類

He formed them in the image of the gods,

他依照神的樣子去塑造他們

but Zeus decreed they were too remain mortal

但宙斯下令他們必須維持 必死的凡人之身

and worship the inhabitants of Mount Olympus from below.

並且從山下供奉奧林帕斯山上的居民

Zeus deemed humans subservient creatures vulnerable to the elements

宙斯認為低下的人類物種十分脆弱

and dependent on the gods for protection.

需要依靠神的保護

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

但普羅米修斯對他的粗糙作品 有著更高的用意

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

因此當宙斯要他決定供品的分配時

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

狡猾的普羅米修斯 設計了個能給人類更多優勢的小把戲

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

他宰殺了一頭公牛 並分配成兩份呈現給宙斯

On one side, he concealed the succulent flesh and skin

其中一邊放了鮮嫩的肉與皮

under the unappealing belly of the animal.

藏在不怎麼吸引人的牛肚下

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

另一邊則放了骨頭 並藏在一層厚厚的的肥肉下

When Zeus chose the seemingly best portion for himself,

當宙斯選擇了看起來更好的那一份之後

he was outraged at Prometheus's deception.

他對於普羅米修斯的詐欺大發雷霆

Fuming, Zeus forbade the use of fire on Earth,

盛怒之下，宙斯禁止人間用火

whether to cook meat or for any other purpose.

無論是烹煮肉食還是為了其他理由

But Prometheus refused to see his creations denied this resource.

但普羅米修斯不樂見 他的創造物沒這資源

And so, he scaled Mount Olympus to steal fire

因此他爬上了奧林帕斯山去偷火

from the workshop of Hephaestus and Athena.

從赫菲斯托斯跟雅典娜的地盤

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

他將火藏在一個中空茴香莖中 並將它安全地帶給人類

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

這給了他們力量 能夠為了自身利益而操控自然界

and ultimately dominate the natural order.

最終支配了自然界

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

有了火之後 人類可以給予自身食物與溫暖

But they could also forge weapons and wage war.

但也能夠鍛造武器發動戰爭

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

普羅米修斯的火像是個催化劑 促進了文明快速進展

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

當宙斯看到了這個景象 他意識到發生了什麼

Prometheus had once again wounded his pride

普羅米修斯再一次傷了他的尊嚴

and subverted his authority.

並顛覆他的威權

Furious, Zeus imposed a brutal punishment.

宙斯大發雷霆並下了一道殘忍的懲罰

Prometheus was to be chained to a cliff for eternity.

普羅米修斯必須永遠被綁在懸崖上

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

每天將有禿鷲到來並撕開他的肝臟

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

而每天晚上他的肝臟會重新長好 以待隔天早上再被攻擊

Although Prometheus remained in perpetual agony,

雖然普羅米修斯被困在永恆痛苦中

he never expressed regret at his act of rebellion.

他從不後悔他反叛的行為

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

他在面對壓迫時的韌性 讓他成了神話中深受喜愛的人物

He was also celebrated for his mischievous and inquisitive spirit,

同樣受到讚揚的還有他的調皮與好奇心

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

以及帶給人類的知識、進步與力量

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

他也是藝術與文學中的常見角色

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

在珀西·比希·雪萊的抒情劇 《解放的普羅米修斯》中

the author imagines Prometheus as a romantic hero

作者將普羅米修斯化為一位浪漫英雄

who escapes and continues to spread empathy and knowledge.

他逃跑並繼續散播著同情與知識

Of his protagonist, Shelley wrote,

作為他的一大支持者 雪萊這麼寫道：

"Prometheus is the type of the highest perfection

「普羅米修斯擁有著最完美的

of moral and intellectual nature,

道德與智慧的本質

impelled by the purest and the truest motives

而最純淨與最真誠的動機

to the best and noblest ends."

促使他達到了最好也最為高尚的結局」

His wife Mary envisaged Prometheus as a more cautionary figure

而他的太太瑪麗 則將普羅米修斯想成了更為警世的人物

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

並將她的小說命名為 《科學怪人：現代普羅米修斯》

內容指出破壞自然界秩序造成的危害

This suggests the damage of corrupting the natural order

and remains relevant to the ethical questions

並緊扣著現代科學與科技

surrounding science and technology today.

所衍生的道德問題

As hero, rebel, or trickster,

無論作為英雄、反叛者或是騙子

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

普羅米修斯留下了 我們能夠掠奪自然界力量的象徵

and ultimately,

而最終

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

他也讓我們記得 靠著個人行動去點燃整個世界的可能性