Divine Power in the Religions of Ancient Greece

             Most religions have some divine being or beings. Some religions focus on one god or higher power while others have multiple gods. Usually, a god is omnipotent or all-powerful if he or she acts alone versus various gods who usually have respective limited powers. The Christian religion has a central being that is all-powerful and controls every aspect of mankind from fate among the living to the outcome of one after he has perished whereas the Greek religion has many gods, some more powerful than others, but none can alter the fate or destiny of mankind. The home of gods and goddesses in Greek religion are also comparable to that of the Christians. Greek gods reside on Mount Olympus, in a region of Greece called Thessaly whereas the Christian God, for example, resides in heaven. Is there only one true God, or do many gods exist, and if so, do they possess divine powers? The answers to these questions are purely subjective, but the ancient Greeks have their own opinion as seen in Homer's The Odyssey. This essay will discuss the divine power in Greek Religion and also explore it's comparison to the Christian religion.
             To understand the divine power of Greek gods and goddesses one must first be able to understand the gods themselves. Although there were many gods, only twelve were known as the chief gods or the Olympians as the ancient Greeks commonly referred to them. The chief gods were Zeus, principal ruler of the Olympians and the human race; his wife Hera, guardian of marriage; Hephaestus, god of fire and metalworkers; Athena, goddess of wisdom and war; Apollo, god of light, poetry, and music; Artemis, goddess of wildlife and the moon; Ares, god of war; Aphrodite, goddess of love; Hestia, goddess of the hearth; and Hermes, messenger of the gods and he also ruled over science and innovation. The before mentioned gods ruled the heavens while Demeter, goddess of agriculture; and Poseidon, god of the sea and land ruled the earth.
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Divine Power in the Religions of Ancient Greece. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 06:44, April 25, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/38151.html