Critics and historians have different opinions when it comes to the authenticity of Homer's text. Amid everything else, it is often debated whether the Iliad was written by the man known as Homer, just as Shakespeare's authorship is sometimes questioned in academic circles. However, one thing is certain, as EV Rieu points out in his introduction, that in present-day Türkiye there actually existed a place called Ilium. Although it is still debatable whether he faced an actual siege by the Greeks, but as Rieu rightly argues, "The question of whether there really was a Trojan War is irrelevant for Homer's purposes." For Homer was nothing more than a poet who relied on the oral epic tradition, and his primary purpose was to enlighten or entertain his audience, rather than to recount actual events. In any case, the Iliad is recognized as a literary work above all else, and therefore the discussion should bypass such idle questions, since we can never be sure of their answers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Therefore, the main question that emerges is: why did Homer give such importance to the gods in his tale? Was it the true power of faith acting on his motivations or did he rather see it as a clever literary device to comment on the value systems of his time? While the influence of popular beliefs would be undeniable on a man born in the 8th century BC, enough to incorporate classical gods and goddesses into his works, it cannot be refuted that Homer painted them in the colors of his subjective reflections. While the idea of ​​such divine immortals must have existed due to the workings of human nature and psychology, whereby men tend to romanticize what they cannot rationalize, Herodotus argues that Hesiod and Homer were the ones who gave these immortals an identity based on social parameters. . Because it is clear when you look at Homer's gods that, apart from their immortality and their supreme powers, they bear a certain resemblance to everyday characters one might encounter; and if twenty-first century readers could think so, the timelessness and genius of Homer's work are more than evident. Throughout the text, the gods seem to point to an alternative structure, which despite being distant from the mortal world, is not all that distinct. Homer does not associate his gods with the usual characteristics of divinity that we understand. While they are immortal, they are not exactly omnipotent, as indicated by the fact that Diomedes manages to hurt Aphrodite. Furthermore, a palpable hierarchy is visible between them, based solely on the magnitude of power each of them possesses; whereby Zeus, the most powerful god, is ordained as the reigning patriarch of Olympus. Indeed, how did Zeus obtain this position, other than by dethroning his father Cronus through a symbolic castration? The nature of this hierarchy is evident through Zeus' warning to the Olympians in Book VIII: "Come, ye gods, test me, if you will, and find out for yourselves." Furthermore, the gods are seen to surpass mortals only due to their strength and indestructibility, although some mortals such as Hercules manage to pose a challenge to them. Combined with the ritual offerings and sacrifices that mortals conduct to appease them, it could be said that Homer, in his objectivity, regarded the gods simply as powerful overseers, not much different from the feudal lords of the Middle Ages. Nor does Homer attribute the quality of omniscience to his gods, as they are seen to live in a parallel society, full of insecurities and interactions, similar to those of mortals.While the gods are able to observe the workings of the mortal world from their vantage point on Olympus, the fate of these servants is not fully known to them, as fate and destiny are seen as all-encompassing abstractions even beyond reality. immortal. Zeus is seen predicting events, simply by virtue of his superior strength, which allows him to influence circumstances and prevent the other gods from interfering; but he too is seen to be reconciled with the workings of fate, for example, when his son Sarpedon is killed. Likewise, when Aeneas confronts Achilles, Poseidon intervenes to save Aeneas, only to thus fulfill his final destiny, whereby he establishes the Roman lineage. Furthermore, unlike an omnipotent god, Zeus is seen to be deceived when Hera seduces him to allow Poseidon to help the Greeks. Furthermore, following the feudal analogy, immortals are seen to treat human affairs as a game for their own amusement and vanity. They intercede only when it appeals to them and, sometimes, exclusively out of their lust, as evidenced by the numerous cases of their consummation with mortals in Greek mythology. Furthermore, they are also afflicted by the deadly vice of boredom, as corroborated by the example of Book XIII, when Zeus, convinced that no immortal will be able to intervene in the battle of Troy, turns his gaze elsewhere, almost as if he were there by chance. flipping through channels on a television. The Gods' sole purpose is often betrayed: to amass as many mortal followers as possible; and given to factionalism, it is seen that sometimes, even worship and offerings are useless in gaining their support, if they happen to be intent on a particular event, for example when Agamemnon is deceived by Zeus through a dream in Book II, or when Achilles prays in vain for Patroclus' salvation. Finally, when it comes to omnipresence, it is obvious that Homer characterizes the gods as real entities rather than pervasive abstractions, and therefore they are no different from ordinary mortals who can only be in one place. at a time to participate in events. Furthermore, gods do not simply appear in a place but undergo the mundane process of locomotion, albeit through supernatural means. Consequently, it can be concluded that Homer based his gods on the structure of human behavior. In the affairs of the gods are found shades of all mortal defects such as pride, envy, malice, conceit, lust and ambition. Therefore, what emerges is a complex political system with its own class structure, accompanied by numerous arguments, recriminations, rivalries, ego battles and skirmishes, such as those of Ares and Athena or Hephaestus and Scamander. Although none of the gods dare to provoke Zeus because of his absolute supremacy, they all envy him equally at times; particularly Poseidon, his prudent brother: "Zeus may be powerful but it is pure arrogance of him to talk of forcing me, his equal in prestige, to bend my will to his." Likewise, the marital discord between Zeus and Hera is reminiscent of an average married couple. As Rieu points out, “The humanity of the gods is evident in the most mundane details,” further emphasizing the aspect of divine domesticity such that “after a hard day's work they enjoy an evening meal of ambrosia and nectar and go to bed with their wives in their homes on Olympus. Continuing in the same vein, one might point out that the gods are prone to impudence, revenge, servility, prejudice and whim. Why should immortals interfere in the trivial concerns of men? Yet they do so, even in meaningless games at Patroclus' funeral, which would probably be their greatest flaw, as Homer predicted. As Ares complains to Zeus: "We gods must endure the most dreadful.