Zeus In The Iliad Research Paper

Zeus, the king of gods and husband of most beautiful lady Hera, is the big important character in Homer’s Iliad. Even though Zeus claims that he is neutral in the mortals’ conflict, he is the reason for the Trojan War. Eventually, he tries to keep the other gods from participating in it. He could end the war in peace sparing a lot of innocent lives instead of ending it with hate. Although he is a god, he is also human. From Dante’s perception, he should get the right punishment for his actions in the Trojan War. I would put Zeus in Treacherous because he goes against his own people. Even though Zeus favors Greeks, he has traitorous behavior over his people. We can observe when he responded Thetis, mother of Achilles appeal by turning the battle against Greeks, so that they will honor Achilles. Zeus

For an example, he didn’t take any action to save his favorite son, Sarpedon. Zeus watches the fight between Patroclus and Sarpedon and says, “Fate has it that Sarpedon, whom I love more than any man, is to be killed by Patroclus” (16.471-2). This example shows us, even though he loves his son so much he can’t save him from dying. Yet I think there is no father in the world can see his son dying in someone’s hands. Furthermore, he could easily save his son from Patroclus hands with his great godly power, rather he watches him dying with pity. Sarpedon doesn’t deserve to die because his father, Zeus is the king of the gods. We can observe Zeus’s betrayal where he sets fate for other man but he can’t save his own son. From the beginning to end of the book Zeus only values his wife, Hera. At Hera’s insistence, he even allows his beloved son to die. In Dante imaginary world, he sees sinners in treacherous who betray with their own people or even family. So for Zeus Kindred would be the right place where souls are locked in a frozen embrace, and eat one’s another