The Iliad Uncomeplete
In Homer’s The Iliad the roles of the Greek gods and goddesses in the Trojan War often involve the death and treachery of mortals. The gods usually decide who dies and who lives, and they determine the mental will of a person, but ultimately it is Fate that governs what happens to an individual. Only thinking of themselves, the immortal gods cannot relate to death or human affairs and often give little thought to the value of human life. The gods’ and goddesses’ influence on the life of mortals, whether it is deciding the victor of a battle, the winner of a race, or fulfillment of one’s destiny, never strays from the character’s inevitable Fate.The gods of The Iliad play a crucial role in determining later happenings or the fulfillment of mortal destinies. A mortal’s Fate dictates his entire life, everything important he will do is already set, it is only how and when he does these things that the gods control. Because of this plan the gods must keep everything together by balancing their own actions and the mortals. When Agamemnon will not return Chrysies Apollo sets a plague upon the Achaeans. Because it is prophesied that Troy will fall, Hera must intervene through Calchas the seer to prevent the archer-god from decimating th . . .
This mistake could have been a great tragedy and caused many unneeded deaths. They can do this by giving power to a person or group, dealing death to a person, or altering opinions or feelings. In comparison to the severe decisions of life and death in battle, the gods also play a part in games and less serious competition. The gods must always comply with a mortal's fate, so even if Athena had not seen the battle and missed the fatal spear another god would have saved Odysseus. Apollo’s extreme pride is exemplified when Achilles holds an archery challenge. In the games following the funeral of Patroclus, the gods show that they will show mercy and favoritism if one of the mortals prays to them. Also, when Achilles is about to kill Agamemnon, Athena “[leaves] from heaven…in hopes of bringing [Achilles] to his senses” (Homer 28). In this manner, both Athena and Apollo use their power to foul the other mortals so that their favorite can win the chariot race. For example, Hera seduces Zeus and lulls him into a slumber with the help of Sleep. The intervention of the gods can decides how a battle develops, whether or not certain warriors will live or die, and how those who perish will do so. In the race between Aias and Odysseus, Odysseus lifted “up a silent prayer to Athene of the Flashing Eyes, [saying] hear me, goddess. Tuecer and Meriones are chosen to compete in the contest, but because “he had forgotten to promise [Apollo] a pleasing sacrifice of firstling lambs” Apollo does not allow him to hit the target (435). Along with requiring prayers and sacrifices to help a mortal succeed, some times the gods will take matters into their own hands for nothing more than self-enjoyment.
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