Chapter 287: “faith”
At this point, Zeus suddenly changed the subject again and asked:
“You are one of the creators of humans, and even more so their initial teacher.”
“Now that humans can represent all mortal spirits, you can also represent humans.”
“Now, you tell me: what kind of behavior should humans use to express their piety and respect for the gods?”
This was somewhat different from what Prometheus had initially envisioned.
But He had prepared for this in advance, with many contingency plans.
He Himself knew clearly that just relying on those few words He had just spoken to make His Majesty the God King shelter humans for nothing, and order the gods never to harm humans at will again…
That would be wishful thinking.
For humans to achieve true equality with the gods is completely impossible.
For mortal spirits to talk equality with gods? That in itself is utterly ridiculous.
Now, to receive His Majesty’s explicit “father and son” recognition and the promise of shelter—this is already the best outcome.
There are not just His Majesty the God King among the gods in the world.
His Majesty the God King will naturally severely punish those gods who dare to violate the holy justice order.
But humans and gods are ultimately different.
If it’s just a little willfulness from the gods…
Then the punishment will never be too severe, no matter what.
Yet, that little willfulness from the gods often brings the most terrifying, unbearable catastrophic disasters to mortal spirits.
How to please His Majesty the God King so that He demands the gods more sternly, preventing them from being willful toward humans again?
And how to generally please the Olympus Gods so that the gods value humans and no longer act willfully toward them casually?
This is the most important thing next.
The relationship of “father and son” is the most appropriate!
Yes, the identity of “father” represents power and glory, but also responsibility and duty.
For mortal spirits to see gods as fathers is only natural, there’s nothing wrong with that.
By showing just some attitude of obedience and reverence, they can avoid harm from gods and even receive favor from them—this is always a huge profit!
As for how to provide for the gods?
Prometheus had already schemed this out.
Even if humans gave all their pitiful possessions, the gods still wouldn’t truly care.
Moreover, if they gave everything away, how would humans survive?
Rather than unrealistically thinking of moving the gods with those insignificant materials, it’s better to change strategy early!
Use humans’ reverence and obedience to move the gods!
By establishing a solemn form and specific behavioral norms, imbue those ordinary offerings and rituals with special symbolic meaning.
Use rituals as the carrier and actual manifestation of humans expressing reverence and obedience, offering them to the gods to please the gods.
Simply put, replace the real with the virtual.
This way, on one hand, the effect might be better; on the other, it can greatly reduce the survival pressure on humans themselves.
However, now His Majesty has thrown the question back, and it’s unknown if this idea of His can gain His Majesty’s recognition?
Prometheus felt a chill in his heart, but knew that at this moment, he had no choice but to brace himself and try.
Since His Majesty handed the solution back, that means success is possible.
He secretly encouraged himself: It’s already been decided long ago, what’s there to hesitate about?
Do it!
He took a deep breath, made his expression deliberately solemn, and put on a thoughtful pondering appearance.
In his wise eyes, there first flashed a trace of confusion, then like clouds parting to reveal the sun, burst forth with the brilliant radiance of “sudden realization.”
This “performance” was masterful, reaching the pinnacle of perfection.
After “pondering” for a long time, He spoke in an excited tone as if suddenly enlightened, passionately: “Esteemed Your Majesty! Everything relies on Your far-sightedness and deep thought! Your wisdom is the indispensable guiding light for all living beings in the universe!”
“Under the guidance of Your dazzling wisdom flash of inspiration, I… have a small idea, which I humbly present to Your Majesty.”
He paused for a moment, saw Zeus listening quietly, and continued respectfully: “Great Your Majesty, when Epimetheus and I descended to the mortal world to create life under Your sacred command, deeply moved by Your great sacred virtues, we specially created several sacred lives symbolizing Your virtues.”
“Due to Your supreme majesty and kingly aura, we created the lion.”
“Due to Your infinite power and boundless compassion, we created the whale.”
“Due to Your majestic responsibility and faithfulness, we created the bull.”
Zeus nodded lightly, saying nothing more. He already knew these things.
When the two brothers reported back to Olympus previously, they had already reported them.
And that’s not all, there were things not said.
The brothers also used the authority He granted to bribe the “supervisor” Kalaunia whom He sent.
Kalaunia reported all these matters in full detail.
But these were harmless trifles, the beneficiaries were His own loyal confidants, and the two brothers had accomplished the great task, so He was too lazy to nitpick such small matters.
Seeing Zeus nod, Prometheus felt reassured inwardly and gained more confidence before continuing: “Your Majesty, Your majesty must not be violated, Your compassion must not be blasphemed, Your power must not be coveted.”
“However! Your great ‘responsibility’ and ‘faithfulness’ are worth all living beings in the universe learning, cherishing, and forever promoting!”
His voice rose, increasingly resounding: “Therefore, I think, what could be more suitable as the most sacred gift for humans to offer and provide to You than this bull representing Your great ‘responsibility’ and ‘faithfulness’?”
“I propose that in the great divine twelve cycle, in the ‘first month’ and ‘last month’ representing Your supreme sacredness and glory, on the first day and last day, humans will set aside all their affairs, and everyone in every tribe will gather together,”
“with the grandest, most solemn ritual, offering the fattest bull to You! Using that sacred bull to provide for You, to worship You! I call this ritual—’sacrifice’!”
“Of course, for the other great Olympus Gods, humans will also separately worship and sacrifice to them, to express their provision and respect for the gods!”
“Merciful Your Majesty! Great Your Majesty! I wonder if compassionate You thinks such actions can fully express humans’ highest, most sincere respect and reverence for the gods?”
A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Zeus’s lips.
What a Prometheus, what a “replace the real with the virtual”! What a “binding the bull with my virtues”!
Moral kidnapping played well!
He is forcing Me—if I refuse this “gift,” it would deny My own “responsibility and faithfulness.”
What a cunning fellow.
Zeus found it amusing inwardly, but on the surface acted as if oblivious, nodding with a smile: “Very good, Prometheus, I am very satisfied with your proposal.”
“I had no intention of demanding from humans anyway, and the gods naturally won’t truly care about the meager offerings and sacrifices from mortal spirits.”
“However, this ‘attitude’ from humans is crucial.”
“Your earlier metaphor was very apt. Children love their father, and the father should likewise care for the child.”
“As long as humans sincerely provide for and revere Me and the gods; as long as they strictly adhere to My holy justice order; letting Me and the gods see this praiseworthy attitude of theirs; letting Me and the gods confirm that they truly respect their father like children.”
“Then, I will not be stingy and will grant them the due reward.”
After stating this series of preconditions with full interpretive authority, Zeus paused, then continued his solemn words, though his tone seemed to carry a faint trace of playfulness.
“The bull you created represents My ‘responsibility’ and ‘faithfulness’.”
“Since that’s the case, let this sacrifice be divided in two.”
“Humans keep the ‘faithfulness’, and I take on the ‘responsibility’.”
“From now on, this lofty and sincere admiration and reverence humans have for the gods shall be called ‘faith’.”
“Humans revere gods with faith, and gods respond to humans with shelter and care.”
“This is the fairest way of coexistence.”
Success! His Majesty has indeed recognized it!
Prometheus was overjoyed inwardly, almost unable to suppress his excitement!
He hurriedly bowed again, shouting with all his strength: “Praise Your Majesty! None surpass Your Majesty in mercy! None surpass Your Majesty in compassion! None surpass Your Majesty in generosity!”
“Great Your Majesty! Your merciful radiance illuminates the entire universe! The entire universe is filled with endless hope because of Your supreme and perfect virtues!”
Zeus smiled faintly, raised his hand to signal Him to rise, and continued:
“Let it be so. On the first day of the first month of the next divine twelve cycle, I will personally lead the Olympus Gods to descend to the mortal world. At that time, we will formally establish this ‘covenant’ between gods and humans.”
“By then, please prepare the covenant bull in advance, divided into two portions. They will respectively represent the tokens of the covenant between our gods and humans.”
Zeus smiled faintly, saying with a subtle depth: “Prometheus, go to the mortal world now to prepare. Make all arrangements properly. Let me see humans’ sincerity and piety—don’t disappoint me.”
The heaviest giant stone in Prometheus’s heart finally fell completely.
He felt both relieved and joyful, finally shedding the heavy psychological burden.
Almost jubilantly, he replied: “Prometheus obeys! Thank you for His Great Majesty’s merciful favor! I will go to the mortal world to prepare everything as Your Majesty has instructed!”
“Go, I look forward to that day’s arrival.” Zeus merely smiled faintly, that smile pregnant with meaning.
