プロメテウスの物語

一 火はどのように人間に与えられたか

I. HOW FIRE WAS GIVEN TO MEN.

ずっと昔のこと、ほかの人間とも、山の頂に住む強い神々ともちがう二人の兄弟がいた。

In those old, old times, there lived two brothers who were not like other men, nor yet like those Mighty Ones who lived upon the mountain top.

二人は、ユピテルと戦って鎖につながれ、冥界の牢獄に送られたティーターンの一人の息子だった。

They were the sons of one of those Titans who had fought against Jupiter and been sent in chains to the strong prison-house of the Lower World.

兄の名はプロメテウス、つまり『先に考える者』といった。彼はいつも未来のことを考え、明日や来週、来年、あるいは百年後に起こるかもしれないことに備えていたからだ。

The name of the elder of these brothers was Prometheus, or Forethought; for he was always thinking of the future and making things ready for what might happen to-morrow, or next week, or next year, or it may be in a hundred years to come.

弟はエピメテウス、つまり『後から考える者』と呼ばれていた。彼はいつも昨日や去年、あるいは百年前のことばかり考えていて、これから先に起こることなどまったく気にしていなかったからだ。

The younger was called Epimetheus, or Afterthought; for he was always so busy thinking of yesterday, or last year, or a hundred years ago, that he had no care at all for what might come to pass after a while.

何かの理由で、ユピテルはこの兄弟をほかのティーターンたちと一緒に牢獄へ送らなかった。

For some cause Jupiter had not sent these brothers to prison with the rest of the Titans.

プロメテウスは、山の頂の雲の中で暮らすことを好まなかった。彼はあまりにも忙しかったのだ。

Prometheus did not care to live amid the clouds on the mountain top. He was too busy for that.

強い神々が何もせず、神酒を飲み、神々の食べ物を食べて過ごしている間、彼は世界をこれまで以上に賢く、より良くするための計画に夢中になっていた。

While the Mighty Folk were spending their time in idleness, drinking nectar and eating ambrosia, he was intent upon plans for making the world wiser and better than it had ever been before.

彼は人間と一緒に暮らし、彼らを助けるために出かけた。サトゥルヌスが王だった黄金時代のように、人々がもう幸せではないと知り、彼の心は悲しみでいっぱいになったからだ。ああ、彼らはなんと貧しく、みじめだったことだろう。

He went out amongst men to live with them and help them; for his heart was filled with sadness when he found that they were no longer happy as they had been during the golden days when Saturn was king. Ah, how very poor and wretched they were!

人間は洞窟や地面の穴に住み、火がないために寒さにふるえ、飢えて死に、野獣や仲間に追われていた。生きている者の中で一番みじめだった。

He found them living in caves and in holes of the earth, shivering with the cold because there was no fire, dying of starvation, hunted by wild beasts and by one another—the most miserable of all living creatures.

プロメテウスは心の中で言った。「火さえあれば、少なくとも体を温め、食べ物を煮炊きできる。そのうち道具を作り、家を建てることも覚えるだろう。火がなければ、彼らは獣よりひどい状態だ」

“If they only had fire,” said Prometheus to himself, “they could at least warm themselves and cook their food; and after a while they could learn to make tools and build themselves houses. Without fire, they are worse off than the beasts.”

そこで彼は勇気を出してユピテルのところへ行き、暗くて長い冬の間、少しでも人間が楽に暮らせるように火を与えてほしいと頼んだ。

Then he went boldly to Jupiter and begged him to give fire to men, that so they might have a little comfort through the long, dreary months of winter.

ユピテルは言った。「火の粉一つやるものか。絶対にやらん。人間に火をやれば、われわれのように強く賢くなり、やがてわれわれを王国から追い出すだろう。寒さにふるえさせ、獣のように暮らさせておけ。

“Not a spark will I give,” said Jupiter. “No, indeed! Why, if men had fire they might become strong and wise like ourselves, and after a while they would drive us out of our kingdom. Let them shiver with cold, and let them live like the beasts.

人間は貧しく無知なままでいるのが一番だ。そうすればわれわれ神々は栄え、幸せでいられるのだからな」

It is best for them to be poor and ignorant, that so we Mighty Ones may thrive and be happy.”