Explication Of a Passage from "The Odyssey"

Whose Odyssey? The Odyssey is the story of the voyage home of the champion Odysseus, but it is also the story of the gods. At many points in the story, their interference has a significant impact on the hero. It is the god Poseidon who prevents him from returning home for a full decade, and it is the goddess Athena who helps him finally get there. It sometimes seems as if Odysseus himself has only …

…get a picture of arbitrary power being exercised over the human being. What can he possibly do when there is an all-powerful god influencing events? On the other hand, Athena's role in the story demonstrates the duality of the system. The behavior of man affects how he will be treated; should he be virtuous, help will reach him when he most needs it; should he be found wanting, nothing will save him from his fate.