It is no secret that in most cases many of the main characters we meet in Greek mythology share some similarities, as well as differences between each other, this idea especially applies to Prometheus in Aeschylus " Prometheus Bound ” and Heracles from “Heracles and Heraclides” by Apollodorus. At first glance, one might think that these two prominent characters are very different from each other. However, this would only be a mere superficial interpretation of both characters example, one similarity is that both characters suffered greatly at the hands of the gods. Prometheus was always forced to torture himself for eternity due to his liver being constantly taken by an eagle as it grew back. Heracles was cursed by Hera who even went so far as to attempting to kill him when he was very young. Later in life caused him to go into a fit of madness which resulted in the death of his wife and children which forced him to go through labor. Another clear similarity is that both Prometheus and Heracles helped humanity. Prometheus sacrificed his freedom and his body in exchange for a better life for mortals. His love for humanity surpassed his love for himself making him very altruistic. He helped humanity by stealing the flame from Zeus that we now know as the flame of Prometheus and giving it to humanity despite knowing that Zeus would be outraged by his actions. It goes without saying that it is no secret how significant fire is in our society today. One could go so far as to say that it is still a necessary aspect of our lives today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the days of the elders, fire was used for cooking, heating, illuminating the darkness, etc. It goes without saying that fire is a very important element. However, what the flame represented is infinitely more significant. As we know, Prometheus' flame also represents technology and progress. In his own words, he proclaims in the text: “I will tell you this, not to blame men, but to explain the good will of my gift. For men at first had eyes but did not see in vain; they had ears but could not hear. I will tell you this, not because I want to blame men, but to explain the good will of my gift. For men at first had eyes but did not see in vain; they had ears but could not hear. Like the shapes of dreams that dragged through their long lives and handled everything in bewilderment and confusion, they didn't know how to build houses with bricks to face the sun, they didn't know how to work wood. They lived like ants in the holes in the ground, in the sunless caves of the earth. It goes without saying that throughout Prometheus related to Prometheus he is portrayed as a very intelligent being with the gift of foresight into the future. Prometheus says “oh woe is me! I groan for present pain, I groan for future pain,” suggesting to us that he sees a bleak future. Prometheus loves humanity very much, so once he discovered that Zeus intended to destroy humanity, Prometheus felt obligated to help save them. Prometheus gave humanity great inspiration regarding architecture, mathematics, navigation, agriculture and much more. It has influenced human beings to such an extent that it could even be argued that it is the very foundation of human culture and civilization which has played an important role regarding the development of humanity. Similar to Prometheus, Heracles also benefited humanity, but in a different way. In his journey to become immortal, Hercules also brought benefits to people. During his 12 hard-fought labors, he defeated a large number of monsters and tyrants bringing order,justice and even a form of peace for the inhabitants. In his second effort, he defeated the Lernaean Hydra, known for its frequent destruction of villages, countryside and taking livestock. Hercules also killed a tyrant named Bousiris, who often caught unsuspecting strangers brutally sacrificing themselves to Zeus. Based on what has been discussed so far we can deduce that both Prometheus and Hercules are very brave. In the case of Prometheus, he is brave because he knows the past and the future, but he is afraid of changing, he does not fear the absolute power of Zeus who takes the side of humanity. In contrast, Hercules demonstrated his courage, courage and cunning by challenging the beasts and completing his labors. In conclusion, both characters are benefactors of humans and humanity as a whole. When it comes to their differences, Prometheus and Hercules are different in two key ways. First of all, both Prometheus and Hercules are very different when it comes to their identity. Prometheus is not human, in fact he was part of an immortal and powerful race known as the Titans. It means he is part of an immortal race. Furthermore, this Prometheus was already worshiped by the people while Hercules was not. Heracles is a demigod born from the union of a god and a human. In order for Hercules to be immortal, he had to go through hardships. Hercules had to face 12 labors to earn the faith and trust of the people. Only after the completion of his labors could Heracles be immortalized physically and in the eyes of the people. The second major difference between the two is the god's attitude towards them. When Prometheus betrayed Zeus by disobeying and deceiving him, Zeus punished him with little to no mercy. Although Prometheus assisted Zeus earlier regarding the destruction of Krone. In short, it goes without saying that Prometheus received a much harsher punishment than he should have. This is partly because Zeus preferred other gods to Prometheus, clearly showing that he detested him. The moment Prometheus betrayed Zeus, he was seen as a traitor by all the other gods and goddesses, thus being ostracized by them. Hercules, however, shows us another side of the gods and goddesses. Although Hera greatly disliked him, the other gods and goddesses clearly favored him. When Hercules was young, Hera tried to have him killed by sending two snakes after him. He, however, managed to kill the two snakes even though he was only eight months old. Clearly for him to have managed to complete such a feat would not have been possible without the help of Zeus. As we already knew in ancient Greece it was very important to worship the gods and never challenge them. Because if people ever challenged and offended them, the gods would often punish them quickly and severely. The punishment can last for several generations, creating heretical curses. This means that the curse will be inherited by the next generation. During his twelve labors Hercules did a series of things that would surely have offended the gods. How to kill Aerie's son, Cycnus, who challenged Heracles to a duel. As well as killing not one but more than four of Poseidon's sons. Needless to say, if anyone else did this, they would be severely punished by the gods. During his third labor, Hercules even went so far as to anger Atriums, but he walked away unscathed from the encounter with Cerynitianus. While when Agamemnon offended Artemus he had to sacrifice his own daughter to earn Artemus' forgiveness. In addition to this, as I said before, Hercules even went as far as to kill more than four of Poseidon's sons, but Poseidon did not seek revenge on him. Unlike Odysseus who simply blinded only one of Poseidon's sons, Polyphemus, to escape being eaten alive. However, despite his reasoning, his actions led him to be.