This passage, from a play by the great fifth-century, tragedian Aeschylus, is a touchstone for what Athenians considered the quintessential signs of human| culture The Titan Prometheus, chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains as punishment for stealing fire from Olympus, lists his many contributions to the human race

Now hear what troubles there were among men, how I found them witless and gave them the use of their wits and made them masters of their minds For men at first had eyes but saw to no purpose, they had ears but did not hear Like the shapes of dreams they dragged through their long lives and handled everything in bewilderment and confusion They did not know of building houses with bricks to face the sun, they did not know how to work in wood They lived like swarming ants...