The Humaness of Iliad's Gods

The gods of The Iliad behavior is more humanly than godly. The gods are endowed with human emotions and physical characteristics. The anthropomorphic gods live in a society similar to humans in a patriarchal system with Zeus as the patriarch. Analogous to humans, gods have an array of emotions. Gods are envious, selfish, devious, and exhibit partiality toward the mortals they favor. Gods squabble, meddle, deceive, scheme, and beguile mortals as well as other gods. Gods have colorful, multifaceted, but not always revered personal qualities. Resembling humans gods have vulnerabilities, virtues, and vices that are manipulated by emotions. Emotions govern gods’ behavior, which influences their decision-making thus affecting the lives of mortals.

Ancient Greeks believe gods share similarities of humans (Gods). Although gods of The Iliad possess emotions and physical characteristics of humans, the gods are not human. Differing from humans, the gods have amazing supernatural powers, eternal beauty, and are immortal. Gods assume human form when they wish to mingle among humans unnoticed. Gods watch, listen, and participate in human affairs. Gods speak to humans directly, send a messenger, or assume the form of a trusted friend to communicate with mortals. Gods also send messages in dreams. When emotionally pleased or dismayed gods send omens such as thunderclaps or sudden appearances of birds or animals, which appear atypical to the mortals who witness the occurrences (Lefkowitz 83). Humans, even god-like Achilles, possess no comparable divine qualities.

The gods of The Iliad emotions cause them to behave human-like interacting with mortals and other gods. Gods often quarrel among themselves, but usually do not hold grudges. Before long the gods are back to feasting and sleeping soundly (Lefkowitz 83). Achilles’ rage persists throughout The Iliad until his rage is pacified by restoration of his honor. Gods of The Iliad, as all gods, maintain a sense of obligation to their followers, but the gods are swayed by emotions.

Possessing emotions The Iliad gods do not always behave very holy. The gods of The Iliad differ from the Judeo-Christian god. The Judeo-Christian god is based on the foundation of being loving, kind, and morally exemplary. ”But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:24). Greek gods are not based on any moral code. There is no belief that leading a good life will bring rewards either in this life or the afterlife. Mortals believe it is necessary to appease gods to obtain what they want and believe it is possible to offend gods bringing divine retribution (Arnott 40). Because gods have emotions, mortals must indulge the gods’ emotions to succeed and be favored.

Greeks worship many gods creating a polytheism society (Ancient). Various gods have their own purpose and attributes. Each god governs his or her own domain. Zeus, father of gods, is the god of sky. Apollo is the god of archery. The gods have total control over their domain, but gods’ supernatural power is restricted by fate. The gods’ ability to alter fate is limited to their own domain such as Apollo can unleash blazing arrows to attack ships, but Apollo cannot provoke the skies to storm violently to sink ships. Gods must negotiate with other gods to intervene in fate outside their domain, however; gods still intervene in human affairs. The gods’ intervention in human affairs is called deus ex machina or divine intervention. The gods are restrained only by fate (Lefkowitz 54). Even when gods meddle in human affairs and fate is delayed, what is fated to be will inevitably occur.

While one god tries to help a mortal, another god may be persecuting the mortal. Apollo loves Hector and Athena hates Hector. Achilles wonders if it is a god’s intervention letting Hector escape him, “and how could Hector have fled the fates of death so long. How unless one last, one final time Apollo had swept in close behind him, driving strength in his legs and knees to race the wind (XXII.241-244). Athena assumes the form of Deiphobus and entices Hector to face Achilles. As fate closes in Hector realizes Athena tricked him. Apollo and Athena both intervene in fate to serve personal motives. Regardless of the gods’ intervention, the course of fate is preordained. Father Zeus holds out the sacred golden scale and places two fates of death. As fate intervenes, Apollo abandons Hector knowing nothing can stop fate.

In The Iliad there is the perception gods intervene in human affairs to serve personal motives. However, another perspective is gods intervene to ensure the hand of fate is served. The gods know ultimately they cannot change fate, but the temptation to meddle is often too great for the gods to resist being emotional (Arnott 39). In Book XVIII, Hera concern for Patroclus fallen body causes her to send a messenger to advise Achilles to arm. Other gods on Olympus are unaware that Hera’s manipulation causes twelve men to die in the Trojan War. The gods believe their interference does not change fate drastically, but keeps fate on the right track after mortals and sometimes well-meaning gods meddle as Hera does (Arnott 39). When Patroclus defies Achilles’ command and fights Hector, Achilles is compelled to return to battle to avenge Patroclus death; but at the same time Achilles leads the Achaeans to victory. Troy’s fate is to fall to the Achaeans.

Although gods intervene in human affairs regularly, the gods are not held accountable for their intervention in mortals’ lives (Gods). Gods’ intervention is accepted as a natural occurrence like hurricanes or tornados are accepted as ”acts of god” – blameless, unavoidable. Mortals would never think to question gods for divine intervention anymore than Judeo-Christians blame their god when bad things happen to good people. Gods actively participate and intervene in the daily affairs of mortals. The gods’ intervention is unavoidable for mortals. The acceptance of a god’s intervention occurs frequently during The Iliad. Even Achilles does not defy the will of the gods when Zeus, who pities Hector, decrees Achilles must relinquish Hector’s body to the Trojans in Book XXIV.

Nothing invokes emotions like war. Warriors are filled with rage, hate, love, and sorrow. The aforementioned emotions are also reflected in the gods. The gods refuse impartiality and takes sides in the war. The Trojan War is between the gods and the Trojans or Achaeans as much as it is between the Trojans and Achaeans. Thetis using her wiles convinces Zeus to destroy the Achaeans troops. Zeus overwhelmed by obligation to Thetis for saving his life perpetuates the death of many Achaeans. In Book I, Apollo siding with the Trojans unleashes arrows on the Achaeans after being slighted by Agamemnon refusal to return the daughter of Apollo’s priest. Apollo intervention in the death of Patroclus causes Achilles to return to battle placing fate back on track.

Hate leads the gods to facilitate and participate in killings. Apollo frenzied with abhor for Patroclus and admiration for Hector strips Patroclus’ helmet and breastplate in Book XVI. Experiencing hate is a dangerous emotion for god causing superior gods to reap divine retribution on mortals who are defenseless against the superhuman power of gods.

The gods’ impartiality towards mortals is evident when mortals pray to an unsympathetic god. The gods do not answer prayers for mortals even if the mortals sacrifice and pray faithfully. The gods only answers the prays of mortals they favor. Athena blatantly refuses to hear Theano’ prays because Theano is praying for the Trojans in Book VI.

The gods seem human as they exhibit a myriad of emotions throughout The Iliad. The anthropomorphic quality does not lessen the superiority of gods or imply gods are humans. The gods revel in the fact they are superior to mortals and “god status” afford gods with privileges mortals envy. Emotions endow gods with an added advantage allowing gods to empathize with mortals through emotions mortals and gods both possess. The humanness of gods not only let gods understand mortals, but mortals understand gods.

Works Cited

Ancient Greek Religion. Paganism: Past & Present. 18 Feb 2005.
Arnott, Peter. An Introduction to the Greek World. NY: Minerva Press, 1967.
God & Goddess. THC Class Room. History Channel. 28 Feb 2005.
Holy Bible. King James Version. TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 1997.
Lefkowitz, Mary. Greek Gods, Human Lives What We Can Learn From Myths. CT: Yale University Press, 2003.
Homer. The Iliad. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Lawall, Sarah and Mack, Maynard. 7th. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., Inc., 1999. 104-209.