Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §50.1

Prometheus Imparting Philosophy and the Myth of Fire

Passage 40 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Theophrastus claims that Prometheus first imparted philosophy, rather than fire, to human beings, and that the myth of fire originated from this.

§50.1Fr. 50 Θ. τὸν Προμηθέα φησὶ σοφὸν γενόμενον μεταδοῦναι πρῶτον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις φιλοσοφίας, ὅθεν καὶ διαδοθῆναι τὸν μῦθον ὡς ἄρα πυρὸς μεταδοίη.
Theophrastus says that Prometheus, having become wise, first imparted philosophy to human beings, whence also the myth spread that he had, as it turns out, imparted fire.

Notes

  1. 50.1σοφὸν γενόμενον — Aorist participle agreeing with the accusative τὸν Προμηθέα, expressing either the cause or the prior state ("having become wise" or "because he had become wise") for his imparting of philosophy (μεταδοῦναι).
  2. 50.1διαδοθῆναι — Aorist passive infinitive of διαδίδωμι. Although it is within a clause introduced by the relative ὅθεν, it remains in the infinitive because the indirect discourse governed by the main verb φησὶ continues.
  3. 50.1ὡς ἄρα πυρὸς μεταδοίη — An appositive ὡς clause explaining the content of the myth. The verb μεταδοίη is in the oblique optative of indirect discourse, while the particle ἄρα adds a nuance of "as it turned out" or "allegedly." The object of sharing (fire) is in the genitive πυρὸς governed by μεταδίδωμι.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §50.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:50.1

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