Theme: Role Of The Gods Flashcards
What is the absolute divide between men and gods ?
- mortals die where as gods do not
book 22 - Apollo mocks Achilles telling him he is ‘naturally..not marked out for death’
- signifcant because that is the stark divide which is perhaps not present within other areas
book 5 - the blood that Aphrodite bleeds is ichor of the immortal gods who ‘eat no bread and drink no sparkling wine’
What does Longinus (ancient scholar) say about Homers depiction of the gods?
Homer has done his best to make the men in the Iliad gods and the gods men.
- clearly the ancients had a view of the gods which was uncomfortable and early critics were aware of
How do we see the power of the gods in natural phenomenon ?
- Thunder is caused by Zeus several times and Poseidon is referred to as the ‘earth shaker’ in a common epithet
- Book 17 Zeus disperses the clouds and most and allows for sunlight to shine upon the mourning Greeks
- the connection of the gods and natural imagery
Book 4 - Athena flies down as a meteor that is shooting ‘out a mass of sparks’
- Appears like this to both armies
- The gods are in control of the natural world and are used an explanation for it
How do we see the favour of the gods coming from sacrifice ?
Counter point
- book 4 Zeus describes that he cares for Troy as his altar ‘never lacked its share of generous offerings’
- an later in book 22 Zeus considers changing fate to allow Hector to not be killed by Achilles as he has ‘burnt the thighs of many oxen’ in his honour.
- clearly sacrifice is valued by the gods which can create a reciprocal element however this is not absolute
- book 6 the Trojan women offer sacrifice and a robe to Athena but she simply shakes her head in denial
- sacrifice do have an effect however the extent to which this convinces a god to help varies upon their predisposition in regards to the city
How do the gods act in a parental manner ?
The closest is Thetis the mother to Achilles
- physically comforts him in book 1 and promises to supplicate Zeus and change the tide of the war in the favour of the Trojans
Later
Zeus nearly saves his son Sarpedon but Hera convinced him otherwise as it could convince other gods to do the same and change fate
- despite not saving him, he is clearly distressed and grieves for his son sending a ‘shower of blood raindrops’ in mourning
- The gods certainly inhibit a parental role in regards to those mortals which have some form of hereditary connection to them
How do the gods assist mortals in battle ?
- Book 3: Aphrodite snatches Paris off the battle field in his duel saving him from being killed by Menelaus
- book 5: Athena endows Diomedes ‘heart with fearless determination’ and allows him to distinguish between mortal and god whilst granting him superhuman strength
- he then receives an ariseiea from Homer as a result as he injures to lesser gods: Aphrodite and Ares
- The gods assist their favoured heroes battle preserving their lives and in more extreme cases allowing them to become a great warrior
How can we see gods to be potential sources of information ?
Calchas in book 1 is described as having prophetic abilities granted by ‘Phoebus Apollo’
- the gods give him an access to superior knowledge which proves vital in resolving the plague on the Greek camp
Moreover
Achilles I made aware of his fate by Thetis his divine mother in book 1 who tells him that he’s ‘doomed to an early death’ which he considers in book 9 when reflects upon his fate in his decision wether to return home
Are Homers god omniscient ?
No, book 14 Hera seduces Zeus to remove his watch from the battlefield
- even Zeus can be distracted so we see the way the Homeric gods are slightly problematic
How are the gods used as a claim for mortal behaviour ?
Book 19
- Agamemnon blames Zeus for his taking of Briseis who mad him go mad
How are the gods as source of morality and justice ?
Book 23
- Aphrodite fends of the dogs from Hectos corpse and Apollo places a cloud over the body so his body wouldn’t be damaged by the sun
- the pair stop the maltreatment of Hector and it’s clear that for some individuals which the gods favour they kept special care even after death
Book 24
- Apollo critics Achilles for his treatment of Hectors corpse ‘dishonouring’ traditions
- excessive and violent behaviour is condemned
How are the gods shown to have a control of fate ?
Book 22
- Zeus places the death of Hector and Achilles on either end of a scale and it falls on Hectors side
Book 16
- ‘one half the father granted but not the other’ Zeus decides that Patroclus will win glory but not return home safely
Zeus is to some extent in control of fate especially in regards to Patroclus however it adds an element of depth to the gods power where at times it’s not entirely controllable
How is the world the gods inhabit anthropomorphic ?
Book 1
- The gods drink from two handed cups and enjoy Apollos lyre before residing back to their ‘separate houses’ with beds inside
- the world the gods inhabit is clearly externally anthropomorphic with human structures and entertainment all being common place amongst the gods realm
How are the gods themselves externally anthropomorphic?
Book 1
- Thetis supplicates Zeus clutching at his knees and takes ‘his chin in her right hand’
- Moreover
Book 5
- Diomedes wounds Aphrodite ‘stabbing her soft hand’ and blood seeps from the wound however this is not mortal blood but the immortal blood ichor
- the gods are still depicted in a heavily externally anthropomorphic description
How do the gods express human emotions such as anger/ spite?
Book 3
- Aphrodite threatens Helen as she is ‘enraged’ and calls her an ‘obstinate wretch’ warning not to cross her or she will no longer favor her and have her meet a horrid end
- The gods like humans express emotions of anger and spite when provoked
