In Homer's epic poem The Iliad many men die, many men fight gloriously and live. Neither group did so without the assistance and mentoring of their respective gods or goddesses. The gods and goddesses of Greece helped impact and influence the outcome of wars in this certain culture and time period. Methods used by the gods were many and cunning. They were cunning in that each way had its own uniqueness and were very timely. The gods often took sides of battles and of individuals, they helped to produce the outcome by either interfering or giving extra help and power to a person or group of persons.
             The gods of the Iliad impacted the story greatly. Zeus for example often used his powers and authority to help the side he wanted to succeed. "But Zeus drove a swirl of panic deep in their lines and down from vaulting skies released a shower raining blood" Pg 298 Lines 60-61. Knowing Zeus was helping the other side the made the men panic and worry because they weren't only fighting a great army but a god. It is the influences like this that effect the way a man is going to fight. These soldiers would not want to fight they would want to run and try to survive.
             Soldiers would be influenced not only by the sight and knowledge of a god aiding them, but by the rumor of a god helping an individual. Soldiers would pray for protection and guidance in battle, even if the men did not get the protection from the god they prayed to, they would still fight like he were possessed by a god. Even by not praying to their gods these people believed that the gods would punish them but not helping and actually helping the other side. This cultured related ritual of having to pray gave many men fear of making a god angry by not participating so all men essentially thought they were being helped by a god.
             The gods used many techniques to get what they wanted in this novel. They used the tactic of tricking or out maneuvering the othe...