Unto earth 's utmost boundary we have come , To Scythia 's realm , th ’ untrodden wilderness . Hephaestus , now it is thy part to do The Almighty Father 's bidding , and to bind This arch-deceiver to yon lowering cliff With bonds of everlasting adamant . Thy attribute , all-fabricating fire , He stole and gave to man . Such is the crime For which he pays the penalty to Heaven , That he may learn henceforth meekly to bear The rule of Zeus and less befriend mankind . To work ! A truce to these weak wails of ruth . Whom the gods hate why dost thou not abhor — Him that betrayed thy attribute to man ? True , but to disobey the Almighty Sire How canst thou dare ? Fearest thou not this more ? Thy wailings are no medicines for his woes ; Then waste no pains on that which profits naught . Why dost thou curse it ? Simple truth to say , Thy art is no way guilty of these ills . The one thing to the gods themselves deniedIs sovereignty , for Zeus alone is free . Be quick , then , and make fast this sinner 's chain , Lest the Almighty see thee loitering . Grasp him , and with thy hammer round his arms Strike and strike hard and clench them to the rock . Strike harder , clench , leave nothing loose ; his craft , E'en in extremity , can find a way . Clench now the other firmly ; let him know That all his cunning is no match for Zeus . Drive then the ruthless spike of adamant Right through the sinner 's breast and see it holds . Thou loiterest , moaning for the foe of Zeus ; One day thou mayest be moaning for thyself . I see yon sinner meeting his desert . Proceed , make fast the fetters round his sides . Press thee I will , and shout into thine ear . Go down and clench the gyves about his legs . Now let thy hammer all the bonds make fast ; The overseer of this thy work is stern . Be thou soft-hearted an thou wilt , but spare To flout my sternness and my strong resolve . There revel in thy insolence , there rob Gods of their attributes to give to man . Can mortal man in aught thy durance ease ? Ill chosen was the name that thou hast borne . Foresight it means , but thou dost foresight need To set thy limbs free from his handiwork .