The Concept Of Revenge And Humanity In Greek And Roman Mythology

While ideologies about relationships and judgment have changed over the course of history, Greek and Roman mythology continue to thrive and persist. From retold originals, such as the Odyssey, to brand new recreations of the gods in books such as those of the Percy Jackson series, Greek and Roman mythology allow for an alternate perspective of the forces of life that provide a deeper understanding of human nature. One of the most important aspects of human nature, the desire for revenge or vengeance, is best developed through these stories, and the difference between personal retaliation versus punishment for a crime continue to mystify even the most elite scholars of the age.

Revenge and vengeance are not the same, contrary to popular belief.

After the Titan War, when Zeus became the king of the gods, he gave Prometheus the task of creating creatures to inhabit the world. When Prometheus created man, he gifted humanity with fire, both physical fire and mental fire of knowledge. However, with this new intelligence and tool for survival, they became proud and began ignoring the gods. Zeus was a proud god, so “[he] had resolved, with the aid and approval of his fellow-gods, to mete out an overwhelming punishment to man. This was the creation of woman!” (Guerber 22). Through woman (Pandora) Zeus introduced humans to disease and pain, effectively punishing them for neglecting to worship the gods. Prometheus was chained to rock to be eaten by vultures by day and heal by night so the process could begin again the next morning. Some might explain Zeus’ harsh punishment for the two as justice, a fair exchange for the crimes committed against Zeus, but in this situation, there are two aspects to these punishments. When Zeus punishes Prometheus, justice is involved there because Prometheus gave humans the fire that lead to their disobedience and continued to support them even after they rejected Zeus. However, the punishment humans received was completely an act of revenge on Prometheus because the humans were ignorant and could not have helped that they became proud. Prometheus even fashioned them “resembling the high gods

It is relevant to note that the Romans did not actually write many myths of their own, but rather adapted Greek stories as they applied to their culture. For example, Hera became Juno in Roman mythology, Zeus became Jupiter, and Heracles became Hercules. However, Roman ideology surrounding retribution is visible in their culture which is completely based on these adapted myths. This can be seen in the case of the Vestal Virgins. Vestal Virgins were meant to be the image of chastity, sexual purity, and served the goddess of the hearth, Vesta. If they broke the requirements of sexual purity while serving the goddess, they were imprisoned for a few days with limited provisions in an underground chamber. Once an allotted period had passed, soldiers would seal the chamber permanently, essentially burying her whether or not she was still alive (Nardo "Seven Champions"). This may seem harsh to many today, but for the Romans, it was a just punishment for dishonoring the goddess. However, it could be an instance of revenge if the accused virgin offended someone and they happened to be the person who caught her having sexual relations. The context of the situation and the relationships between the characters are the determining factors in deciding whether or not there is a personal vendetta behind a