WISDOM or THE AXCIEXTS. 419 



II.-THE FABLE OF PROMETHEUS. 



EXPLAINED OF AN OVKR-RULING PROVIDENCE, AND OF HUMAN 

 NATURE. 



TIIF. ancients relate that man was the work of Prometheus, and 

 formed of clay ; only the artificer mixed in with the mass particles 

 Uiken from different animals. And being desirous to improve his 

 workmanship, and endow, as well as create, tho human race, he stole 

 up to heaven uith a bundle of birch-rods, and kindling them at the 

 chariot of the Sun, thence brought down fire to the earth for the ser 

 vice of men. 



They add, that for this meritorious art Prometheus was rcpayed 

 \vith ingratitude by mankind, so that, forming a conspiracy, they 

 arraigned buth him and his invention l&amp;gt;efore Jupiter. Hut the matter 

 was otherwise received than they imagined ; for the accusation proved 

 extremely giatcful to Jupiter and the gods, insomuch that, delighted 

 with the action, they not only indulged mankind the use of tire, but 

 moreover conferred upon them a most acceptable and desirable pre 

 sent, viz., pcrpeiual youth. 



I3ut men, foolishly overjoyed hereat, laid this present of the gods 

 upon an ass, who, in returning back with it, being extremely thirsty, 

 strayed to a fountain. The serpent, who was guardian thereof, would 

 not suffer him to drink, but upon condition of receiving the burden he 

 carried, whatever it should be. The silly ass complied, and thus the 

 perpetual renewal of youth was, for a drop of water, transfeircd from 

 men to the race of serpents. 



Prometheus, not desisting from his unwarrantable practices, though 

 now reconciled to mankind, after they were thus tricked of their pre 

 sent, but still continuing inveterate against Jupiter, had the boldness to 

 attempt deceit, even in a sacrifice, and is said to have once offered up 

 two bulls to Jupiter, but so as in the hide of one of them to wrap all 

 the flrsh and fat of both, and stuffing out the other hide only with the 

 bones; then in a religious and devout manner gave Jupiter his choice 

 of the two. Jupiter, detesting this sly fraud and hypocrisy, but having 

 thus an opportunity of punishing the offender, purposely chose the 

 mock bull. 



And now giving way to revenge, but finding he could not chastise 

 the insolence of Prometheus without afflicting the human race (in the 

 production whereof Prometheus had strangely and insufferably prided 

 himself), he commanded Vulcan to form a beautiful and graceful 

 woman, to whom every god presented a certain gift, whence she was 

 called Pandora.* They put into her hands an elegant box, contain 

 ing all sorts of miseries and misfortunes ; but HOJHJ was placed at the 

 bottom of it. With this box she Hrst goes to Prometheus, to try if 

 she could prevail upon him to receive and open it ; but he, being 



A* if it were all gift. 



