DIVINE INTERVENTION In the Iliad Introduction The

DIVINE INTERVENTION In the Iliad

Introduction The gods have a lot of influence over the events in the Iliad. However, apparently they are not likely to change the fate, (technically they can but it would result in serious consequences) and we know this from the conversation between Zeus and Athene in book 16 when he was tempted to save his son Sarpedon but Hera advised not to intervene because that would be changing his fate and it would lead to other gods wanting to save their children. Some might say that gods do change the flow of events by their intervention, however the possible explanation is that they act as the agents of fate and only intervene when they are meant to in order for events to go as they are ‘supposed to’.

Book 1 In book 1 Apollo sends a plague onto the Greek camp as a result of Agamemnon refusing to give Chriseis back to her father. “. . . Phoebus Apollo came down in fury from the heights of Olympus. . . For nine days the god’s arrow rained down on the camp”. Lines 43 -52 Athene intervenes when Achilles was about to kill Agamemnon during their quarrel over how self-centred Agamemnon is and that he has to right to take Briseis away from him. He couldn’t control his anger and Athene came down to cool his fury down. “Athene stood behind Achilles and seized him by his auburn hair…Achilles was amazed. He swung round, recognised Pallas Athene at once-so wonderful was the light from her eyes…” “I came down from the skies to cool your fury, if you will listen to me. The goddess white-armed Hera sent me because she feels equally close to both of you and is concerned for you”. Line 198 -220

Book 3 In book 3 goddess Aphrodite intervenes in the duel between Paris and Agamemnon. Paris was significantly loosing throughout the combat and Menelaus was dragging him along the floor by the horsehair crest and Paris was chocking on the strap of his helmet. Aphrodite favours Paris, because as we know from the other Greek sources, he picked her as the most beautiful goddess out of Athene, Hera and herself. “Menelaus would have hauled him off and won unutterable glory , but for the quickness of Aphrodite daughter of Zeus, who saw that was happening and broke the strap…” “Aphrodite hid Paris in a dense mist and whisked his away…and put him down in his own perfumed bedroom”. Line 373 -384 Following this, she forced Helen to make love to Paris against her will as she refused to go and lie with him. Aphrodite got angry and replied to Helen: “Obstinate wretch! Don’t get the wrong side of me, or I may desert you in my anger and detest you as vehemently as I have loved you up until now, and provoke Greeks and Trojans alike to such hatred of you that you would come to a dreadful end” Line 414 -417

Book 4 In book 4, the gods come to a conclusion that peace between the Greek and Trojans is impossible and Troy is destined to fall. In return, however, Zeus will destroy one of Hera’s favourite Greek towns. The battle has to restart and Zeus send down Athene to persuade the Trojan archer Pandarus to shoot Menelaus by disguising herself as a Trojan spearman Laodocus. Athene herself takes care to deflect the shot so it only grazes Menelaus. This was Trojans break the oath and the battle has to be restarted. “Pandarus, shrewd son of Lycaon, you should do what I say. If you could bring yourself to shoot a flying arrow at Menelaus, you would cover yourself in glory and put every Trojan in your debt, lord Paris most of all”. Line 94 -103

Book 16 In book 16, when the battle is in its climax, the gods intervene quite often. Firstly, Zeus makes Hector flee from the battle field. “So Zeus made a coward of Hector. He leapt into his chariot and wheeled it round for flight, shouting to the other Trojans to take to their heels – he knew Zeus had tipped the sacred scales against him”. Lines 656 -663 Zeus also ordered Apollo to save his son’s Sarpedon body from the battlefield as he was persuaded not to save his life by Hera. “Quick, dear Phoebus, go and take Sarpedon out of range and, when you have wiped the dark blood off, carry him to some distant spot and wash him in running water, anoint him with ambrosia and wrap him in an immortal robe”. Lines 666 -674 And the most significant intervention in this book is Apollo trying to discourage Patroclus from taking Ilium as he isn’t as strong as Achilles. When Patroclus doesn’t listen to his advice, Apollo strips him off his armour so that he is stabbed by Trojan Euphorbus and finished off by Hector. “He stood behind Patroclus now…he made his eyes spin and knocked his helmet off his head…The long-shadowed spear, huge, thick and heavy with its head of bronze, was shattered in Patroclus’s hands. The fringed shield with its strap fell from his shoulder to the ground; and lord Apollo son of Zeus undid the body armour on his chest”. Lines 789 -805

Book 18 In book 18 Athene supports Achilles back into the battle and helps to rout the Trojans with a shout. “There he stood and gave a shout, while in the distance Pallas Athene raised the war-cry too. This threw Trojans into unutterable chaos”. Lines 217 -231 Also, Theitis gets involved and asks Hephastus to make an armour for Achilles, and particularly a shield, which made Achilles pretty much invincible.

Book 22 In book 22, during the battle between Hector and Achilles, Apollo intervenes and mocks Achilles which makes him even angrier. “You are a man, and I am an immortal god…but you’ll never kill me; I, naturally, am not marked out for death”. Athene appeared to Hector as his brother Diephobus and persuaded him to go and fight Achilles saying that ‘he’ will always stand by his side in the battle. “…Athene went across from him to godlike hector, borrowing appearance and tireless voice of his brother Diephobus. . . Now let’s make a determined attack, straight at him, and no restraint with the spears!” Lines 225 -246

Book 23 In book 23, Aphrodite and Apollo intervene to preserve Hector’s body after he has been killed by Achilles and left to lie there. “Day and night Zeus’ daughter Aphrodite kept the dogs off; she anointed the body with ambrosial oil of roses, so that Achilles should not lacerate it when he dragged Hector up and down. Moreover, Phoebus Apollo caused a dark cloud to sink from the sky and settle on the body, covering the whole area in which he lay, so that the heat of the sun should not wither the skin on his sinews and limbs too soon”. Lines 184 -192 Also Athene helped Odysseus beat Ajax in the foot race in the funeral games. “So he spoke in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him and lightened his feet, arms and all his limbs…Ajax at full stretch slipped and fell”. Lines 172 -183

Book 24 In book 24, Apollo protects Hector’s body from disfigurement as Achilles drags it around Patroclus’ tomb every morning. “Apollo still felt pity for the man and protected his flesh from all disfigurement. Moreover, he wrapped him in his golden aegis, so that Achilles should not tear his flesh when he was dragging him along”. Lines 17 -21 Apollo pleads Zeus, so he instructs Thetis to tell Achilles he must return Hector’s body to the Trojans and Thetis persuades her son. “Go at once to the camp and convey my orders to your son. Tell him the gods are displeased with him and I am the angriest of them all…” Lines 104 -119 “Come now, give it back and accept the ransom for the dead”. Lines 128 -138 Zeus himself got Iris to tell Priam to go and collect Hector’s body and bring lots of gifts for Achilles. She reassured him this is not a plot against him and Zeus sets Hermes off to keep him safe. “The Olympians order you to ransom godlike Hector with gifts for Achilles that will warm his heart”. Line 146 -188

Conclusion The gods favor their own mortals and each stand for them trying to help them out as much as they can. They also take sides in the war, such as Athene being pro-Greek and Apollo being pro-Trojan, which mean they will be fighting for their side to win as well as individual mortals. They intervene when they think it is necessary and allowed by the fate and sometimes act selfishly to their own desires, such as Athene persuading Trojans to break the oath which will result in Troy falling and a huge amount of people dying.