Considering divinity, destiny, and the existence of free will is not a concept exclusive to Greek literature; in fact, whenever there are predetermined and omnipotent entities guiding the actions of lower beings, it is quite natural to question the action of those being guided. For example, those who adhere to a particular religion might ask themselves, “if my deities have a plan for me, is everything I do in line with that plan?” Are the choices I make mine or are they predetermined steps before my creation?' But given the rather distant nature of contemporary deities, a follower might find it relatively easy to believe in free will as there are often no concrete manifestations of their deities' guidance. However, in the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, the involvement of the gods in mortal lives is much more concrete, strong and evident because they often bluntly guide the course of events on earth. So, when their deities so actively impose their will on the lives of mortals, how do the characters in both Homeric epics maintain the illusion of free will? By analyzing the complex relationships between gods, fate, and human action in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, the reader will gain a deeper understanding of the characters in both epics. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In Homer's two epic poems, the relationships between the gods and mortal men are often complicated. Characters in both the Iliad and the Odyssey seem capable not only of accepting the existence of both fate and free will, but also of the power and influence of divine will. The main characters of both the Iliad and the Odyssey recognize that the gods are driven by human emotions and are capable of both inflicting pain and offering assistance to mortals who arouse strong emotions among them. Although Apollo states in Book V of the Iliad that "the race of the gods, who are immortal, and of the men who walk on the earth is never the same" (Iliad V, 441-442), the similarities between gods and men in the texts of Homer are almost comically obvious. The parallels begin when considering Homer's anthropomorphic depiction of the gods: immortals are described as having mortal forms, mortal personalities, and subscribing to the mortal structures of family and hierarchy. Furthermore, very unlike the modern perception of deities as distant figures with minimal direct involvement in the lives of mortals, the Greek gods appear to more closely resemble a middle school playground, using mortals as playthings and bargaining chips. For example, the gods' constant discord regarding Odysseus' nostos in the Odyssey and the outcome of the Trojan War in the Iliad led to random and contradictory divine intervention in both poems. Poseidon, angry at Odysseus for blinding his son Polyphemus, repeatedly complicates Odysseus' return home. Hera, angered by Paris' insult to her beauty, actively supports the Achaeans during the Trojan War. While mortal conflicts have relatively small implications, the petty actions of the gods often lead to devastating conflicts and the deaths of scores of mortal men. Herein lies the fundamental difference between gods and men: although mortal men, even heroes, will eventually die, human-like gods will never perish. Odysseus, full of amazement when Hermes plucks a herb that would be “dangerous for mortal men to pluck.” from the earth”, justifies this act by saying that, for the gods, “everything is in their power” (Odyssey X, 339-341). And Odysseus mostly hasreason; although the gods are not entirely omnipotent, in both the Iliad and the Odyssey the gods often have absolute power over mortals. But, because Homer's gods are described neither as fully divine nor as fully human, they are sometimes bound by certain human limitations. This phenomenon is illustrated in one of the battles of the Iliad. Aphrodite, in an attempt to protect her son Aeneas, is wounded on the battlefield by Diomedes, who also wounds Ares. In his lament to Zeus upon returning to Olympus, Ares says, "We who are gods must forever endure the most horrible wounds, through mutual hatred, as we seek to give favor to mortals." (Iliad V, 873-874) Apart from its plaintive character, this statement is extremely important because it makes clear the relationship between gods and men in Homer's works. Ares, Aphrodite, Athena, and Apollo were drawn into this human battle due to an emotional attachment to a mortal in the field or “mutual hatred,” and were injured for physically taking part in the lives and conflicts of mortals. Significantly, the gods were only wounded; for mortals, however, the involvement of the gods (identified as "favor" by Ares), often has the unfortunate side effect of inciting further conflict between men, resulting in thousands more mortal deaths. The banality with which Hera offers Argos, Sparta and Mikenai that Zeus raids whenever they become “hateful to [his] heart” (Iliad IV, 52-53) is yet another example of the god's irreverent attitude towards human lives and not heroic. This dichotomy between the inconsequence of quarrels between the gods and the deadly consequences of those quarrels on mortals is accurately described by Odysseus when he says: “Of all that breathes and crawls on the earth, our mother earth brings forth nothing weaker than a man. As long as the gods grant him power, his knees bend, he thinks he will never suffer affliction throughout the years. But then, when the happy gods bring him long and difficult times, he must endure them, against his will, and harden his heart. Our lives, our moods and our minds as we cross the earth, turn as the days turn...as the father of men brings forth each day. (Odyssey XVIII, 150-158) In this quote, Odysseus describes the precariousness of human life: forever dependent on the whims of the fickle gods. By describing humans as “weak” creatures who “breathe” and “crawl” the earth, Odysseus highlights the miserable nature of mortal life. Its wording also serves to accentuate the absolute power that the gods have over humans. Odysseus' statement could also be interpreted as a warning against overconfidence, especially when considering his difficult nostos; warns that a man to whom the gods have "grant[ed]...power", should not think that his luck will last because when the "happy gods" make his life difficult, he will have to endure that too. By describing the gods as “happy” deities even though they inflict pain, Odysseus hints at the mercurial nature of the gods. Their whims have the power to transform a mortal's earthly reality from heaven to hell in an instant. Despite the nature of the gods, Odysseus urges mortals to "endure [the difficult times]...against his will, and harden his heart." Perhaps he encourages resistance because Odysseus sees this resignation to the whims of the gods as the burden of mortality. Mortals must submit simply because they are mortal; their fleeting lives “turn as the days pass,” and so if the gods “make every day arise,” mortals have no choice but to submit. However, the whims of the gods do not come without certain checks and balances; the nuanced bureaucracy of Olympus binds themactions of the gods in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. In the Iliad, the circumstances of Sarpedon's death suggest this divine policy. Just as Patroclus is about to kill Sarpedon, son of Zeus, Zeus laments aloud, saying, "It is fated that the dearest of men, Sarpedon, should die... The heart in my chest is balanced between two ways as I reflect , whether I should tear him away from the painful battle and put him back alive... or beat him at the hands of Menoitios' son (Iliad XVI, 433-438). Although Sarpedon is already "destined" to fall at the hands of Patroclus, Zeus still thinks of challenging destiny and to save Sarpedon. The inevitability implicit in the word "destiny" is denied by Zeus' lament; it seems that the gods can, in fact, challenge destiny other gods to stay the hand of Zeus. Similarly, in the Odyssey, Zeus orders Poseidon to let go of his grudge against Odysseus, wondering how Poseidon could "resist the will of all the gods at once - one god?" (Odyssey I, 93-95) This implies a “majority ruling” mentality, suggesting that a god's will, if not in line with most other gods, cannot hold. A similar situation occurs at the end of the Iliad: despite Achilles' best efforts to defile Hector's body, the body is preserved by the gods after a long debate on Olympus. Although most gods agree that Hector's pious body should be preserved, Hera disagrees, saying, "Hector is mortal and nursed at a woman's breast, while Achilleus is the son of a goddess ..." (Iliad XXIV, 56-59). Here Hera is in the minority and so Hector is returned to Priam. At a basic level, this system of majoritarian rules might resemble the United States Senate or House of Representatives, with two important and fundamental differences: the gods were not elected, and therefore cannot be trusted to have the interests of the gods at heart. deadly. They also do not serve for a specific period, as they are immortal. Therefore, this divine decision-making system raises two important questions: Are all events that happen on earth exclusively the work of the gods? Are the other gods the only thing keeping the gods in check? Although this divine rule may seem unilateral, the gods are not omnipotent; when questioning the role of the gods in the Iliad and the Odyssey, fate and destiny must also be taken into account. For example, when Zeus reluctantly chooses to let fate unfold regarding Sarpedon's death, a question regarding divine power is introduced: are destiny and fate truly inevitable, or do the gods simply choose to follow their decrees? In the Odyssey, Athena tells Telemachus that "not even the gods can defend a man, not even the one they love, that day when fate takes over and finally puts him out of action" (Odyssey III, 269-271), which would explain Zeus' compliance regarding Sarpedon's death. And, as Achilleus rages against Troy following the death of Patroclus, Zeus appeals to the gods, saying, "If we leave Achilles alone to fight with the Trojans, they will not be able to hold off [swift-footed Achilles] for a little while." ... I fear against fate that he may attack their fortress. (Iliad XX, 26-29) Although according to the prophecy Troy is destined to fall, Achilleus has yet to fulfill his individual destiny divine intervention to ensure that the path of destiny is followed. Another example occurs in the Odyssey when Zeus orders Calypso to free Odysseus. He orders Hermes to "announce to the nymph... our standing decree: Odysseus returns home ... so his fate?.