The Epic Of The Odyssey By Homer, The King, Father Of Gods...

Zeus is portrayed as the all-powerful holder of the golden scales, the king, father, husband and ruler of the gods of Olympus. His role as the purveyor of fate is repeatedly demonstrated throughout The Iliad, guiding battles to ensure the desired outcome of the Moirae. There are limitations on his power as in all his many roles, however the main is fate. To maintain his dominion over the gods and by extension the mortal realm he is forced stand by and watch his mortal child die a fated death whilst he cries tears of blood. Zeus in his guise as the â€Å"father of gods and men†, (Homer, Iliad XI. 182) holds to a familiar human paternal power base. His power within his family structure ensures the ongoing aid of his children acting as his intermediaries to shape the outcome of the Trojan conflict to ensure the resultant dispute follows the dictates of fate, such as when he orders Athena to ensure the Trojans are the first to break their oath during the truce (Homer, Iliad IV. 70-2). These words are initially spoken by Hera (Homer, Iliad IV. 64-7), and the very act of Zeus choosing to obey Hera can be viewed as a limitation, a sign that the Homeric Zeus has been domesticated in comparison to the Zeus provided by tradition (Alvis 1995, 5). This is exemplified in the open expressions of fatherly love towards his â€Å"own son, shining Sarpedon† (Homer, Iliad XV. 67). In describing Sarpedon as â€Å"the dearest of men† (Homer, Iliad XVI. 433) Zeus has set the tone of a loving father, onlyShow MoreRelatedTheme of Revenge in Homers Odyssey Essay878 Words   |  4 PagesHomer’s The Odyssey is not just a tale of a man’s struggle on his journey home from the Trojan War, but of his struggle from the consequences of revenge. The Odyssey weaves in different characters’ tales of revenge from the gods and what impact revenge actually had on those characters. Revenge is an important underlying theme in The Odyssey because, in essence, it explains why Odysseus’ journey was so prolonged and treacherous. A few examples of revenge in the poem include Orestes’ revenge onRead MoreEssay about Homers The Odyssey1646 Words   |  7 PagesHomers The Odyssey The Odyssey is a companion to The Iliad, a story of the Trojan War. Both The Iliad and The Odyssey are epic poems written by Homer. In The Odyssey, Homer relates the misadventures of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, that occur during the decade following the defeat of Troy. In doing so, the fates of his fellow warriors are also made known. The Odyssey begins on Mount Olympus, in the palace of Zeus, king of the gods, where a discussion takes place regarding the woes of humans andRead MoreThe Iliad and the Odyssey1510 Words   |  7 Pagesand the Odyssey are two classic stories told by Homer. Within these two stories the roles of the gods are very important to the story line and how they affect the characters throughout. In the Iliad, more gods are involved with the characters whereas in the Odyssey there are only two major gods that affect two major characters. The roles of the gods in the Iliad are through two different stances of immortal versus immortal and mortal versus immortal. The ro les of the gods in the Odyssey are throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s Odyssey, The Epic Of The Classical Era Essay1585 Words   |  7 PagesAssignment 1 Prompt 1 Homer’s Odyssey is one of the many epic of the classical era to give an detailed overlook on the relationship between humans and gods. Odyssey is not just an adventure story about a king struggling to get back home after having gone to war; nor is it one about a son searching for his father after rumors say that he has been dead for many years. The events that take place in Homer’s Odyssey are heavily influenced by the Greek Gods. One can see how the gods interaction with humans affectsRead MoreSundiata Essay971 Words   |  4 Pages Epics Sundiata was written in Africa. Gilgamesh was the oldest one written. Other works include the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were written by the blind prophet Homer. What do all these works of literature have in common with each other? The similarity that all these works of literature have is that they are all epics. What does this mean? What is an epic? The definition of an epic is that an epic is a long, narrative poem with a hero that goes on a quest. What is the hero? Well, the characteristicsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Odyssey 1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe Adventure The Odyssey is one of many great stories passed down through time. The story is written in dactylic hextameter, opening up in the middle of all the action. Experts believe that it dates back to around 700 BC; placing the story about ten years after the Trojan War. The story is about Odysseus, King of Ithica, and his journey to get back to the land of Ithica. Throughout the story there are several themes including: power of the gods, hospitality, and the maturation of Telemachus fromRead MoreSimilarities and Differences in the Aeneid and the Odyssey.1418 Words   |  6 PagesBoth the Odyssey and the Aeneid describe the journeys of the two Greek heroes –Odysseus and Aeneas, as they struggle towards their goal through the crises and deadly situations caused by the wrath of the gods upon them. In the Odyssey, we see that Poseidon (god of the sea/earth shaker) has a grudge against Odysseus while Athena, god of wisdom, aids him throughout his journey. Similarly in the Aeneid, we s ee that goddess Juno dislikes Aeneas as he is destined to destroy the city of Carthage lovedRead MoreEssay An Epic Odyssey1544 Words   |  7 PagesThe stories of epic heroes remain important to many cultures, the Greeks in particular. These tales of heroic men not only entertain, but they teach people about morals and values that most epic heroes exemplify, such as intelligence and bravery. To be an epic hero, characters are usually highly born, favored by the gods, perform great deeds, and have flaws. These tales are told in heightened style and occur in grand settings. Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, meets these traits and is considered a primeRead MoreThe Odyssey : Defying Hospitality Essay1303 Words   |  6 Pages15 November 2016 The Odyssey : Defying Hospitality Throughout the development of humanity, the random group of societies have been historically all-equipped to deal with challenges the state of disorganization is not conducive to advancement of society due to the chaotic nature of existence on planet earth. Humans have to impose will on a chaotic world. One way they can do this is through culturally perceived definitions of hospitality. In the Odyssey, written by Homer, Odysseus experiencesRead MoreKleos in The Odyssey by Homer938 Words   |  4 PagesTHE ODYSSEY Heroic glory occupies a very crucial place in the Indo-European epic tradition, because the Greek society is a shame culture, in which being honoured is one of the primary purposes of people s lives. Hence, the concept of kleos formed an essential part of the bardic tradition which helped the people to maintain the heroic stature of the mythical heroes from generation to generation. This is why, it has got an important place in the Greek epics also. In The Odyssey by Homer also