Prometheus
Titan who stole fire from the gods for humanity and was chained to a mountain where an eagle ate his liver daily.
The Myth of Prometheus
An eagle tore out his liver every day for thirty thousand years — and he never once regretted giving fire to humanity. Prometheus stole fire from Olympus and gave it to mortals. Zeus chained him to a rock in the Caucasus mountains and sent an eagle to devour his liver each day; it regenerated each night. Heracles eventually freed him by killing the eagle with an arrow. Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound shows him defiant, prophesying Zeus's eventual downfall. The Romantic poets (Shelley, Byron) made him the ultimate rebel-hero. His name means forethought — he knew the punishment and chose to help humanity anyway. Prometheus is the archetype of every figure who suffers for giving knowledge to power's subjects.
Parents
Iapetus, Clymene
Children
Deucalion
Symbols
Fun Fact
The word Promethean — meaning daringly original or creative — treats theft and punishment as the price of innovation.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Prometheus
🏔 titanTitan champion of humanity
The Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, suffering eternal punishment for the gift.
Prometheus
🏔 titanTitan of forethought, champion of mankind
The Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, earning eternal punishment. Prometheus is one of mythology's greatest rebels and benefactors.
Prometheus
🏔 titanTitan of forethought
Prometheus the Titan was the creator and champion of humanity whose gift of fire sparked civilisation and whose punishment on the Caucasus became a symbol of defiant resistance.
Prometheus Bound
💭 conceptpunishment, defiance
The punishment of Prometheus, chained to a rock in the Caucasus where an eagle devoured his regenerating liver daily for giving fire to humanity.
Atlas
🏔 titanTitan condemned to hold up the sky
The Titan who was condemned to hold the celestial sphere on his shoulders for eternity. His name became synonymous with endurance and with books of maps.
Prometheus
🗡 heroBringer of fire and champion of humanity
Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, for which Zeus chained him to a rock where an eagle devoured his liver daily — the archetypal rebel against divine authority.
Atlas
🏔 titanTitan condemned to hold the sky
The Titan condemned to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders at the western edge of the world for eternity.
Aethon
🐉 creaturesky,punishment
A divine eagle, whose name means "blazing" or "burning", sent by Zeus to torment Prometheus by devouring his liver each day.
Menoetius
🏔 titanTitan of violent anger and rash action
A Titan struck down by Zeus for his hubris and violent temper during the war between Titans and Olympians.
Caucasian Eagle
🐉 creaturepunishment,sky
The eagle — offspring of Typhon and Echidna in some traditions — tasked by Zeus with devouring the liver of Prometheus each day upon his rocky prison.
Menoetius
🏔 titanHubris, Recklessness
A second-generation Titan struck down by Zeus for his violent pride during the war between gods and Titans.
Ethon
🐉 creaturePunishment, endurance
Giant eagle sent by Zeus to devour the liver of Prometheus daily as punishment for stealing fire