“My child, take your seat in the front of me that you may see your former husband, your kinman and your friends. I lay on blame upon you, it is the god's, not you who are to blame. It is they that have brought about this terrible war with the Achaeans. Tell me, then, who is your huge hero so great and goodly? I have seen men taller by head, but none so comely and so royal. Surely he must be a king” (“The Iliad….” 2). In book 2 of The Iliad, the king of Troy informed his daughter in law that it is not her fault that the war has started, but the god’s faults. This portrays the characters view of the gods and how they take a part in the mortals war. In the Iliad and The Aeneid, the war and its outcomes constantly tie back to the gods. The picture …show more content…
Zeus is the father god and the head of the gods in both books. Everyone falls below him, thus leading to both trojans and greeks to pray to him for victory. This makes Zeus characterized as a powerful god who has the ability to bring fate to whomever he wishes. Throughout the war, numerous gods answer the mortals prayers revealing how much they were needed. As for the mortals, the gods do reflect back from them as if they were mortals themselves. They argued precisely like the trojans and greeks did, and contrasted against each other several times. They also felt like the mortals did. If they could not relate to them, they would not of helped them so often. When Hermes helped Priam obtain Hector’s corpse back, they connected with each other. The same for Zeus and the Trojans before Hector’s death portrays how Zeus, even the mightiest god cared for Hector like any other trojan would. It is evident when Zeus himself says, “How sad that this beloved man is hunted around the wall before my eyes! My heart is touched for Hector; he has burned thigh flesh of oxen for me often, high on Ida, at other times on the high point of Troy. Now Prince Achilles with devouring stride is pressing him around the town of Priam, Come, god's, put your minds to it, consider whether we may deliver him from death or see him, nobleas he is, brought down by Peleus' son, Achilles” (Fitzgerald …show more content…
The gods are like the teachers, creating the mortals to be like the students. The role they take in the books displays what side they are on and how important they were. Since they do not intervene as much in the beginning, it is like they were watchemen over the start of the arguments. They used their powers to their ability and it created them to be the rulers and upper characters. Their roles vary from one to another because of each god having a different favored group and power. Hermes utilized his powers as a messenger of the gods. Athena applied her wisdom to attempt to convince Achilles to not fight Agamemnon when she came down and stopped the fight when saying “I was to check on tus killing rage I came from heaven, if you will listen. Hera sent me, being fond of both of you, concerned for both. Enough: break off this combat, stay your hand upon the sword hilt. Let him have a lashing with words, instead: tell him how things will be. Here is my promise, and it will be kept: winnings three times as rich, in due season, you shall have in requital for his arrogance. But hold your hand. Obey” (Fitzgerald 236-7). It is like a watchmen breaking up a fight, or like a parent. The roles obtained by god’s give them higher authority to prevent things from happening and being the ones who see the mortals and their destinies. In the end, this all