Fate In The Iliad

What would convince you to let your child die? Money? Fame? Power? Zeus has all of these, and more. Yet, in book 16 of the Iliad, when faced with the choice to save his son or watch him meet his painful, violent fate in battle, he chooses the latter (16.545). Hera successfully convinces Zeus, the most powerful Greek god, to watch passively as his beloved son is slain. Zeus does nothing to help Sarpedon though he easily could have rushed him out of harm’s way. Why does he choose this? Was it because Sarpedon was fated to die? Initially, it may seem like Zeus defers to fate, but a closer reading suggests otherwise. The passage makes it clear that fate is an illusion and has no real power over the gods.

The text begins to reveal the

emptiness of fate when Hera emphasizes flattery and logic over fate to influence Zeus. Hera begins her appeal to Zeus with flattery, calling him “[d]read majesty,” a term showing his superiority, and “son of Cronos,” which associates him with the power Cronos possessed (16.523). Hera is a master manipulator, and she knows that the best way to talk to someone with power is to. She warns Zeus that “if [he] send[s] Sarpedon home, living still, beware! Then surely some other god will want to sweep/ his son clear of the heavy fighting too—,” (16.529-?). Hera reasons that if Zeus saves Sarpedon he will establish a precedent, and the other gods will follow suit. This would be disastrous, since, as she observes “[m]any who battle round King Priam’s mighty walls are sons of the deathless gods,” (16.524). Although the foundation of Hera’s argument is logical, she mentions fate when she points out that Sarpedon’s “doom was sealed long ago,” (16.524). This is clearly a minor point to Hera. She does not reinforce it with potential consequences, as she does with her other points; she does not mention fate in the remainder of her speech. Hera uses logic again for her final arguments, stating that Zeus would “inspire lethal anger in them all,” if he chooses to save his son (16.534). Lethal anger implies violence, meaning the possibility of a revolt of “them all,” the other gods. Hera knows that a god as powerful as Zeus fears a loss of that power. Should a conflict between Zeus and all the other gods arise, it is possible that Zeus would be dethroned. Hera then appeals to Zeus’ need for glory by saying “none of the deathless gods will ever praise [him],” if he saves Sarpedon (16.528). This argument plays to Zeus’ desire to be glorified. Hera reasons that as much as Zeus loves his son, he loves his own power and glory more. These arguments form the cornerstone of her plea to Zeus, because she appeals to his greed with logical points. Her words accomplish their purpose. After her passionate speech, “the father of men and gods complied at once,” (16.544-545). Zeus is quick to realize the validity of Hera’s points, and makes his decision immediately.
The existence of Zeus’ decision further demonstrates fate’s lack of substance.

Although Zeus refers to his own “cruel fate,” it clearly doesn’t control him (16.514). His “heart is torn in two,” as he weighs whether he will defy fate and save “the man [he] love[s] the most” or “beat him down at Patroclus’ hands,” (16.515, 521). If fate were a power above the gods, Zeus would not have this choice to save his son: the man “doomed to die” (16.516). Additionally, Hera, rather than trusting fate, is concerned. She shows this when she “protested strongly,” with “her eyes wide,” Zeus’ suggestion that he might save Sarpedon (16.522). If fate is as powerful as the gods pretend it is, she could trust it to ensure Sarpedon’s death. Instead, she realizes the implications of Zeus’ choice and protests. Hera does not dispute the fact that what happens to Sarpedon is up to Zeus, but rather reinforces it, saying “do as you please, Zeus…” (16.526). Hera reveals her real opinion of fate with this comment. If she thought fate had any power, she would not acknowledge that the decision was

Zeus’.
The exchange between Zeus and Hera in this passage illustrates a difference between how fate is seen and how it really works.

Both cite fate in their dialogue, but neither gives it much credit. Hera does not warn Zeus of the dangers of fighting against fate, but instead puts her trust in power and logic. Zeus makes his decision only after Hera points out the reasons why saving Patroclus would be detrimental to his status, not when she reminds him that Sarpedon is fated to die. The passage reveals fate is to be nothing but a penciled-in plan—one that the gods can defy at their whim. This has profound implications for the rest of the text. Mortal men in the Iliad frequently struggle with their fate, but never challenge it. They see fate as an immovable object, something that can be resisted but never defied outright. If fate is as empty as the text suggests, these men are blindly following the gods’ fickle desires when they could be controlling their own lives. They follow fate to war and to their deaths. Without this illusion leading them, how would the story change? Would there be one? Only the gods

know.