The features of the Homeric gods will be discussed in this essay. The gods being that of Homers’ found in the Iliad, books I, IX, XVI and XXIV. With the help of G.M.A Grube’s article The Gods of Homer in which he presents his ideas on the gods of Homer and how their features and actions are depicted as humanlike throughout the epic. The human nature of gods in Iliad is made visible from their weakness to act out their emotions.
Homer portrayed the gods as manipulative individuals that caused and prevented things from happening in order to satisfy themselves. In the First Book Achilles argues with Agamemnon which ultimately results in Agamemnon taking Briseis and disregarding Achilles worth. This infuriates Achilles until he nearly is about to kill Agamemnon with his sword, but the goddess Hera sends Athena to stop him as she is a symbol of reason that controls Achilles anger. “These thoughts were racing through his mind, and he was just drawing his sword from his sheath when Athene came down from the skies.” (Book 1 …show more content…
But meanwhile Apollo protects Hector’s body and the other gods start to agree with Apollo’s attempt to save Hector’s body. Apollo says “No, you gods; your desire is to help this cursed Achilles within whose breast there are no feelings of justice, nor can his mind be bent, but his purposes are fierce, like a lion who when he has given away to his own great strength and his haughty spirit, goes among the flocks of men, to devour them. So Achilles has destroyed pity, and there is not in him any shame”. (Book 24 line 39-44) The gods agree with Apollo’s proposal to save Hectors body. One of the important parts of this book is the reaction of the gods because here they show human like aspects of favouritism and pity. The gods actually pity Hector and in a way blame Achilles for the way in which he treated hectors
Homer portrayed the gods as manipulative individuals that caused and prevented things from happening in order to satisfy themselves. In the First Book Achilles argues with Agamemnon which ultimately results in Agamemnon taking Briseis and disregarding Achilles worth. This infuriates Achilles until he nearly is about to kill Agamemnon with his sword, but the goddess Hera sends Athena to stop him as she is a symbol of reason that controls Achilles anger. “These thoughts were racing through his mind, and he was just drawing his sword from his sheath when Athene came down from the skies.” (Book 1 …show more content…
But meanwhile Apollo protects Hector’s body and the other gods start to agree with Apollo’s attempt to save Hector’s body. Apollo says “No, you gods; your desire is to help this cursed Achilles within whose breast there are no feelings of justice, nor can his mind be bent, but his purposes are fierce, like a lion who when he has given away to his own great strength and his haughty spirit, goes among the flocks of men, to devour them. So Achilles has destroyed pity, and there is not in him any shame”. (Book 24 line 39-44) The gods agree with Apollo’s proposal to save Hectors body. One of the important parts of this book is the reaction of the gods because here they show human like aspects of favouritism and pity. The gods actually pity Hector and in a way blame Achilles for the way in which he treated hectors