Zeus
by CTCWeb Editors
Morality of Zeus
As the all powerful god of heaven and earth, Zeus shoulders a responsibility that must be met with balance and morality. Zeus gives his support equally to the two sides of a conflict, at one point favoring a side then at another point favoring its opposite. Students should investigate the moral and balancing aspect of Zeus in Homer’s Iliadand Odyssey. Below are the beginnings of a list on citations where Zeus strikes a balance in the realm of good and evil. Students should use this information to begin their investigations. This assignment should be expanded to include other text as well.
Homer Iliad - The epithet for warriors on both sides of the conflict is “nurtured” or “fostered by Zeus.” Zeus looks kindly on both sides creating a balance of skill so that one side is not routed easily by the other.
Homer Iliad 4.235 - “Zeus will be no helper of lies.”
Homer Iliad 5.30 - Athena hopes to avoid the wrath of Zeus by persuading Ares to follow the words of Zeus’ decree that no god or goddess should join forces with the men of the Trojan War.
Homer Iliad 8.5-40 - Zeus passes down a decree that no god or goddess should join forces with the men of the Trojan War. For if they do punishment will be exacted. Yet, with a threat of death he also intends to act leniently.
Homer Iliad 16.385 - Homer mentions the “sacred scales of Zeus.”
Homer Odyssey 3.152 - “Zeus was bringing upon us an evil doom,” because not all men who fought in the Trojan War were pious/good.
Homer Odyssey 6.189 - “Zeus himself, the Olympian, that gives happy fortune to men, both to the good and the evil, to each man as he will.”
Homer Odyssey 14.284 “Zeus, the stranger’s god, who above all others hath indignation at evil deeds.”
