Religion In The Odyssey

Religion forms a bridge between the mortals and Gods by opening a line of communication through choices made by either side. Relations surrounding the two are generally noted to be almost strictly one-way: Gods and Goddesses decree through various means of communication of their plans and desires, and mortals are expected to "respect the gods" by enacting their wishes (Fagles 2006: 235). Those who follow through are held in high regard and rewarded, meanwhile, those who did not were cursed and would suffer punishment along with their kin. Given the unnatural amount of force prescribed to them in historical and religious texts, Gods and Goddesses of their respective time and place are scrutinized on the effect they had on their mortal followers,

Throughout The Odyssey, it becomes apparent that Homer brings light to the value of piety in Ancient Greece. Those who are religious are often rewarded in good faith by the Gods, especially heroes. Pious individuals are revered both by their peer mortals and the Gods, causing the emergence of a feedback loop that rewards those who are pious. Although Telemachus does not have much known history with favoring the Gods, he requires confidence when confronting Nestor and is rewarded with it and articulateness from Athena. Because of his father’s myriad of pious actions, Athena is able to bestow Telemachus’s current necessity (Fagles 2006: 120) through “the heart Athena herself inspired” (Fagles 2006: 121). Although he does not have experience in dialoguing with other leaders, Telemachus’s abilities, therefore free will, is significantly influenced by the will and assistance of Athena. Conversely, Odysseus’s piety earns him Athena’s attention; The Goddess initially explains how his combat strategies caught the eyes and ears of the Gods, but she concludes that the driving factor behind his numerous successes was “Athena, who always stands [and] and shields you” (Fagles 2006: 315), insinuating that Odysseus’s devotion to the Gods

Often subjected to the harmful whim of the Gods, humans must accommodate and prove their piety in order to survive. Those who are pious and hold favorability among the Gods are rewarded; however, those who appear to exercise more free will, are cast as dishonorable and impious by the Gods and mortals and suffer Godly punishment. This paper detailed the inverse relationship between interaction and free will that pious mortals retain. Then, I showed the negative effects of impious mortals who act freely against the Gods’ mandates and the emergence of a feedback loop that reinforces religious compliance over free will. The prioritization of piety over the free will of the mortals holds the Gods more morally accountable for their musings with pious mortals. These pious mortals have relinquished a significant portion of their free will and become less morally responsible for their actions in comparison to the activities of the impious. In a culturally contrasting nature, Euripides’s Hippolytus brings forth the effects of minimal and delayed divine intervention. This allows for mortals to experience free will but also raises doubts around the ineffectiveness of mortals and their dependence on the