The Homeric Gods

Often when one thinks of a god, an almost immediate association with powers and miracles comes to mind. Gods, over time, have been portrayed as almighty beings who contribute to historical events ranging from uncontrollable Earthly forces to the outcome of a treacherous battle. We know much today of legends and myths because of oral tradition passed from friend to friend, family to family, and culture to culture. Writers and poets are highly responsible, as …

…change the characters’ actions and thoughts in The Iliad again and again, but they cannot permanently alter their ability to make decisions. From the immortal perspective of the Greek god, the Trojan War, and everything related to it, served only a passing adventure in the great expanse of time. Consequently, even with the manipulation of the gods, The Iliad holds true to its focus as a story of the mortal people, not of the divine.