Come, I conduct thee to the source of
all life, which Jupiter may not close against us. They shall live, and
through thee!"
Of the second Act only two Scenes were written. In the first, Mercury,
proclaiming in Olympus that Minerva has given life to the clay images
of Prometheus, calls on Zeus to destroy the new creatures with his
thunder. Zeus calmly replies that they will only increase the number
of his servants, and Mercury, changing his tone, prays that he may be
sent to "the poor earthborn folk," to announce the goodness and wisdom
of the father of all. "Not yet," is the reply. "In the newborn rapture
of youth they dream that they are like unto the gods. Not till they
need thee will they listen to thy words. Leave them to their own
life!" In the second Scene, we see Prometheus in a valley at the base
of Olympus, surrounded by the new race of animated beings engaged in
business or pleasure. There follow three brief Scenes which are meant
to depict the dawnings of human consciousness and the conditions under
which life is to be lived. To one he shows how a hut to shelter him
may be constructed with the branches he has lopped with the aid of an
implement of stone.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226