Who rescues Prometheus from his punishment?

• A. Zeus
• B. Hercules
• C. Hermes
• D. Athena

Answer: (B)

Prometheus’ punishment is a direct consequence of defying Zeus by giving fire to humanity. He’s bound to a rock, and an eagle gnaws at his liver every day, only for it to regrow each night. Hercules is the hero who ends this torment in the familiar telling: during his travels, he comes upon Prometheus, kills the eagle, and unbinds him, freeing the titan from the chains. This act fits Hercules’ role as a rescuer among heroes and aligns with the broader pattern of mercy crossing paths with punishment in myth. Zeus is the one who enforces the punishment, not the rescuer, and Hermes or Athena do not perform the rescue in the standard version, making Hercules the correct choice.