WorksheetsPrometheus
Total questions: 18
Worksheet time: 9mins
According to the passage, why does Prometheus first question Zeus about humanity? He says, "You have caused the race of man to appear on earth, but you keep him in ignorance and darkness." What concern is Prometheus expressing?
He worries that men have too much knowledge and power.
He believes men are left ignorant without guidance or light.
He thinks men should be destroyed before they learn crafts.
He wants men to worship Titans instead of gods.
What reason does Zeus give for refusing to grant fire to humans when Prometheus asks, "Tell me why you refuse to give man the gift of fire"?
Every gift brings a penalty, and man is happier without fire.
Fire belongs to Titans alone, not to mortals.
Hephaestus has forbidden the use of fire among men.
Fire would immediately destroy the earth.
In the dialogue, Zeus describes man as happy without fire because he lacks certain burdens. Which burden does Zeus specifically mention that man does NOT have without fire?
Hunger
Crafts and tools
Worry
Worship
Prometheus argues that separating humans from beasts makes little sense if humans live without skills or wit. What is his main point?
Humans deserve more land than animals.
Humans should be fearless warriors.
Without gifts like fire, humans are no different from beasts.
Beasts should be granted worship like humans.
Zeus claims man has a capacity that explains why he was made. What is this capacity?
To forge weapons
For worship, admiring the gods and their riddles
To rule over Titans
To read the will of the Fates
When Zeus warns that fire would make man "more interesting, perhaps, but infinitely more dangerous," what danger does he fear will grow in humans?
Humility and obedience
Pride that swells to a giant size, forgetting worship and humility
Compassion for animals
A hatred of work and learning
How does Prometheus ultimately steal the fire? Choose the best summary based on the text: "He held a reed filled with a dry fiber; he thrust it into the sunrise until a spark smoldered. Then he put the reed in his tunic and came down from the mountain."
He captured lightning in a jar and ran.
He borrowed a torch from Zeus's throne room.
He lit a hollow reed at sunrise so it smoldered and carried it down in his tunic.
He carved flint stones and struck them in a cave.
What is the immediate reaction of the first men when they receive fire? The passage says, "It was so hot, so quick; it bit sharply when you touched it."
They calmly store it for winter.
They fear it and try to bury it.
They are frightened by its heat and speed, yet use it to cook meat, burning their tongues as they devour it.
They use it only for light and refuse to cook.
In Prometheus’s explanation, which instruction is NOT part of how to manage fire?
Feed it twigs until it becomes a proper size.
Stop feeding it or it will eat everything in sight.
Use water to make it fly away when necessary.
Keep it hungry so it remains small and weak forever.
Which phrase best captures Prometheus’s motivation throughout the passage?
Ambition to overthrow Zeus
Compassion for humanity’s suffering and desire to improve their lot
Loyalty to the Fates’ weaving of destiny
Curiosity about divine riddles
After Prometheus spreads fire, what changes does Zeus observe among humans?
Humans abandon caves and build huts, villages, towns; they cook food, forge tools, sail ships, and ride in chariots.
Humans stop worshipping altogether and hide in forests.
Humans fight the gods directly and destroy Olympus.
Humans live alone, avoiding communities and trade.
When Zeus first sees these changes, what does he plan to do with his largest thunderbolt before reconsidering?
Bless the people with more fire than they can use.
Turn the earth into a cinder in rage and punish all mankind.
Create a new race of beasts to replace humans.
Bind Prometheus with a gentle rope as a warning.
Why does Zeus ultimately decide not to destroy mankind after seeing their new skills?
He is persuaded by Prometheus’s apology.
He wants vengeance and entertainment, letting men destroy themselves with their skills.
Hephaestus forbids the use of thunderbolts on mortals.
The Fates prevent him from striking the earth.
What punishment does Zeus order for Prometheus?
Exile to an island with no fire.
Transformation into a mortal man.
Binding to a mountain peak in the Caucasus with unbreakable chains and torment by vultures eating his liver.
Forced servitude in Olympus’s forges.
Which smith-god forges the chains that bind Prometheus, according to the passage?
Ares
Hermes
Hephaestus
Poseidon
What do men on earth sense while Prometheus is punished on the mountain?
They clearly see Zeus striking Prometheus with lightning.
They know exactly what is happening and celebrate.
They feel a terrible wind shrieking like a giant in torment but do not know its cause.
They hear lullabies sung by the Fates.
Who eventually frees Prometheus from his chains and kills the vultures?
Achilles
Odysseus
Heracles
Theseus
Which vocabulary word in the margins of the passage is defined as "challenge"?
Aptitude
Caprice
Beard
Vaunting
