One only being shalt thou not subdue...?

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Does "one only being" refer to "humankind"?
Does "One only being shalt thou not subdue" mean "You shall not subdue humankind?"

Context:

Fiend, I defy thee! with a calm, fixed mind,
All that thou canst inflict I bid thee do;
Foul Tyrant both of Gods and Human-kind,
One only being shalt thou not subdue....
Thou art omnipotent.
O'er all things but thyself I gave thee power,
And my own will....
I curse thee! let a sufferer's curse
Clasp thee, his torturer, like remorse;
'Till thine Infinity shall be
A robe of envenomed agony;
And thine Omnipotence a crown of pain,
To cling like burning gold round thy dissolving brain.[23]

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prometheus_Unbound_(Shelley)

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 653 • Replies: 11

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View best answer, chosen by oristarA

No, it doesn't, even thought one can easily say there's a link.

The sentence stands alone by itself.

Prometheus addressing Jupiter: You should not subjugate a single human being.

1 Reply

@timur,

Cool

1 Reply

@oristarA,

I disagree with this.

That's not what it means. But the answer does lie in the text (a rather difficult text).
The fiend is being cursed, so the fiend himself carries the seed of his eventual downfall.

0 Replies

McTag wrote:

I disagree with this.

That's not what it means.

No?

It's not sufficient to say you disagree.

Based on your knowledge of the mythological story of Prometheus and the inefficiency of his curse*, please do tell why it is not what it means.

*(Mind that the fiend in question was Jupiter.)

1 Reply

@timur,

Okay, here's the text

Quote:

Foul Tyrant both of Gods and Human-kind,
One only being shalt thou not subdue....
Thou art omnipotent.
O'er all things but thyself I gave thee power,

And also note

Quote:

O'er all things but thyself I gave thee power,
And my own will....

The "fiend" has power over gods and humans, but not over the curse which is being laid over him.
The curse will be his eventual downfall.

1 Reply

@McTag,

Well, I fail to see how it is related to Oristar question and how my answer is not appropriated..

(In addition, the curse obviously failed as Prometheus had his liver chopped into pieces)

1 Reply

@timur,

Okay. My answer was related to the text only, and not to the legend (of which I have no knowledge, admittedly...and scant interest).

The text (in the person of Prometheus?) says the "Foul Tyrant" is inviolable by gods or men, but not himself. Therefore the curse is cast:

Quote:

let a sufferer's curse
Clasp thee, his torturer, like remorse;
'Till thine Infinity shall be
A robe of envenomed agony;

The curse is therefore the eventual nemesis of the fiend/ "Foul Tyrant".

0 Replies

Let me post Oristar questions again:

- Does "one only being" refer to "humankind"?
- Does "One only being shalt thou not subdue" mean "You shall not subdue humankind?"

and mine:

How does your answer relate to these questions?

1 Reply

@timur,

Understood I would have thought, but to be more precise if that is what is required

Quote:

Does "one only being" refer to "humankind"?

Quote:

Does "One only being shalt thou not subdue" mean "You shall not subdue humankind?"

again no.

Quote:

One only being shalt thou not subdue....
Thou art omnipotent.
O'er all things but thyself

The "fiend" has no power over itself. Therefore once the curse is cast, it cannot be removed by the fiend.

Quote:

One only being shalt thou not subdue....

and that means "There is only one being which you shall not subdue" or, clearer "There is only one being which you shall have no control over".

One only being shalt thou not subdue...?

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