The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, and Prometheus in Theogony have many similarities. In particular, the role of the serpent and role of Prometheus complement each other. The serpent and Prometheus are both portrayed as sly-talking tricksters that reveal immortal knowledge to the humans of earth, and they are both punished for their actions. In both stories, Prometheus and the serpent are conniving characters that rebel against the higher authority figure. In Genesis the serpent is introduced as, “more crafty than any wild creature that the Lord God had made…[the serpent] said to the women, ‘is it true that God has forbidden you to eat any tree in the garden?’’ (Genesis, 3). The serpent later uses his craftiness to fool the women. The question that the serpent asks of the women is an example of the serpent’s devious ways. It is almost as if the serpent is asking a rhetorical question to the women, but mischievously asking her with the motive to make her want to act. Prometheus is also portrayed as a smooth talker attempting to trick Zeus. “‘Zeus most famed and greatest of eternal gods, take of these whichever the spirit within tells you.’ He spoke with the trick in mind” (Nelson, 44, 548-552). Prometheus attempts to deceive Zeus to take the bones covered in fat instead of the good meat covered by the stomach. However, Zeus sees through his deceit and names him a trickster; “Son of Iapetus, knowing thoughts beyond all, sir, you still have not forgotten your craft and deceit” (Nelson 45, 559-560).
Prometheus and the serpent have the knowledge of superior beings but lack their powers. Prometheus and the serpent are rebellious towards their authority figure when they expose unknown knowledge to humans. In Genesis, the serpent tempts the women into eating the forbidden fruit, citing the great knowledge that she will attain if she does, “God knows that as