How Does Homer Present Zeus As An Authority Figure In The Iliad

Zeus, the God of all Gods, has full reign over mankind, yet his supreme power is only a single trait to his complex character. In The Iliad, Homer depicts Zeus as a humanlike authority figure, who is just and fair, but ultimately detached from reality because of his divinity.

Zeus’ imposing and firm personality illuminates his authoritative role towards not only his children, but also other Gods and mortals. The first sign of Zeus as the leader, is after he accepts Thetis’s request to restore Achilles’s honor. Although he faced immediate backlash from Hera, he reminded her sternly that “all the gods on Olympus” would not be able to help her if she angered him (1.599). This simple speech from Zeus proves that he makes the final decisions,

just as a king would, regardless of other people’s opinion. Furthermore, many of the gods attempted to rebel and intervene into the war, but like Hera and Athena in Book 5, they are afraid of “fighting with Zeus, for the sake of mere mortals” (8.440). These two goddesses are the ultimate meddlers in the Trojan war. However, they both understand that Zeus’ wrath is not worth the fight and therefore retreat to their thrones instead. This retreat of gods from the war occurs several times throughout The Iliad and amplifies the strength and power that Zeus has over both immortals and mortals. Simultaneously, there are scenes that depict Zeus as an authority figure in a softer limelight. The gods often come back to him when they are seeking approval or help. Such as in Book 5, when Athena comes to Zeus for permission to fight with Ares on the battlefield. On the other hand, the mortals pray to him for guidance and help when they are in need. Both men and gods revere Zeus as a king and a father regardless of which side they are on.
Although Zeus is usually firm in his decisions, his job as supreme ruler requires him to merciful and just.

For instance, Zeus decided to uphold his promise to Thetis above all else and even let his son whom he loved “more than any man” die during the war (16.472). Zeus could have easily intervened to change the fate of his beloved son, Sarpedon. Yet he knew that he must also hold himself accountable not to intervene, just as he expected others to. This illustrates how just he is as a God, for following the same standards that he laid out for the other divinities. Subsequently, he attempts to make sure that fate is aligned regardless of divine interventions. For instance: he lets fate confirm the Trojans battle victories by weighing out each side on his “golden scales” (8.74). Even though he promised Thetis to assist the Trojans, Zeus wanted to reconfirm that he was being fair in his war decisions. He didn’t want his intervention to translate into a complete overhaul of the Greeks in a single battle. Zeus’ mercifulness comes into play when he helps Priam ransom back Hector’s body. Zeus knew that Achilles must avenge Patroclus but understands the importance of Hector’s body to his family. Therefore, Zeus sent down Hermes to guide Priam to Achilles to ensure his safety. Zeus could have either let Achilles mutilate Hector’s body without returning it to his family or let the Trojans steal the body back. Nevertheless, Zeus wanted to respect Hector’s body while forming a

“friendship” with Thetis and Achilles (24.120). This display of consideration from Zeus is both merciful and fair. Often, the gods just do as they please because of their superior powers to humans. Zeus, on the other hand, exemplifies in this single gesture that he is not without compassion for others even if they are inferior to him. Zeus is not only merciful to the humans though, he also is very lenient in his relationship with Hera and the other gods. Time after time, the gods have defied his orders in staying out of the war, but Zeus does not actually punish anyone for revolting against him. His decision to try to understand their reason why instead, demonstrates his ability to be fair in judgment.
Despite all else, Zeus’ carefree and spontaneously unpredictable attitude towards the lives of mortals is what makes him disconnected as a God.

As mentioned previously, Zeus’ character is complex because he changes his colors like a chameleon. Zeus is extremely compassionate sometimes about toying with mortals. However, there are times where he seems less than concerned about the lives being lost during the Trojan war. These moments of indifference illustrate the gap in hierarchy between Zeus and the mortals. For example: Zeus constantly attempted to control the interference of gods and goddesses in the Trojan War. Yet when Achilles rejoined the war, Zeus suddenly decided that it was okay to also let the gods wage in on the war. He even watched from his “crevice” in Olympus with “pleasure”, as if the war was a form of entertainment (20.24-25). Zeus’ enjoyment of watching death and absolute chaos on the battlefield exemplifies how minute he considers the lives of humans to be. Similarly, at the beginning of Homer’s epic when the long war is still raging on, Zeus decides to join in on a feast with the other gods after quarreling with Hera. The image of humans on earth fighting until the death while Zeus and his children “feasted to their hearts’ content” is a stark reality portraying the lives of both sides (1.634). Zeus might obtain humanlike emotions and qualities, but at the end of the day, he is still a God who has control over the fates of humans. Another instance of

spontaneity and indifference is in Book Four, when Zeus decides to send Athena down to the battlefield to provoke the Trojans to break the truce after Menelaus won. Zeus could have easily ended the war by not caving into Hera’s comments and realize the amount of human lives he would save instead. Nevertheless, he decides to follow Hera’s request and ultimately extends the war time between the Trojans and the Greeks. His decision in this situation captures the ideal that he doesn’t understand how severe the consequences are for others when he spontaneously decides to alter the outcome of events.
Zeus’ character is a ball of contradictions. This can be attributed to his nature of acting on impulse or emotions despite knowing the fate of those beneath him. He does have a master plan and can guide those who are lost in the right direction. However, his personality adjusts to the dynamics of each situation rather than remaining the same. Nevertheless, he empowers others through his strength, compassion, and authority. He might not always be able to comprehend the power that his decisions hold, but he does follow through with what he feels is best.