1. The Prometheus Saga
How did man get fire?

2. Who is Prometheus?
A Titan who was a fire god, master craftsman and trickster
Name means “forethought”
Joined Zeus in the war against the other Titans.
Became upset at Zeus because he didn’t like humans (whom Prometheus had created out of clay)

3. The Big Fight
Prometheus tricked Zeus into taking only the bones and fat of sacrificed animals
Outraged at the deceit, Zeus decided that man could have meat but no fire to cook with
Prometheus then stole and hid fire and gave it to mankind
This made Zeus very angry…

4. Prometheus’ Punishment
Zeus ordered Hephaestus to nail Prometheus to a mountain peak in the Caucasus Mountains
Each day an eagle pecked at his liver
Each night his liver grew back
Prometheus’ torment was to be for all eternity.

5. The Great Escape
Using his gift of forethought, Prometheus assured Zeus he had nothing to fear from a threatening prophecy
Zeus promised to let Prometheus go at some point…in the future….by means of Herculese.
However, Zeus planned to trick the trickster himself!

6. The Great Trick
Zeus ordered Hephaestus to sculpt a lovely girl from earth and water
This was the first woman
All the gods then contributed other gifts to her
Athena gave beautiful clothes and taught her to weave on a loom
Aphrodite endowed her with beauty and charm and also the heartbreak and sorrow of love
Lastly, Hermes, at Zeus’ urging, instilled in her the ability to lie persuasively
Thus Hermes filled her with lies, swindles and all sorts of thievish behavior
And her name was…

7. Pandora Pandora, in Greek, means “all gifts”
Prometheus warned his brother Epimetheus, or “afterthought”, not to accept this gift from Zeus
Epimetheus was not the brightest crayon in the box… nor was he the sharpest tool in the shed… I’m trying to say he was not a smart god
However Epimetheus was bamboozled by Pandora’s wily charms and they married that summer
Pandora brought with her a very special present as he dowrey…

8. Pandora’s Jar! Pandora was Zeus’ revenge for being tricked
No, its not a box!
Pandora was Zeus’ revenge for being tricked
Just as Prometheus had given Zeus a gift that was well wrapped but contained trouble, Zeus sent a woman
Just to make sure that there was enough trouble to go around, Zeus also sent along a mysterious jar.

9. curiosity killed the cat
Though instructed to never open the jar, Pandora was plagued by insatiable curiosity
Pandora decided that the best thing to do was to open up the jar and find out what was inside
Out flew all the ills that torment mankind: hard work, pain, dreadful diseases and even death
Once the jar was opened, these things could not be put back in, however one thing failed to escape…

10. HOPE