The Greek pantheon decided to help him because they remembered Odysseus’ sacrifices, Athena told Zeus, “ Did not Odysseus offer you delightful sacrifices?”(1.62-63) Zeus responds by agreeing to rescue Odysseus. This situation shows how the Greeks believed that sacrificing and being respectful of the gods could help get a person out of a tight spot. The Greeks also believed that their misfortunes were caused by the gods
They are always blaming the gods for their troubles, when their own witlessness Causes them more than they were destined for!.” Telemachus interprets his misfortune as a trial of the gods, herby implicitly blaming them for his situation. The lord of the sky decides to find a way in bringing Odysseus home and not trusting Telemachus to take charge of the situation. Athena even volunteers to assist Telemachus and sets up the plans to restore order to the house of Odysseus. In Greek culture, it was uncommon for the gods to mingle in the household affairs of men as they were viewed as the head of the household.
The Greeks needed to have a reason to explain their beliefs, they truly believed everything was controlled by a greater power. All living things must be controlled by different gods. The belief in the many Gods provided a feeling of security. Ancient Greeks were very spiritual and also philosophical. Most Greek Gods have human personality and appearances.
As we read the Odyssey by Homer we have learned that gods and goddess were an important part of the lives of the people in ancient Greek. The people had an admiration for the gods. They would pray, ask for help in any kind of situation, and do sacrifices for them. We can also say that the gods are like a parental figure to the people in the Odyssey; if the people respected and obey them they would not get in trouble and sometimes get rewarded, but if they disrespected and disobey them chances are that they would get punished. In the Odyssey, we see that Odysseus, the main character, is the enemy of a powerful god.
“Tomorrow you call an assembly and make a speech to these heroes, with the gods as witness. The suitors you order to scatter to their own.” -Athena, (Mentes) (290) Athena cares for Telemachus by helping him get control of his palace and kingdom again. She also wants to help Telemachus by telling him how to find his father, “And my advise to you, if you will take it, is to launch your best ship,with twenty oarsmen,and go make inquiries about your long-absent father.” -Athena, (Mentes) (292) Athena wants the best for Telemachus, so she gives Telemachus this advice.
Zeus carries out his justice to those who deserves it, disregarding any sort of connection that he has towards the individual. As a result, he is able to hand out impartial punishment towards those who wronged his principles or the principles of others. An example of this is during the assembly of gods at Zeus’s halls to discuss the fate of Aegisthus. During the assembly, Athena takes this opportunity to plea to Zeus to aid Odysseus’s return to Ithaca. Athena takes advantage of Poseidon’s absence to persuade Zeus because Poseidon is a significant factor that prevents Odysseus from returning home.
This is especially apparent when referring to the lives of Odysseus and Telemachus, and how they have been impacted by the gods. In the life of these two prominent figures, they have experienced the pain but also the gift of patronage from various deities. Odysseus on the bad side of Poseidon, also leads to his son to be hurt. But both Telemachus and Odysseus are not only backed by Athena, but other ambrosial beings as well throughout the myths. In the end, it is assumed that from these two character’s experience that there is no definite way a god can impact someone’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.
In the Odyssey, I feel as if the Gods role was to function more as spiritual guides and as support for the human of choice. An example being Athena reuniting Odessyus and his son after 20 years, Hermes warning Odysseus of Circes witchcraft, and Circes giving him directions. Yet, I also feel as if they punish for poor behavior as well.
Instead of being perfect omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent gods, they have limited power and influence, and are often driven by humanistic emotions and desires. While the gods do show concern over some mortals, they don’t make decisions solely concerning the wellbeing or interests of the humans, but instead, like the humans themselves, usually act with their own interests at heart. Athena and Poseidon both acts in accordance to their desires and emotions, and have a biased view on particular humans. Unlike the perfect deities we have in mind when we think of the divine, Greek gods are just immortal beings who are just as fallible and imperfect as the humans they preside
Piety is defined as serious respect for the gods. This cultural concept plays a very important role in The Odyssey as it becomes a pivotal factor for the gods when they decide who they should help and who they should not. Odysseus is shown to demonstrate piety towards the gods; “‘Rejoice inwardly. No crowing aloud, old woman. To glory over slain men is no piety.
Divine intervention, or the role of the gods, plays a predominant role in the development of the eventual fate of the main characters; Odysseus, his son, Telemachus and his wife, Penelope. Homer is able to effectively incorporate the employment of divine forces as facilitators in destiny, as well as efficiently engage the readers through his vivid description of the various predicaments faced by Odysseus. Divine intervention is a phenomenon widely used in mythological epics. The gods play protagonistic and antagonistic roles; they essentially toy with the character until his fate is evident. Homer utilizes this right from the very beginning; we see Athena coming to the aid of Odysseus when Zeus refuses to have sympathy for him due to the fact that most heroes blame the Gods for their doom;
They associated each of their gods with a different aspect of life or nature. For example Zeus was the king of the gods, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, Dionysus was the god of wine, and the list goes on. The ancient Greeks erected massive temples to these gods for worship. Each god or goddess had his or her own temple for sacrifices or offerings. They Greeks believed sacrifice was necessary to appease the gods and keep everyday life fruitful and peaceful.
Sacrificing something you love for lent, or fasting during Ramadan can be quite difficult, but it shows your loyalty and love towards your religion. However, imagine sacrificing many things or even killing an animal for your “Gods.” Even though Christianity and Islam are both monotheistic religions, and sacrificing or killing an animal would not be pleasant, it was a ritual in Ancient Greece. In the Ancient Greek world, religion was present in all areas, and it played an important role in their everyday lives. Ancient Greeks worshipped many Gods that had superhuman strengths or ageless beauty but appeared in the human form.
Humans are like puppets; they have the freedom of choice however their decisions are constantly interfered by the gods. The god’s are given respect due to their extreme power, as mortals know, if offended a god, one would most likely have to face severe consequences. Nonetheless, the gods are not all powerful, as they have emotions that drive them hence weakens them. In Ancient Greek society, having the gods in your favor played a critical role in peoples daily lives, as the gods would extremely influence decision, have significant power over one’s fate, and have direct involvement in the lives of humans. “Father Zeus, is there any mortal left on the wide earth who will still declare to the immortals his mind and his purpose?
