Belief Systems In Ancient Greek And Roman Civilization

Impact of Belief Systems in Ancient Times
Greek and Roman Civilization through works of Homer
People rarely like their lives controlled by anyone, but most people would usually be fine if gods played a part role in their existence. A prominent example of this would be during ancient era of the Greek and Troy civilizations. Both sides shared similar views of their many gods even if the names are different. For instance, Venus is the Roman version of Aphrodite, and Cronus is the Greek version for Saturn. Every minute of their lives was believed to be determined by these Olympian Gods. Two epics that exhibit how gods impacted Greek and Roman life include The Iliad and The Odyssey, both written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald, since they express traits and activities that were dictated by the gods. God’s roles were dilated since they controlled people through predestined fates, explanations for everything, and support in times of misery. Gods were
given to almost everything imaginable from the ocean to sexual desire. When Greeks couldn’t explain what they knew they resorted to gods for answers. Names such as Poseidon and Hephaestus are only two of many gods, but they both play an important role in Greek and Roman life by the way they control their own aspects of life. All these gods were thought to be working together in foretelling each individual’s fate in a form of convoluted fashion. “Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending,...after he plundered the stronghold on the proud height of Troy,” (Odyssey V. 1-5). The opening quote to book one shows that it’s not only he that disobeyed the laws proclaimed by the gods. He follows their customs and would be punished in a series of events that anyone would regret. However, the people were not the only ones to quarrel with the gods, the gods quarreled amongst themselves as well. Every once in a while gods would cross the line and repudiate one another, which lead to separation and hatred of each other that could be easily defined in the Trojan War with the gods picking sides. Depending on what side a god picked, that side then would have some sort of advantage against the enemy. Although the gods participated in the war in helping either side, they’d rather not fight each other individually, but use people as a puppet or to influence the other side. This realization lead to frightened people on both sides since their fates and lives were more important to them than anything else.
Imagine if your life was determined by something you follow and/or “see” on a daily basis and if you were to have a fault then there goes your life. Not only did the gods for guidance, but the people of both civilizations. All these gods for every little thing can make it pretty chaotic between each other as well as humans. Yet people relied on with their lives on these gods doesn’t mean they were sweet or obeyed their commands all the time. Agamemnon angered Apollo by disregarding the plea of a follower of Apollo;therefore, making “The son of Zeus by Leto” answer the prayers of the priest who razed Agamemnon troops with illness and death (Iliad I. 10-15). That individual fear put upon the people was just enough to keep the gods influential and important to everyday society. An example influenced the two most heroic figures in Greek and Roman culture, Achilles and Hector. Both were destined to die by each other's hand on the same day during a battle before each of them were born, so Achilles's mother Thetis dipped him the River of Styx to make him immortal. Yet he had his one weakness which was located in his tendon on the back of his leg, which is now known as the Achilles tendon. Of course, not everyone knows about his weakness, but only few know such as Apollo. Achilles defeats Hector in the battle and brutally dishonors his death, which then puts a stigma on his back for Apollo who is infuriated by the action and one of the select few that know his weakness, so he kills him with an arrow straight to his tendon. Not everyone is prophesied to die the same, but the fear and dread of the day was enough to overwhelm them, which aggrandized the gods making them much more important to everyday life.

“O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, let no man holding scepter as a king think to be mild, or kind, or virtuous; let him be cruel, and practice evil ways,...and the mercy of his reign,” (Odyssey V.11-14).
Here Odysseus is still in the beginnings of his journey back home and he encounters the punishment of the gods, but mainly Poseidon is infuriated by Odysseus. Odysseus realizing this pleads to be directed home in the least harmful way as possible since everything he has is destroyed, even his troops. He is facing a life or death moment between the gods and some are willing to answer him in the time of this misery. One of them is Calypso who helps him rebuild his ship and gives him enough food to survive the harsh waters that are upon him by Poseidon. Calypso also faces loneliness as well as Odysseus when her beloved mortal leaves the Island with everything she has. During times of misfortune god's help the ones that are destined to be assisted or people seeking guidance in times of
remorse.
The gods may have had the ability to kill of any human being, but that still didn’t affect the actions done by the people. The quote “My child, what strange remarks you let escape you,” (Odyssey Homer 1.86) establishes that the gods will punish actions, yet they cannot control or influence thoughts and actions. The quixotic lifestyle pursued by the people to ameliorate their lives during the ancient era was never accomplished due to the impact of the gods in their consequences.