Prometheus was punished by Zeus because he stole fire to give back to mankind. He was chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains, and every day an eagle came and ate part of his liver. Each night, his liver would regrow, which meant he had to endure his punishment for eternity. The myth of Prometheus has inspired artists and scientists alike; in medicine, it has become the symbol of the regenerative capacity of the liver. For the liver surgeon, liver regeneration has become an indispensable ally. Did the ancient Greeks already have knowledge of the liver's ability to restore itself and of the fact that this capacity is inexhaustible?