I have been researching Prometheus for a depth psychology class at Pacifica rather heavily in the last week or two. I have been using the model of childhood development that Edward Whitmont presents in this text The Symbolic Quest Basic Concepts of Analytical Psychology. It is fascinating to recognize the ways in which the Prometheus myth represents the earliest stages of Human development. Prometheus himself seems to be an initiator to consciousness. He creates humankind and tricks the great father Zeus in order to provide them with good meat. This is symbolic of the initial development of the ego in the child. The ego begins to separate out of the Self and establish some form of conscious awareness. Humans are punished by not being able to have fire to cook their meat with and so Prometheus steals fire away from Zeus. This furthers the symbolism of the separation that occurs in early stages of development. It also details the child's initial awareness of themselves as a thing in the world. They are no longer one with the parents, but finding their own path of development in the world. Zeus punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a rock for eternity and unleashing a great deal of suffering on humankind. This is symbolic of the parents still holding all power over the child. Despite the fact that the child has branched out in the world, it is still responsible to the god-parents. Further, the punishments inflicted on Prometheus and humankind are symbolic of the development of a conscience within the child. Now that it has begun to separate itself as an ego, it becomes responsible for its actions in the world. It is no longer inside the Self where everything is one, but in a world where actions have reactions. I have always loved myths but never gleaned this sort of insight from them. Fascinating.