Primary Sources
|
Aesch. |
PB. complete. |
|
Apollod. |
1.2.1-1.2.3: titanomachy. |
|
1.6.1-1.6.3: gigantomachy. |
|
|
1.7.1-1.7.4: Prometheus, the flood, and Otus and Ephialtes. |
|
|
2.1.2-2.1.3: Argus and Io. |
|
|
3.8.1- 3.8.2: Lycaon. |
|
|
3.13.4-3.13.6: Peleus, Thetis, and Zeus. |
|
|
Aristoph. |
Birds 1495-1552: Prometheus. |
|
Bacchyl. |
Ode 19, Dithyramb 5: Io: for the Athenians. |
|
Hes. |
Theog. 507-616: Prometheus and Pandora. |
|
Th. 617-819: titanomachy and gigantomachy. |
|
|
Th. 820-885: Typhon. |
|
|
WD 42-105: Pandora. |
|
|
WD 106-201: the five ages. If you like, read the entire Works and Days now, rather than just the recommended sections as they are listed. |
|
|
Hyg. |
28: Otus and Ephialtes. |
|
144: Prometheus Steals Fire for Humans. |
|
|
142: Pandora. |
|
|
54: Prometheus Freed by Heracles. |
|
|
176: Lycaon Serves Human Flesh to the Gods. |
|
|
152: Typhon. |
|
|
150: Titanomachy. |
|
|
153: Deucalion and Pyrrha. |
|
|
149: Epaphus. |
|
|
145: Io. |
|
|
Luc. |
Preludes: Prometheus in Words. |
|
Ov. |
Met. 1.151-162: Gigantomachy. |
|
Met. 5.321-331: Typhoeus. |
|
|
Met. 1.89-150: Four Ages. |
|
|
Met. 1.583-750: Io. |
|
|
Met. 1.209-239: Lycaon. |
|
|
Met. 1.240-415: The Flood. |
|
|
Paus. |
8.2.1-8.2.6: Lycaon. |
|
|
8.29.1-8.29.4: giants. |
|
Pind. |
O. 9.40-56: the flood. |
|
Plat. |
Prot. 320c-322d: Prometheus and Epimetheus, and the early development of society. |
Primary Sources | Secondary Sources | Music | Video
Literature
Byron, George Gordon, Lord (1788-1824). "Prometheus." Poem
Goethe, Johann Wolgang von (1749-1832). "Prometheus." Poetic Monologue.
Hugo, Victor (1802-1885). "Entre Geants et Dieux." [Between Giants and Gods]. Poem.
Keats, John (1795-1821). "Hyperion." Poem.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth (1807-1882). "Enceladus." Poem.
Melville, Herman (1819-1891). Pierre. In which the protagonist has a dream of the giant Enceladus. Novel.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (1797-1851). Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. Novel.
Shelley, Percy Bysshe (1792-1822). "Prometheus Unbound." Dramatic Poem.
Scholarship
Dundes, Alan. The Flood. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988. A dominant motif common to world mythology is the archetype of the flood. The flood archetype is particularly fascinating for the evidence of its recurrence worldwide, studied in this collection of essays.
Kerényi, Carl. Prometheus: Archetypal Image of Human Existence, tr. Ralph Manheim. New York: Princeton University Press, 1997. Here is an examination of the Promethean archetype in Western literature, including Hesiod, Aeschylus, Goethe, Shelley, and Jung.
Primary Sources | Secondary Sources | Music | Video
Music
Antoniou, Theodore (1935-). Prometheus. Cantata for
baritone, mixed choir, and orchestra. Odajiev. Symphony Orchestra
of Bulgaria, cond. Panayotopoulos. Agorá AG 109.The text
(an exchange between Prometheus and the chorus of Oceanids) is from
the Greek of Aeschylus.
Beethoven, Ludwig Van (1770-1827). The Creatures of Prometheus. Music for a ballet about the creation of mankind by Prometheus, ending with his apotheosis. Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon 419 608 2; Martha Argerich et al., Berliner Philharmoniker, cond. Abbado. Sony Classical SK 53978. Includes Liszt, Prometheus; Nono, Prometheo; Scriabin, Prométhée, Le Poème du feu.
Barber, Samuel (1910-1981). Incidental Music for a Scene from Shelley (act 2, scene 5 of Prometheus Unbound). The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, cond. Schenck. Stradivari Classics SCD 8012.
Dittersdorf, Carl Ditters von. (1793-1799). Symphony in C Major, "The Four Ages of Man." (1793-1799). Six Symphonies after Ovid's Metamorphoses. Cantelina, cond. Shepherd. Musical Heritage Society MHS 522223A (originally Chandos CHAN-8564/65.) The other five symphonies are subtitled: "The Fall of Phaëthon," "The Transformation of Actaeon into a Stag," "The Rescuing of Andromeda by Perseus," "The Petrification of Phineus and His Friends," "The Transformation of the Lycian Peasants into Frogs."
Fauré, Gabriel (1845-1824). Prométhée. Lyric Tragedy. Elsa Berger et al. Harmonie Régionale Junior de Midi-Pyrénées, cond. Dondeyne. Based on Aeschylus. Scalen Disc ARI 155.
Fernerhough, Brian (1943-). Prometheus, for wind sextet. SONOR, Ensemble of the University of California, San Diego. CRI CD 652. The title refers to the depiction of creative volition and freedom of choice as sonic form.
Gerhard, Roberto (1896-1970). Pandora Suite. Orquestra de Cambra Teatre Lliure, cond. Pons. Harmonia Mundi HMC 901500. Originally a score for the Ballet Jooss (the concluding section of a trilogy); in the scenario "the contents of Pandora’s box are representative of 20th century materialism, totalitarianism and mechanised war."
Guettel, Adam. "Saturn Returns with Reprise." Rock song. Myths and Hymns. Various artists. Nonesuch 79530-2. Other songs include: Icarus; Pegasus; Hero and Leander; and Sisyphus.
Liszt, Franz (1811-1886). Prometheus. Symphonic Poem, depicting a humane and suffering Prometheus, inspired by the play, Prometheus Unbound, by Johann Gottfried Herder. Martha Argerich et al., Berliner Philharmoniker, cond. Abbado. Sony Classical SK 53978. Includes Beethoven, The Creatures of Prometheus; Nono, Prometheo; Scriabin, Prométhée, Le Poème du feu. Czeck Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Kosler. Supraphonet 11 1112-2. Includes Orpheus.
Mondonville, Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de (1711-1772). Titon et L'Aurore. Fouchécourt et al. Les Musiciens du Louve, cond. Minkowski. Erato 2292-45715-2. Opera about Tithonus and Aurora, with a prologue about Prometheus and the creation of mortals.
Monk, Meredith (1942-). Atlas. Multimedia, very avant-guard opera, whose title is based on the meaning of Atlas as map and then travel and therefore peripheral to the legend of Atlas. It relates the travels of a female explorer, Alexandra Daniels, and her companions, which become a metaphor for the spiritual quest of the soul. Meredith Monk et al. Orchestra, cond. Hankin. ECM New Series ECM 14991.
Musgrave, Thea (1928-). Helios. Scottish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Kraemer. Collins Classics 15292. Symphonic depiction of Helius’ journey across the sky through a storm.
Nono, Luigi (1924-1990). Prometeo, Opera and Suite, portraying Prometheus as perpetual wanderer and "the force of non-violence," which includes vocal settings of texts by Walter Benjamin and Hölderlin. Martha Argerich et al., Berliner Philharmoniker, cond. Abbado. Sony Classical SK 53978. Includes Beethoven, The Creatures of Prometheus; Liszt, Prometheus; Scriabin, Prométhée, Le Poème du feu.
Orff, Carl (1895-1982). Prometheus. Opera. Hermann et al. Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, cond. Kubelik. Orfeo C 526 992 1. A powerfully dramatic setting of the Greek text of Aeschylus, not least of all in its cataclysmic ending.
Schubert, Franz. "Der Atlas" and "Prometheus." Songs; the text for "Prometheus" is by Goethe. Fischer-Dieskau and Moore. Deutsche Grammophon 437 215-2. Vols. 1 and 3.
Scriabin, Alexander (1872-1915). Prométhée, Le Poème du feu. Symphonic portrayal of Prometheus as the bringer of fire and light. Martha Argerich et al. Berliner Philharmoniker, cond. Abbado. Sony Classical SK 53978. Includes Beethoven, The Creatures of Prometheus; Liszt, Prometheus; Nono, Prometheo.
Vittoria, Mario (1911-1986). Concerto "Les Muses," for violin and strings orchestra. Modern Favourites. Orchestra Paul Kuentz, cond. Kuentz. Vittoria uses themes based on the Muses’ names.
Wakeman, Rick and Ramon Remedios. "The Flood." Relativity/President 88561-1026-2. New age song in A Suite of the Gods for tenor, keyboards, and percussion, which includes "Dawn of Time;" "The Oracle;" "Pandora's Box;" "Chariot of the Sun;" "The Voyage of Ulysses;" "Hercules."
Xenakis, Iannis (1922-). Phlegra, for chamber orchestra. Phlegra is a battleground between the Titans and the new Olympian gods. Ensemble Intercontemporain, cond. Tabachnik. Erato 2292-45770-2.
Primary Sources | Secondary Sources | Music | Video
Video
Seize the Fire: Prometheus Bound. Modern version of Aeschylus by Tom Paulin. Insight Media. DP605.
