The Odyssey: The Will of Gods and Men

In a time of continuous scientific and technological innovations, it is quite hard to picture

a life where science did not have an explanation for the mysteries of the world. However, we do
acknowledge that long ago, we believed that the divine roamed the earth amidst us mortals.
Back then, we put these supernatural beings up on a pedestal, constantly trying to appease
them, instead of anger them. After all, are we not just lowly humans compared to their
greatness? But come to think of it, from Heracles’ toils to Odysseus’ voyage, why does a bunch
of all-powerful beings tend to meddle in mortal affairs?
In this paper, I firmly assert that human beings did not have much free will since the
Fates decree how the world must unfold. Similarly, gods may possess great powers but they,
too, tend to be human in their ways— being ruled by emotions, as well as giving importance to
the prophecies dictated by the Fates.
Following Odysseus’ journey, to say that human autonomy exists is contestable. Yes,
Odysseus possessed the wits and strength which helped him succeed, or at least survive, the
trials that come upon him. But after all was said and done, all Odysseus wanted was to come
home. But as a man who was aware of his place in the mystical order of the world, he went and
did as he was bidded to, accepting help and advices from immortals, such as Hermes and
Circe, whenever offered. Apart from this, the very concept of prophecies dictated how things
would ultimately wind up. For instance the ghost of Tiresias foretold that Odysseus would
eventually reach his home and reclaim what he owned, and then how we would be on a trip to a
faraway land to appease the Poseidon. However, these would not prove to be an easy task for
the Prince. Simply put, mortals didn’t really have much room to exercise their will in. It was
much simpler to just go with Fates’ flow and abide by their wishes, and not against them,
because despite everything, prophecies were bound to come to fruition.
Furthermore, it is interesting to note how divine beings, with all their knowledge and
power, tended to act like mere mortals. In the first book, Pallas Athena blatantly begged Zeus
All-Mighty to pity Odysseus who was trapped in Ogygia, where Calypso also resided, and allow
him to find his way home. Similarly, Poseidon, the Earthshaker, showed a very human side
when he wanted to punish Odysseus for blinding his cyclops son, Polyphemus, which shows
that even gods are capable emotional attachment. These instances reaffirm my stance on how
these gods and goddesses could also be human, in some way.