Prometheus and his brother, Epimetheus, whose names mean "forethought" and "afterthought" were two Titans whose aid enabled Zeus to win his battle against Cronos and the other Titans. They were given the task of creating the men and animals. Epimetheus decided that he would create the animals, while Prometheus set about making the first man. Epimetheus, however, gave to his creations all of the useful and beautiful attributes that Prometheus would have liked to give to man. But all of the swiftness, cunning, courage, claws, wings, and strength, the very finest gifts, had been given already. Prometheus was determined to find a suitable gift for man, greater than the other gifts that Zeus had allotted.
When Prometheus was chosen by Zeus to determine the means by which men should give sacrifice to the gods, he dissected an ox and covered the better parts with the skin and stomach, to make them appear poor. He created a second offering, this one consisting of bones, offal, and the less desirale parts, but covering the pile with fat. Zeus realized that Prometheus was trying to trick him, but he chose the poorer portion anyway. Zeus retaliated by taking from the men the fire they would need to cook the fine meats witheld from the gods. Athena , taking pity on the cunning and inventive Titan, showed him how he could steal the fire back for mankind -- the perfect gift to make up for his brother's mistake. But she could not save him from Zeus' rage. First, Zeus created Pandora, and sent her to earth to marry Epimetheus, where she released all of the evils into the world. Zeus then punished Prometheus by chaining him to a rock, where by day an eagle ate his liver, and by night his flesh grew again so that another day of torment was possible. Later, he relented and allowed Heracules to kill the eagle, thus ending Prometheus's torture.
