greek gods likeliness to humans

Jhefte Pierre

World Literature

In greek mythology, many cases show that the Gods intervene in mortal matters whether it be in a positive or negative way. Another thing greek mythology shows is the fact that the Greek Gods are very similar to mortals than it seemed and how they, in a way, envied mortals. The Greek Gods were involved in many incedents in mortals lives. They would ntervene by giving them strength, giving them glory, delaying deaths, and weaponary. This would happen mostly for personal gains. The brave and powerful Hercules is perhaps the most loved of all Greek heroes, also one who's life was filled with Gods intervening. Hercules was the son of Zeus and granddaughter of Perseus Alcmene. Heracles grew up to become a famous warrior, but Zeus's jealous wife Hera made him temporarily insane, and he killed his wife and children. As punishment Heracles performed twelve seemingly impossible labors. Perseus was also one of the many the Gods intervene for, many because his father was none other than Zeus. Theseus was another one who's father was Poseidon. Poseidon also creates a storm at sea to prevent Odysseus from reaching his home in "The Odessey." Even though the Gods were greater than mortals they weren't all powerful as they were meant to seem. They were portraid as all powerful, all knowing and all seeing when in fact, they weren't. They were just more powerful and more smarter than mortals, and in certain cases outwitted by mortals. The Gods wouldn't even be immortal if it wasn't for Ambrosia. One of the reasons they weren't omnipresent was shown in "The Iliad," where Zeus had a dream which lead Agamemnon to mount an attack that he would not have gone through with, which shows that the Gods slept. Also an incident where Actaeon who stumbled on Artemis who was bathing and didn't know he was there consequently turning him into a deer for peeping. These same Greek Gods showed very similar emotions as the mortals. The Olympian Gods experienced extremely intensified jealousy, fear, rage, and also lust. They could also be wounded. Because the Gods showed similar emotions as the mortals, wouldn't be a stretch to say that the Gods envied mortals. Achilles said it best. "The Gods envy us. They envy us because we`re mortal. Because any moment might be our last. Everthing`s more beautiful because we`re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again." This proves that even in their supremacy and might the gods, envied the way mortals enjoyed life. Although the Gods envied mortals and acted the same as them, The gods continue to use mortals as pawns in their own struggles.