I would classify his offense as grievous bodily harm and endangering public safety. In view of this, I call for life imprisonment with hard pallet and shackles. I have completed my say, Mr. President.”
“You are entirely right, sir,” Hypometheus sniffed. “I would only ask you, gentlemen, what need did we ever have for this fire? Tell me: did our forefathers use it? To introduce such a thing as this is clearly disrespectful to the inherited order, is — hhm, nothing short of a subversive act. Playing with fire, that’s all we need! Just consider, gentlemen, where it will lead: people huddled idly around a fire, wallowing in warmth and comfort, instead of — — well, instead of fighting and that sort of thing. Nothing will come of this but softness, moral decay, and — hhm, general disorder and that sort of thing. In short, gentlemen, something must be done to combat such an unwholesome phenomenon. Times are serious, and that’s all there is to it. I merely wished to point this out.”
“Very true,” declared Antimetheus. “Surely we all agree with our president that Prometheus’s fire may have unforseeable consequences. Let us not delude ourselves, gentlemen: it is a formidable thing. To have fire in one’s power — what new possibilities suddenly unfold! I mention only a few at random: to burn enemy crops, to set fire to their olive groves, and so on. With fire, gentlemen, our people are given a new force and a new weapon; with fire we will become almost the equals of the gods,” Antimetheus whispered, and then suddenly he burst out sharply, “I accuse Prometheus of having entrusted this divine and invincible element of fire to shepherds and slaves, to whomever crossed his path; I accuse him of not having surrendered it into competent hands, hands which would have guarded it as a national treasure and properly governed its use. I accuse Prometheus of having thereby misappropriated the discovery of fire, which should be a mystery of the priesthood. I accuse Prometheus,” Antimetheus shouted wildly, “of having taught even foreigners to kindle fire! Of having not concealed it even from our enemies! Prometheus stole fire from us by giving it to everyone! I accuse Prometheus of treason! I accuse him of conspiracy against the state!” Antimetheus was nearly choking on his tirade. “I propose the death penalty,” he managed to sputter.
“Well, gentlemen,” said Hypometheus, “does anyone else wish to be heard? — Then, in the opinion of this tribunal, the defendant Prometheus is found guilty on the following counts: the crime of blasphemy and sacrilege; and then the crime of inflicting grievous bodily harm as well as damaging the property of others and endangering public safety; and then the crime of treason. You gentlemen propose that he be sentenced either to life imprisonment — rendered more rigorous by hard pallet and shackles — or to death. Hhm.”
“Or both,” Ametheus offered thoughtfully. “So that both proposals may be accommodated.”
“What do you mean, both sentences?” asked the president.
“I’ve been thinking it over,” muttered Ametheus. “Perhaps it could be arranged this way . . . we sentence Prometheus to be shackled to a rock for the rest of his life . . . perhaps with vultures pecking at his godless liver, if I make myself clear?”
“It could be arranged,” Hypometheus said complacently. “Gentlemen, it would be a unique and exemplary punishment for such — hhm, criminal excesses, would it not? Has anyone any objection? Then I believe we have finished.”
“But, Daddy, why did you sentence Prometheus to death?” Hypometheus’s son, Epimetheus, asked him at dinner.
“You wouldn’t understand,” grunted Hypometheus, gnawing at a leg of mutton. “I must say, mutton tastes better roasted than raw; so it seems this fire is good for something, after all. — It was a matter of public interest, you see.
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