Free Essays on Homer's Odyssey: The Gods and Goddesses

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Recommended: Homer's portrayal of the gods in the Odyssey

The Gods and Goddesses of Homer's Odyssey

The Odyssey was full of wonder, power, and surprises. It is packed with

epic heroes, creatures, gods, and goddesses. The gods, goddesses, and creatures

had supernatural powers that effected the lives of Odysseus, his crew, and his

family. Their actions proved to be powerful, benificial, and deadly.

The gods, godesses, and creatures in The Odyssey on many occations

proved to be powerful. Zeus, leader of the gods, was a prime example of this.

When, "Zeus the lord of cloud roused in the north/ a storm against the ships,

and driving veils/ of squall"(p.444, 66-68) , many of Odysseus men died.

Another account when Zeus was very powerful was, "Zeus Cronion piled a

thunderhead above the ship....then the squall struck whining from the west, with

gale force, breaking both forestays"(p.465, 678-682) destroying the ship. When

Odysseus tells the Cyclops "Poseidon Lord, who sets the earth a-tremble,/ broke

it up on the rocks.....a wind from seaward"(p.450, 254-256) it shows how

Poseidon was very powerful. Also how Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of winds that

his men unleash that throw them off course.

Although the gods and goddesses were powerful they were also benificial.

Zeus was beneficial in the way that he helped Odysseus, "Then Zeus thundered/

overhead, one loud crack for a sign."(p.478, 1032-1033), this sign told Odysseus

to start attacking the suitors. The way Circe helps Odysseus in warning him of

dangers to come, "Circe forsaw for us and shared with me,/ so let me tell her

forcast: then we die/ with out eyes open."(p.459, 528-530) She warned of the

Sirens, Charybdis, Scylla, and the island of the sun god. Also Athene help

Odysseus fight the suitors and win. She also disguises Odysseus to hide him

from the suitors and Penelope.

In The Odyssey the gods, goddesses, and creatures proved to be deadly.

The six-headed monster, Scylla, killed six of Odysseus' men, "whisking six of my

best men from the ship.....She ate them as they shrieked there."(p.464, 652-662)

Not far from Scylla was a deadly whirlpool called Charybdis, "dire gorge of the

salt-sea tide.....all the sea was like a caldron/ seething over intense

fire......when she swallowed the sea water down/ we saw the funnel of the

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