Epimetheus

Titan! who wilfully did bear
A burden so heavy upon his chest
Not even the almighty Atlas would carry
Nor Ethon rend from the flesh;
What price your compassion?
The sad, lonely gaze of the blessed beast,
Or the slander of pitiless fools
Who slight your sacrifice, but not your sin.

Titan! to whom was given the strife
The sorrow, the pain and shame;
For what? to earn us the gift of hope
When you kept none for yourself but despair;
Tricked by the knave, betrayed by your kin,
And plagued for your silent sufferance,
With the bane of eternal hindsight.

Epimetheus, the son of Iapteus and twin brother of Prometheus, is an often derided character in Greek mythology. While his brothers Prometheus and Atlas are often portrayed as heroes and have had many a paean written for them, Epimetheus is typically depicted as a dim-witted fool. Many scholars, however, believe that Epimetheus has been treated unjustly, and deserves his place in the pantheon for his sacrifice and gift to the human race.

This poem is an ode to Epimetheus, the silent benevolent titan. It's loosely inspired by Lord Byron's (admittedly far superior) poem Prometheus.