Prometheus Bound

by

Aeschylus

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Kratos (Might) Character Analysis

Zeus’s servant and the personification of Zeus’s will. Along with Bia, Kratos takes Prometheus and Hephaistos to the top of the Scythian mountains so that Hephaistos can chain Prometheus to the mountain as punishment for giving fire to humankind. Kratos exists within the play to exact Zeus’s punishment against Prometheus and threaten the wrath of Zeus’s power and anger. He lives to induce fear and misery, and everything he does is in service of Zeus. In this way, Kratos is merely an extension of Zeus and has no will of his own to act on. Like every other character in the play, Kratos is not free but is imprisoned by Zeus. Unlike many of the other characters, however, it is implied that Kratos is happy to do Zeus’s bidding, and if he had a will of his own, it would entail similar actions.

Kratos (Might) Quotes in Prometheus Bound

The Prometheus Bound quotes below are all either spoken by Kratos (Might) or refer to Kratos (Might). 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:
Power vs. Reason Theme Icon
).
Prometheus Bound Quotes

We have arrived at the far limit of the world.
These are the Scythian mountains, desolate and vast.
Hephaistos, you must carry out the Father’s will
and bind the criminal to this steep looming rock
with chains of adamant, unbreakable.
It was your flower he stole, the bright and dancing fire,
and gave its wonderworking power to mortals.
This is the crime for which he now must pay
the price to all the gods, that he may learn
to love the tyranny of Zeus
and quit his friendship with the human race.

Related Characters: Kratos (Might) (speaker), Prometheus, Zeus, Hephaistos, Bia (Force)
Related Symbols: Fire, Chains
Page Number: 5
Explanation and Analysis:

Go play the rebel now, go plunder the gods’ treasure
and give it to your creatures of a day.
What portion of your pain can mortals spare you?
The gods who named you the Forethinker were mistaken.
You’ll need forethought beyond your reckoning
to wriggle your way out of this device.

Related Characters: Kratos (Might) (speaker), Prometheus, Themis
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis:
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Kratos (Might) Quotes in Prometheus Bound

The Prometheus Bound quotes below are all either spoken by Kratos (Might) or refer to Kratos (Might). 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:
Power vs. Reason Theme Icon
).
Prometheus Bound Quotes

We have arrived at the far limit of the world.
These are the Scythian mountains, desolate and vast.
Hephaistos, you must carry out the Father’s will
and bind the criminal to this steep looming rock
with chains of adamant, unbreakable.
It was your flower he stole, the bright and dancing fire,
and gave its wonderworking power to mortals.
This is the crime for which he now must pay
the price to all the gods, that he may learn
to love the tyranny of Zeus
and quit his friendship with the human race.

Related Characters: Kratos (Might) (speaker), Prometheus, Zeus, Hephaistos, Bia (Force)
Related Symbols: Fire, Chains
Page Number: 5
Explanation and Analysis:

Go play the rebel now, go plunder the gods’ treasure
and give it to your creatures of a day.
What portion of your pain can mortals spare you?
The gods who named you the Forethinker were mistaken.
You’ll need forethought beyond your reckoning
to wriggle your way out of this device.

Related Characters: Kratos (Might) (speaker), Prometheus, Themis
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis: