Divine Intervention In Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

789 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact on greek mythology society

Life in Greece was heavily influenced by the mythological gods and goddesses. These twelve all powerful gods and goddesses were thought to control every aspect of existence, from things like nature and pleasure to death and destruction. The Greeks gave sacrifices and prayed to these gods. The divine intervention of these gods was thought to bring great fortune or horrible destruction. In Homer’s, “The Odyssey”, the divine intervention of the Olympian gods both benefited, and hurt Odysseus’ journey home. Odysseus’ journey home is plagued with horrible troubles brought upon him by the gods and goddesses, along with his own choices. Odysseus first runs into trouble when encountering a large cyclops that threatens him and his crew. He outwits …show more content…

These allies greatly benefit Odysseus throughout the story. Some gods help Odysseus in small ways such as Hermes. Hermes, the messenger to the gods, give Odysseus a herb called moly which blocks Circe cannot turn him into an animal. This was after Circe turned all of Odysseus men into pigs so Odysseus needed a way to save them. Another god that also slightly helped Odysseus was Zeus. Zeus may have killed all of Odysseus men, but he helped Odysseus himself. Zeus helped Odysseus by forcing people to free Odysseus. He first told Poseidon to allow Odysseus to return home, and also forced Calypso to release him from his capture. Just like Helios and Zeus brought great wrath onto Odysseus, Circe and Athena brought great help to Odysseus side. Circe consistently gave Odysseus advice, such as where to go and what not to do. She told him the best path to protect most of his men and also warned him against killing Helios cattle. Athena had an even larger role, as she truly protected Odysseus against any danger that came his way. Although Zeus had it done, it was truly Athena’s idea to have Odysseus freed from Calypso. This allowed him to continue his journey. In the final battle, Odysseus face off against many people trying to marry his wife since he has been gone for so long. Athena disguises him as a beggar so that he can surprise the suitors and kill them. This tactic works and Odysseus goes on a killing rampage. The suitors try and fight back but Athena protects Odysseus, blocking arrows and things coming at him while also guiding his own arrows. The gods helping Odysseus further his journey by allowing him to keep moving

Show More
Related

  • Telemachus Quest In The Odyssey

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus and Telemachus are favored by the gods particularly Athena, Athena respects Odysseus’ wily nature she even begged Zeus to release him from Calypso's island “If now it really pleases the blissful gods that wise Odysseus shall return-home at last.” (p.80 99-100). Then after that she herself went to Odysseus’ house to tell Telemachus that his father was still alive, “Yet I tell you great Odysseus is not dead. He’s alive, somewhere in this wide world.” (p.83-84 229-230). And

    Read More

  • Free Essays on Homer's Odyssey: Gaining Power from Others in The Odyssey

    1880 Words  | 4 Pages

    Even though Odysseus was physically strong, at other times he was weak. When the Phaeacians returned Odysseus home, Odysseus not knowing where he was recounted his jewels and gifts. While doing so the Phaeacians were just turned to stone by Poseidon for helping him return home. Odysseus can practically do whatever any god can do but with the help of them. So speaking, Odysseus says to Athena, "And do you stand beside me, inspiring hardy courage, even so as when we tore the shining crown from Troy"(130). When Odysseus was at war with Troy, Athena gave him guidance.

    Read More

  • Odysseus as Pawn of the Gods in Homer's Odyssey

    1658 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout literature characters have relied upon entities greater then themselves to furnish them with aid as they meet the many challenges they must face. The Odyssey is a tale of Odysseus’ epic journey and the many obstacles that bar his return home. But Odysseus is not alone in this struggle and receives aid from many gods, especially the clear-eyed goddess Athena. There are times when Odysseus beseeches the gods for aid, but other times he is too foolhardy to receive aid from even the immortal gods. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus’ journey revolves around the cyclical phases of his dependence, independence and his return to reliance upon the gods’ aid.

    Read More

  • Divine Intervention: Athena's Role in The Odyssey

    1600 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ultimately, Athena has a great effect on all three of the main characters within The Odyssey. She is the one who finally sets in motion the return of the great warrior king Odysseus and helps him attain revenge on the suitors once he arrives in Ithaka. Athena helps to make Telemakhos brave and hopeful for his father to return home, giving him the courage and direction he lacked without his father for the first twenty years of his life. Even Penelope received help from the grey-eyed goddess in finding ways to protect herself from the advances of the suitors. Reading the classic epic poem The Odyssey, one can see how the great goddess Athena's relationship with Odysseus, Telemakhos as well as Penelope exemplifies how she impacted everyone she came across.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    I said that after going through much hardship and losing all his men he should come home again in the twentieth year and that no one would know him; and now all this is coming true” (14). This shows how the gods did interfere and would tell the people on earth with symbols. The gods knew from the beginning the fate of Odysseus because they predestined it. The gods are those who gave Odysseus misfortune, and they are also the ones who fated him the way he did. Through these examples of hospitality, pride and fate, one can learn many important Greek principles.

    Read More

  • Female Role In The Odyssey

    1080 Words  | 3 Pages

    She knows that it will make him stronger. There is an old saying, which goes along with this situation, ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’” (Lower). Athena is widely alluded to as a guardian angel in this epic, because she is constantly watching over Odysseus and Telemachus. At the climax of the epic, Athena assists Odysseus one last time.

    Read More

  • Athena In The Odyssey Essay

    625 Words  | 2 Pages

    Athena aided Ody in his journey home by providing guidance and advice on difficult obstacles. She gives Odysseus a lot of advice on how to handle perilous obstacles. For example, Athena tells Odysseus to go home in a disguise. This is the reason that she transforms Odysseus back into a poor, shriveled beggar from a godlike man. The new disguise allows Odysseus to get home

    Read More

  • Dishonesty In The Odyssey Essay

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    For seven years, Odysseus is held captive by the goddess Calypso. The young goddess “desired me and detained me in her hall. But in my heart, I never gave consent” (Homer 372). This quote suggests that although Calypso may have believed she was loved by Odysseus, he never really cared for her. If Odysseus would have stayed faithful to his wife, Calypso would have killed him. Thus, he is able to protect himself by lying to her. Another point in the epic where Odysseus' dishonesty impacts his success is with the suitors. After arriving at his homeland, Odysseus disguises himself to protect himself from being harmed: “Odysseus enters his home as a beggar, and the suitors mock and abuse him” (Homer 402). When Odysseus appears to be a beggar, the suitors think nothing of him. They disrespect him, his family, and his home. Had they know Odysseus was back, they would have treated him much differently. Because of the way they acted towards him, it can be suggested that they would be willing to do anything to take control of his kingdom. He is then able to find out more about them and their motives without getting

    Read More

  • How Does Odysseus Show Respect For The Gods

    519 Words  | 2 Pages

    This shows the value of showing respect for the gods. When Odysseus faces death at the hands of Scylla, he turns toward Zeus. Odysseus sees Zeus as a benevolent yet just ruler who will help heroes who deserve it.

    Read More

  • Bravery In Homer's Odyssey

    129 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the story, Odysseus shows his bravery. On Mount Olympus , Zeus sends Hermes to rescue Odysseus from Calypso. The beautiful Calypso is in love with him and imprisons him. Hermes finally persuades Calypso to let Odyssey build a ship so he can leave. When he set sails back to his kingdom, Poseidon sends a storm to wreck Odysseus’s ship. Poseidon dislikes Odyssey because he blinded his son.Then, he is shipwrecked on the home of the Phaeacians. He is greeted warmly by the royal family. There he recounts his temptation by the deadly sirens and his fight with the sea monsters. He tells them in detail of his survival skills that were needed. They are amazed by his courage and cleverness. They provide him safe passage back to Ithaca.

    Read More

  • Divine Intervention In The Odyssey

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Greeks relay the their beliefs through the stories they tell, such as the Odyssey. The Odyssey exemplifies how the Greeks believe that divine intervention is needed in order to solve conflict. Demonstrated in the excerpt of the Odyssey, the Greeks highlight the irrationalism of men, and the only way to overcome that is through the interference of the gods.

    Read More

  • Greek Hospitality in The Odyssey

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...o all guests saved Odysseus and helped him return home to his wife, son, and kingdom. Even though people from many different kingdoms and islands took Odysseus in their home and showed him great kindness on his return home, the individual who helped him most was the goddess Athena. In many occasions Athena assisted Odysseus. One such example is when Odysseus was fighting of the suitors and they threw spears at him. "Re-forming, the suitors threw again with all their strength, but Athena turned their shots, or all but two (p 566)." Another instance which Athena aided Odysseus was when she disguised him as a beggar on his arrival to his homeland. "Would even you have guessed that I am Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, I that am always with you in times of trial, a shield to you in battle (p 444)." "Your goddess-guardian to the end in all your trials (p 539)."

    Read More

  • Compare Aeneas and Odysseus as Heroic Figures

    439 Words  | 1 Pages

    Both Odysseus and Aeneas were helped by different gods. Odysseus was helped by Calypso in a way. She held him captive, but was forced to release him from the father of all Greek gods,Zeus. Athena, goddess of wisdom, helped Odysseus find out whether or not Penelope still loved him, she disguised him to look like an old man so he could go into the town without people knowing who he was. He got help from the god of wind as well who helped him by giving him a bag of wind so he could sail back to Ithaca. Poseidon did not really help Odysseus, he was just trying to convince him that he was nothing without the gods.

    Read More

  • The Role of the Gods in Homer's The Odyssey

    870 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, gods play a very important role to the plot of the story. They are the one deciding if someone can survive or not according to the sacrifice that the person made for them. In the book 1, Athena said to Zeus her father, “Didn’t Odysseus please you with sacrifices beside the Greek ships at Troy?” (Homer 65, book1). In this part Athena was trying to plead with her father Zeus in favor of Odysseus because she wants to help him to go home, while others are trying to provoke his death. This love that Athena has for Odysseus and his family is revealed throughout Homer’s epic. Although Athena supported Odysseus throughout his voyage, other gods including Poseidon, Calypso, and Circe made it difficult for Odysseus to return home, such in our real life, some people will make your life hard, but you have a good faith as Odysseus, you should always find your way out. Our God is omnipr...

    Read More

  • The Role of the Gods in the Odyssey

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    middle of paper ... ... In Homer’s Odyssey, both Odysseus and his son Telemachus embark on long, difficult journeys; Odysseus trying to return from Troy to his home in Ithaca, escaping Calypso and the island of Ogygia, and Telemachus from Ithaca to Pylos and Sparta in search of his lost father. While The Odyssey tells of the courage both men demonstrate during their respective travels, their quests are the results of the intentions and desires of gods. Odysseus is trapped in exile on Ogygia by the will of Poseidon, whose anger Odysseus attracts when he blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, and by the love of Calypso, who wishes to make Odysseus her husband.

    Read More

More about Divine Intervention In Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

Open Document