Prometheus, part 4

The final installment of the Prometheus myth:

As usual, full script is below….

Greg: And that’s the end of the story. Prometheus was chained to the cliff for many years, until Hercules came and rescued him.

A: That’s a long punishment for stealing fire for the human beings.

B: That doesn’t seem fair.

Greg: Well, actually, it’s NOT fair.

C: But gods and goddesses are supposed to play fair — aren’t they?

Greg: Well, actually, gods and goddesses do a lot of things that seem pretty bad.

D: That’s true. Zeus may have been powerful, but he wasn’t always nice.

Greg: For me, the real point of Prometheus is that sometimes you have to do the right thing, even if you get in trouble for it.

Dan: Sometimes rebellion is soteriologically authentic.

A: Can’t we go back in time and see Prometheus get rescued?

Greg: OK, let’s go back and do it.

Prometheus [chained to the cliff]: Stupid eagle. Still pecking at my belly.

Herakles: Hi there. Do you know where I can find the golden apples that are guarded by the clear-voiced maidens known as the Hesperides?

Prometheus: Who are you?

Herakles: I’m Herakles, better known by my stage name, Hercules. I’m the greatest hero the world has ever seen.

Prometheus: And modest too.

Herakles: What?

Prometheus: Never mind. Can you kill that eagle that’s about to peck at my belly?

Herakles. No problemo. Take that, you stupid bird. [swings sword]

Prometheus: Wow! Now, can you break these chains?

Herakles: Sure. [sound of breaking]

Zeus: Hey, what’s going on down there?

Herakles: Nothing, just rescuing Prometheus.

Zeus: Oh. Well, I guess that’s all right.

Prometheus [stretching]: Ah, that feels better. Thanks, Hercules. You’re a mensch.

Narrator: Unitarian Universalist theologian William R. Jones pointed out that in traditional religion rebellion is sinful. But Prometheus’s rebellion is “praiseworthy.” And so the myth of Prometheus should be know by every Unitarian Universalist.

British police box image: CC BY SA 2.0 Immanuel Burton