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Zeus: The Supreme Ruler

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While serving as lord of the gods and men, Zeus functioned as the supreme ruler and judge over law and order. Despite his views on justice and virtue, he frequently asserted his dominance and took part in many sexual affairs. Traditionally, affairs like these would be contra to order, yet Zeus seemed to bypass the rules. The Greeks who worshipped the gods viewed the gods as holy beings that are supreme. I believe that due to Zeus’s function as a god, his supremacy, and his power, Greeks along with other gods were frightened to discuss the problems with these affairs and therefore had to accept that Zeus could do as he pleased.
Zeus’s main function is to carry out law and order, and initiate discipline when the rules are violated. He protects, …show more content…

Zeus protects the immortal and mortal world, in terms of laws, order and life in general. The Greeks saw Zeus as the supreme ruler of gods and of men. I believe that the Greeks truly worshiped the gods and felt that they were perfect immortal beings. To the Greeks, the gods did no wrong as holy figures, therefore, Zeus’s actions were justified as acceptable. As mortals, Greeks were most likely afraid to question anything the gods did, and specifically not Zeus. The Greeks could have been punished by a natural disaster or an unleashed evil from the underworld. Zeus’s power was so influential as described by Hesiod, “for easily he makes them strong and easily he brings them low” (Works and Days lines 3-7). The fear of Zeus’s strong authority and ability to induce these terrors on the Greeks must have played a strong role in how they responded to Zeus’s sexual escapades. In addition, aside from their religion the Greeks, as humans, recognize the realistic quality of their lives and are aware of the uncertainty they endure. Despite their optimism they are cautious of, “ the horrible disasters that a vindictive god or fate may dispense at any moment” (MLS p. 141), which are quite possible concerns for the mortals. Compared to the gods, mortals lives were complicated and challenging, so they worshiped

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