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Zeus
A mortal princess and Zeus’s lover. Io comes across Prometheus as he is chained to the mountain. Io has been transformed into a cow by Zeus and turned out by Hera, Zeus’s jealous wife, to wander the world aimlessly while being relentlessly pursued by a biting gadfly. Io is an example of Zeus’s power and ability to confine and imprison others through various means and to inflict endless suffering, but she is also the woman from whom Prometheus’s savior will eventually come. “My savior will descend from your womb,” Prometheus says to Io. By this he means the future birth of Heracles in “ten generations, then another three,” but Io’s own child with Zeus will set off a chain of events and births that will result in the birth of the god who will break Prometheus’s chains and set him free. Prometheus uses his gift of foresight to tell Io of her future, to help her along her journey, and to ease her suffering, even though he informs her that her suffering will not end for a very long time. Prometheus tells Io that she will be chased by the gadfly all the way across Europe and into Asia, and she will ultimately end up in Egypt where she will give birth to Zeus’s son, “the one conceived by touch.” Five generations later, Io’s descendant will return to Greece and give birth to “a race of kings.” From this “seed” will “spring” Prometheus’s savior, “famous for his bow.” While Io is an important link between Prometheus and his own hero, she is also a powerful example of suffering and misery for which their can be no comfort, save for the hope of an end.
Io Quotes in Prometheus Bound
The Prometheus Bound quotes below are all either spoken by Io or refer to Io. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Prometheus Bound Quotes
What did I do, son of Kronos, what fault did you find in me
that you would yoke me to such pain, driving me mad with fear
of a gadfly’s sting?
Destroy me with fire,
bury me under the earth,
throw me as food to the monsters of the sea,
but Lord, hear my prayers, do not grudge me the favor I ask.
Surely my endless wandering has taught me enough.
I can’t find a way to escape my troubles.
Do you hear the lament of the cow-horned maiden?
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Here, Io is lamenting her suffering at the hands of Zeus. This passage reflects Zeus’s power and Io’s misery, but it also lends insight into Io’s story and history with Zeus. Io directly addresses Zeus as the “son of Kronos,” and she asks what she ever did to deserve such suffering. The short answer is nothing; Zeus forces Io to suffer simply because he can, and it is evidence of his immense power and tyranny. Aeschylus again uses the image of a yoke to illustrate Zeus’s ability to confine and imprison others. Like many other characters in the play, Io Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi
How can I not comply?
In clear words you will learn
all that you want to know.
Though just to speak of it—
the god-sent storm, and then
this hideous mock of my appearance—
makes me ashamed.
Into my maiden chamber, visions came
by night, and came again, secret
visitors that spoke to me
with smooth and urging voices:
“Oh maiden greatly blessed,
why are you still a virgin,
when you could be the bride of the supreme?
Zeus is in love with you, the dart of passion
has set him on fire, he wants to share his pleasure with you.
Don’t spurn the god’s bed, child, but go to Lerna,
to the deep meadow where your father’s flocks graze,
so Zeus’s eye may find relief from longing.”
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This passage occurs after the chorus asks Io to tell her story and explain her appearance, or “sickness.” This quote again underscores Zeus’s power and ability to confine and imprison others, and it also tells of Io’s suffering. Io’s story, “the god-sent storm,” is directly the result of Zeus’s power, as is the “hideous mock of [her] appearance.” Zeus fell in love with the mortal Io, and to hide her from his wife, Hera, he turned Io into a beautiful white cow. Cows, however, are Hera’s signature animal—and she also knew what Zeus was hiding—so she insisted that Zeus give Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Si
[…] Immediately my shape and mind
became distorted, my head grew horns, and I,
chased by the gadfly, fled with frantic leaps
to that sweet stream, Cerchnea, good to drink from,
and Lerna’s spring. But my appointed cowherd
was earthborn Argos, terrible in his wrath.
He followed me, he watched my steps,
peering with his countless eyes.
Then an unhoped-for sudden death destroyed him.
But I continued, driven by the god-sent scourge,
the gadfly, from land to land.
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This quote continues Io’s explanation of her appearance, further revealing her story and underscoriing her suffering at the hands of Zeus’s power. Here, Io describes the moment Zeus transformed her into a cow. With her transformation, Io’s “shape and mind became distorted,” and the “horns” of a cow grew from her head. As Hera knew who and what Io was, Hera appointed her loyal servant, Argos, to keep an eye on Io and keep Zeus away from her. Argos was indeed “terrible in his wrath.” He was abusive and never let Io out of his sight, and since mythology depicts Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. H
First, from this spot, turn toward the rising sun,
and cross the untilled plains until you reach
the Scythian nomads, whose wicker houses
are built on top of wagons with well-wrought wheels,
a warlike tribe armed with far-reaching bows.
Do not go near them, rather keep to the surf line
of the groaning sea, and travel on.
Off to your left there live the ironworking
Chalybes, of whom you must be wary,
for they are savage and do not
bid strangers welcome.
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This passage is part of Prometheus’s prophecy of Io’s future suffering. It is further evidence of Prometheus’s foresight, and also lends additional insight into Io’s story and extended suffering. Prometheus tells Io that she will leave the Scythian mountains and head in the direction of “the rising sun,” east toward Asia. Io’s wandering and suffering will take her so far that she will leave continental Europe and cross into Asia, and she will encounter danger and misery all along the way. Prometheus’s reference to the “Scythian nomads” refers to the roaming people of the Middle East and China, who were Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corpo
The Amazons will guide you on your way,
and they will do so gladly. Then,
just by the narrow portals of the lake,
you’ll reach the isthmus of Cimerria.
You must move on from there and with a bold heart
cross the channel of Maiotis. Forever after
mortals will remember this your crossing,
and call it Bosporus, the Cow’s Ford.
With Europe at your back, you will arrive in Asia.
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Prometheus continues his prophecy of Io’s future suffering. Again, this quote underscores Prometheus’s foresight and further explains the myth of Io. As Io continues to wander, prodded on by the gadfly, Prometheus claims that she will encounter the Amazons, the first of group of people who won’t mean Io harm. According to Greek myth, the Amazons are a group of warrior women who are closely related to the Scythian nomads. The Amazons have sworn enmity to all men, which is why they will gladly agree to guide Io on her way. The “isthmus of Cimerria” refers to the Straight of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis.
However, one of the maidens will be charmed
by love to spare her bed companion.
Faced with the choice, and with her purpose blunted,
she will prefer to be called coward than murderess,
and it is she who will give birth in Argos
to a race of kings. It would take many words
to tell it clearly. But from this seed
shall spring a hero, famous for his bow,
who will release me from this suffering.
Such was the prophecy my ancient mother,
the Titan Themis, revealed to me.
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This quote occurs near the end of Prometheus’s prophecy of Io’s future suffering, and it is important because it identifies Heracles, Io’s future descendant and the savior who will free Prometheus from his chains. Here, Prometheus refers to Danaus, the king of Libya and a descendant of Io, who takes his fifty daughters, the Danaides, to Argos to marry the fifty sons of his twin brother. As the story goes, all but one of the Danaides kill their husbands on their wedding night. The one Danaide who spares her husband, Hypermnestra, will instead prefer “to be called coward than murderess,” Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accu
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Io Character Timeline in Prometheus Bound
The timeline below shows where the character Io appears in Prometheus Bound. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Prometheus Bound
...too much honor to mortals,” the chorus says to Prometheus, “this is your punishment.” Suddenly, Io appears. “What land is this?” she asks. “What tribe?” She looks to Prometheus but doesn’t...
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“Who are you?” Io asks Prometheus again. “Tell me, tormented one, who you are, speak to my misery. /...
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“Better for you to not know than to know,” Prometheus says to Io of her suffering. “Do not be kinder to me than I want,” Io says. “Since...
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Io tells Prometheus and the chorus of the “hideous mock of [her] appearance,” which she says...
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Io told her father about the voice and he sought guidance in the oracles, whose prophecies...
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And so, Io’s father “shut his doors against [her], weeping.” It was, of course, not of his own...
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“Ea, ea, stop!” the chorus shrieks. They had not anticipated that Io’s story would be so awful. “Horror / freezes my heart with a double-edged point,” they...
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Prometheus tells Io she must continue to Mount Caucasus, “the highest mountain,” and then walk until she finds...
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Io is distraught. “What is the good of life to me now?” she asks Prometheus. “It...
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...if he frees Prometheus from his chains. “But who will free you against Zeus’s will?” Io asks. “My savior will descend from your own womb,” he answers. In “ten generations, then...
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“Since you’re so eager,” Prometheus says to Io and the chorus, “I won’t disappoint you.” He begins with Io. Once she crosses the...
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“Beware as well / of Zeus’s sharp-toothed barkless dogs, the gryphons,” Prometheus says to Io, “and the one-eyed horsemen called the Arimaspians.” Stay clear of all them, Prometheus warns. Io...
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...willingly. “I have more time than I would like,” he says. According to Prometheus, after Io arrives at “Thesprotian Zeus’s shrine of prophecy,” she will meet Dodona “on her lofty ridge.”...
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In the town of Canopus, Prometheus tells Io and the chorus, Zeus will “cause [Io] to conceive, simply by touching [her].” Io will...
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From this “seed,” says Prometheus to Io and the chorus, “shall spring a hero, famous for his bow, / who will release...
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...all his arrogance / will be brought low.” Zeus is already planning his marriage to Io, which “will throw him / from his omnipotence into oblivion.” When Zeus drove Kronos to...
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