PROMETHEUS BOUND 101
Exhort thee, though already subtle enough,
To a better wisdom. Titan, know thyself.
And take new softness to thy manners, since
A new king rules the gods. If words like these,
Harsh words and trenchant, thou wult fling abroad, 365
Zeus haply, though he sit so far and high.
May hear thee do it, and so this wrath of his,
Which now affects thee fiercely, shall appear ^
A mere child's sport at vengeance. Wretched god,
Rather dismiss the passion which thou hast, 370
And seek a change from grief. Perhaps I seem
To address thee with old saws and outworn sense ;
Yet such a curse, Prometheus, surely waits
On lips that speak too proudly : thou, meantime,
Art none the meeker, nor dost yield a jot 375
To evil circumstance, preparing still
To swell the account of grief wdth other griefs
Than what are borne. Beseech thee, use me, then,
For counsel : ^ do not spurn against the pricks.
Seeing that who reigns, reigns by cruelty 38o
Instead of right. And now I go from hence,
And will endeavor if a power of mine
Can break thy fetters through. For thee — be calm,
And smooth thy words from passion. Knowest thou
not Of perfect knowledge, thou who knowest too much, 335 That, where the tongue wags, ruin never lags ?
Prometheus. I gratulate thee who hast shared and
dared All things with me, except their penalty. Enough so I leave these thoughts. It cannot be
1 This prepares for the catastrophe of the play. - Literally, "' If you take me as a counsellor," — If you take my advice, you will not kick against the pricks."
