Poseidon, Athena, And Hermes In Homer's Odyssey

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The Roles of Poseidon, Athena, and Hermes in The Odyssey In ancient Greece, gods and goddesses were thought to be the cause of everything that took place. From causing storms out of anger to making mortals fall in love with each other, the gods always seemed to be the source of power for every little event that impacted a mortal’s life. In the The Odyssey, almost every action that takes place is because of inspiration from a god given to a mortal or the elements. Odysseus’ journey and other people’s lives and struggles are impacted a great deal by the gods. The actions of a god are either very harmful or very helpful. The roles of Poseidon, Athena, Hermes are very important concerning the events of The Odyssey. Poseidon has a very large impact …show more content…

Hermes’ help often comes in the form of warnings to inform Odysseus of upcoming dangers. When Odysseus is heading to Circe’s house, Hermes warns Odysseus that she has turned some of his men into pigs. He gives Odysseus a charm that will protect him from Circe’s drugs and power. Hermes also gives him a list of commands that he must do to convince Circe to transform his men back. Hermes explains to him that, “As soon as Circe gives you a tap with her long rod, draw your sword at once and rush upon her as if you meant to kill her” (Homer 127). Odysseus is also told that she will be afraid of him and she will request you to sleep with her, “Do not refuse, for you want her to free your companions and entertain you” (Homer 127). Odysseus does what Hermes instructs him to do, and he and his men are saved from Circe’s sorcery. Hermes also comes to free Odysseus from Calypso’s island. On Calypso’s island, Odysseus cries during the day and is forced to sleep with Calypso at night. He is held captive on Calypso’s island for seven years until Hermes shows up demanding that he be allowed to go. Although Hermes has a minor role in The Odyssey, his impact on Odysseus’ journey home is tremendous. Poseidon, Athena, and Hermes’ roles are of great significance in The Odyssey. The portrayal of gods and goddesses are crucial to the affairs of Odysseus’ adventure. Without the wisdom of Athena and Hermes, Odysseus would not have had the guidance he needed to return home. However, without the interference of Poseidon, Odysseus would not have gotten into the disarray of a journey he was in. All in all, The Odyssey is an ideal example of the harm and hand that gods and goddesses had on Greek culture, mythology, and

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