Greek Gods Help Out Men

In Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin, Jealousy is a characteristic that all the gods have. They usually can't contain their jealousy and that leads them to do bad things, like killing or punishing people. One god is actually known for being full of envy, her name is Hera. Zeus is always having affairs and not being faithful to his wife, Hera. Because of Zeus’s infedelities, Hera always watches out for him and she can never stop being jealous.

Throughout the story of Odysseus’s journey told by Homer, there are many defining examples of interaction between humans and their gods. The gods primarily interact with humans by either siding with or against them. The gods would often side with humans since they wanted to help them such as Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, helping Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, whereas the gods seeking revenge such as Poseidon, who sought revenge on Odysseus for slaying his son Polyphemus, would turn against them. While actual interaction between gods and humans seems to be a rather risible idea, there was much guidance given to humans by the gods throughout the Odyssey.

Ares was known as the God of war and bloodshed. Ares was a great warrior. He stood for strength and stamina. The Greeks wanted to be strong and successful like the Greek God.

They are allowed to interfere with humans in certain ways to certain extents, they have rules, and by punishing/rewarding humans, they create an order of morals/hierarchy so they serve a purpose as well. This presentation of the gods reveals that the Greeks see them as powerful, smarter, and "magically" significant beings. I think that the story shows that they see the Gods to be like us, but with power and authority.

Throughout all the myths and stories, the lesson that is so obviously told is do not anger the Gods. Yes, to them the Gods were the creators of their world as they knew it. Yes, they felt that the Gods should be worshipped by making temples and statues, but there comes a point were the people all around Greece lived in fear of disappointing or angering the Gods. These myths floating around Greece tell both of love, loss, heartbreak, etc. The relationship between the Gods and humans was a complicated one.

In Homer’s Odyssey, gods and other supernatural beings dominated every aspect of mortal life. All living things and phenomena that occur in the world can be traced back to the gods. Seeing as how gods are responsible for the lives of mortals and the state of the natural world, performing deeds that anger the gods would prove to be disastrous while performing deeds that please the gods would prove to be beneficial. Odysseus’ journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War was took ten years due to angering gods like Poseidon and Helios. However, it was through Athena’s aid that he was able to make it back home.

Odysseus’ reverence to the gods is shown again after the suitors families and the town learns of Odysseus’ homicide, they come after the royal family. Athena and Zeus come to Ithaca, ordering a peace. Homer describes the event and Odysseus’ reaction, “So she commanded. He obeyed her, glad at heart." (Homer 24.598).

Throughout the epic, gods play the role of savior and tormentor. If Poseidon had not decided to attack Odysseus the story would have developed radically different. There would have been no life-threatening obstacle, but simply a path home. Of course this simply cannot occur, hence the fact it’s an epic.

In The Odyssey, by Homer, Athena influences the lives of Odysseus and his family. In Greek mythology, gods challenge and control mortals. Gods also provide support to mortals and thus, mortals depend and act on behalf of the gods and their decisions. Athena, daughter of Zeus, is the goddess of wisdom, and both Telemachus and Odysseus benefit from her power. Athena possesses the ability to disguise herself and others, and this skill allows her to give advice and guidance.

Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, knew exactly how to manipulate a situation in order to get what she wanted. For example, in the very beginning of the epic poem, Athena goes to her father Zeus to get some help. She wants Odysseus to be released from Calypso’s grasp, but needs some help in making this happen. In order to get her father to agree with her, she appeals to his ego. It is well known that Zeus thinks of himself in the highest manner possible.

The relationships between the Greek gods and mortals have always been complicated. The gods can be generous and supportive, but also harsh and destructive towards the humans. They claim to be all powerful beings with unlimited power and influence, but in truth, they are far more human than they are perceived. They meddle with human lives, not because they are wise, but because of their own selfish reasons. In Homer’s

She then takes credit for his returning and says that she “planned” and “willed” his journey to be how it was (13.346,46). This directly contradicts the statement Zeus makes at the beginning of the epic. The king of the gods claims that the mortals “blame the gods” way too much for their miseries, which he blames on “their own reckless ways” (1.39,38,37). Athena, meanwhile, is saying that she “willed” everything for him (13.346). This contradicts Zeus saying the mortals are to blame, because she says that the gods are decide everything, so they are to blame.

Although Zeus was in control of everything occuring during the war of the Greeks and the Trojans, Athena and Hera had their ways into manipulating the God of gods. “Give me now the sex and desire you use to subdue immortals and humans. ”(lines197-198Bk.14) Hera is determined to seduce Zeus and use everything in her power to distract him from men so that Poseidon can help the Acheans in battle and eventually turn the victory over to them. . “While Zeus still sleeps, for Hera has bedded him, and I have wrapped him in downy slumber.”

These concepts can even be applied to ancient societies in Greek mythology. Many gods were blinded by the desire of having authority over others or being feared by their competitors and fellow civilians. The god’s persistent angst over this idea of sovereignty consumed them and morphed them into beings filled with vain. The gods are figures of tyranny because of their obsession of power leading to the perpetration of sociopathic acts such as Cronus killing his father, Uranus, Athena challenging Arachne causing Arachne’s death, and Aphrodite scheming against Psyche. One god that made it his cardinal ambition to achieve and maintain high power was the son of Uranus and Gaea, Cronus.

The Iliad, written by Homer, is an ancient Greek epic about the Trojan War, which the divine certainly influences. Unlike how most gods might act or behave in books nowadays, the gods in the Iliad share some uncommon traits. For example helping their favorite morals, the idea of justice and harmony is surely excluded in the portrayal of Greek gods. The divine in the Iliad are characterized as very emotional and somewhat manipulative. Regardless of what occurs, it 's all the doing of the gods.