Gods and goddesses play a huge part in The Odyssey, which retells the story of a ten-year journey of Ulysses from Troy to Ithaca. The story of Ulysses’ voyage has a lot of intercession from the gods and goddesses, which either aided or hindered the men of Ulysses in going back to their home. There is a great deal of interaction between the gods and the mortals in this well-known epic. It also showed some human characteristics that may have been reflected by the gods.
Gods are there to assist or to deter the mission of the people in the story. Homer illustrated occurrences in the epic story where gods intervened with the plans of mortals to deter their mission. Examples include Apollo killing the steersman of Menelaus’ ship and Jove making the waves as high as mountains, dividing Ulysses’ men into two groups (31; bk.3). Another instance was when Ulysses came into the island of Calypso. He was taken care of by a goddess who made him stay longer than he intended to. However, she also helped him by talking to Mercury. She gave him an axe to cut down the tress he would use in building a new ship, and she also gave him all the other things he would use in his voyage in returning home (63; bk. 5). This kind of compassion was also shown by Leucothea, a marine goddess, when she saw Ulysses in such a distressful situation that Neptune brought upon him. In particular, Leucothea gave him the advice of leaving his raft and of swimming to the nearest shore (65 bk. 5). In this regard, another act of benevolence was shown by Minerva when Ulysses did not heed the warning of Leucothea and Neptune hurled another big wave at him, which almost caused his death. Minerva helped him keep his wits in escaping the successive waves drawn by Neptune (67; bk. 5). In addition, another extraordinary feat that Minerva did for Ulysses was when she was able to talk to Naussica through her dreams. She transformed into Dyma, a close friend of Naussica, so that she could help Ulysses who was resting in the woods (69; bk. 6). She weaved the events such that her plan would succeed.
Gods and goddesses don’t show themselves in their original form unless they talk to another god or goddess. Their way of communicating to other mortals is by taking the form of other persons such as a friend, a relative, or a prominent person. The story recounted the times when Minerva and other gods and goddesses transformed themselves from immortal to mortal just to communicate and aid the mortals in their endeavors. Butler in Homer’s story described that in order to help Telemachus, son of Ulysses, Minerva turned herself into Mentes, chief of the Thapians, so that she could enter the house of Ulysses and bring the news that his father was not dead but was being kept someplace where the gods were making him stay (6; bk.1). Another instance was when Minerva took the form of Telemachus in order to order his father’s men to prepare a ship for sailing (22; bk. 2). Then again, she transformed to become Mentor, a close friend of Telemachus in order to inform him that everything is ready for their sailing (23; bk.2). Another astonishing way by which gods communicate was when Minerva made a vision of Iphtmine, a sister of Penelope, who lived very far from her, in order to warn Penelope of the safe arrival and journey of his son because of the goddess Minerva staying with him (55; bk. 4). As well, Mercury showed another form to Ulysses when he was in Circe’s island. He disguised as a young man to help and protect Ulysses from the power of Circe who turned his men into pigs (121; bk. 10).
Gods also use dead people to guide the living. Through the intercession of Circe, Ulysses was guided by prophet Theban Teiresias in killing the suitors of his wife, Penelope, who were wasting his estate by eating and drinking (131; bk 11). The mother of Ulysses also took the form of the prophet in order to reiterate what was happening to his kingdom and to his wife (133; bk.11). In addition, Circe gave him tips on how to avoid brambles on his way to Ithaca.
Just like humans, gods also displayed human characteristics. Powerful like kings, they always seek attention and want to be regarded as such. When Neptune complained to Jove about how the Phaecians helped Ulysses to have a ship and sail to find his way home, he wanted to destroy the ships accompanying Ulysses and to bury the city of the Phaecians (158; bk. 13). He was angry that he was not respected as a god, which is also parallel to the kings who are thwarted by their people. Still, another part of the epic story that showed the assertion of the gods’ power was when they obstructed each other’s plan. An example was when Minerva saved Ulysses from the anger of Neptune who kept on tossing huge waves towards him (66; bk. 5).
Being powerful also means getting allies and enemies like the indirect rival of powers between Jove and Neptune through their children. Minerva and Mercury, who are constantly ready to rescue both for Ulysses and Telemachus, showed again that they are impeding great damage to the father and son.
One of the strongest emotions that a human can feel towards another person is the love of a father to his son or daughter. Neptune, being the father of Polyphemus, became so angry when Ulysses blinded him (110; bk.9). Though he is a god since Polyphemus is his own flesh and blood, Ulysses felt that he had to avenge the injustice inflicted to his son. Another instance in the story, which showed fatherly love was when Minerva begged his father Jove to talk to Calypso to free Ulysses and let him go home to Ithaca (56; bk. 5). As a father who can’t resist his daughter’s wish, he helped her by sending Mercury to have a dialogue with Calypso.
Next to the love between a parent and a child is the love between a man and a woman. Since Calypso took care of Ulysses for a long time, she became fond of Ulysses, which blossomed into love for the man. However, it was an unrequited love since Ulysses was thinking of his wife back home. She was so angry when Jove ordered her to set Ulysses free. She felt it was so unfair that she had to let him go since it was Jove’s fault that Ulysses was washed ashore her island (60; bk. 5). However, Calypso was also frightened of what Jove would do to her if she did not follow him, and so he conceded to send Ulysses away (61; bk. 5).
In this epic story by Homer who successfully depicted life between the gods and the mortals, the author helped his readers or audience understand how life could be twisted because a mortal did something which displeased the gods. It also unveiled the human side of gods, which is that they are also capable of feeling the same emotions such as jealousy, paternal love, compassion, and rivalry over power.
Works Cited
Butler, Samuel. Homer: The Odyssey. USA: Orange Street Press Classics, 1998. Print.
