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Aeschylus was one of the three great Athenian tragedians, with Sophocles and Euripides. His contribution to the form was considerable: most notably, he introduced the use of a second actor (earlier Greek tragedy took the form of interaction between a chorus and single actor, who might assume several roles).
Of his estimated ninety plays, only seven survive complete: The Persians, Seven Against Thebes, The Suppliants, Prometheus Bound, and the three plays of the Oresteia trilogy, Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers (Choephoroi), and The Eumenides. All of his works are noted for their intricately metaphorical and lyrical language.
Prometheus Bound (Greek Prometheus desmotes) was likely one of Aeschylus's latest works: in it Prometheus is chained to a rock by the tyrannical Zeus as punishment for saving mankind and giving them fire. There he is visited by Oceanus and his daughters, by Io, and finally by Hermes, who seeks information that may threaten Zeus. Prometheus refuses to cooperate, and is sent to Hades to be tortured.