Prometheus: Bad Rep for Zeus (Yea for Humanity, Nay for the Gods)

I just re-read Prometheus Bound – that classic play from the 5th century BC traditionally attributed to the Greek playwright Aeschylus – and I was again struck by just how badly Zeus comes off.

Whoever the real author was, he clearly didn’t think too highly of the father of the gods. In fact, I wonder if he actually believed in Zeus, because the play certainly wouldn’t have put him into very good standing with the divine despot. The author treats Zeus much more like a fictional character whom he feels free to portray in a negative light.

All the sympathies of the audience lie with the tragic hero Prometheus who – unlike Zeus – actually cares for humanity. It’s safe to say that the author of the play also cared much more for humanity than for the gods.