Divine Intervention In The Iliad

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The Iliad and The Odyssey are epic poems written by Homer, telling the stories of the heroes: Akhilleus, the strongest man in the Akhaian army, fighting in the Trojan War, and Odysseus, the cleverest man in the army, who is trying to get home after that war. The gods often intervene, shaping the lives of the characters. Divine intervention in The Iliad and The Odyssey exists to characterize the statuses of the mortals and the gods. The gods remind the mortals of their power over them through divine intervention, elevating the statuses of the gods and reinforcing their superiority. The gods are vengeful and unforgiving, and demonstrate that the mortals are completely at their mercy. Poseidon hinders Odysseus’s journey home because he “‘bears …show more content…

Greater gods reside at the top, followed by lesser gods, greater mortals, and lesser mortals. Athena “gave no overpowering aid” since “father and son must prove their mettle” during the fight with the suitors and only steps in to save her allies from death (Odyssey 22.263, 264). Odysseus must prove his superiority over common men like the suitors, characterizing him as a greater mortal. Even so, the lives of the humans are in Athena’s hands as she makes decisions, like casting away the shots of the suitors or fighting on Odysseus’s behalf. Her power over even the greatest of mortals shows her own superiority on the hierarchy as a god. Similarly, Hera and Hêphaistos step in to save Akhilleus: they “‘lend a hand’” (Iliad. 21.390). They demonstrate their dominance over everyone involved. Hera and Hêphaistos have power to control the fates of mortals, like protecting and helping Akhilleus, while exercising power over other gods, like overruling Xánthos, thus establishing the hierarchy. Greater gods can control everyone. Lesser gods can control all humans. Greater humans can control lesser humans. However, even the high-ranking gods still intervene in Akhilleus’s life, showing his importance despite his place on the hierarchy. The hierarchy dictates who is powerful, not who is

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