4) Choose 1-2 stories and explore what these stories tell us about the relationships between gods and mortals.
As anticipated as it might seem, I noticed that throughout most of the stories we’ve read, mortals seem to hold gods and goddesses to a golden standard. This is not a “revolutionary” or “out-there” concept in any way, as the Greeks gods were literally the idols of the Greek people. And yet, the mortals strive to reach the glory of the gods, no matter how flawed they are. And in the worst ways, mankind is, in some way, just like their gods.
In many a heroic poem, like “The Story of Perseus” or “The Story of Jason and Medea”, our buff, handsome heroes are, from time to time, described as god-like in their chiseled features or enviable body, or even their notable feats. This illustrates the way gods were seen as a paragon excellence, whether physically or in deeds they performed. In most of the Homeric Hymns regarding women we read, their dainty, feminine features are emphasized; in one of Hera’s “songs”, she is said to be “unexcelled in beauty”, again representing a god(dess) being a peak example of physical perfection.
Still, gods (and goddesses) are – laughably – very much human. Zeus’ and Poseidon’s greed for women and plentiful progeny can be seen in today’s “Iron Age”, in which the rich and bored exploit young women for their own gain. So, in some way, Greek society’s grasping to become like a god is unwarranted; mortals were already so much like these gods, in that they feel the same greed and fetish for being the highest up, the all-powerful, the most dominant in their community.
In the story of Arachne and Athena, Arachne, a skilled tapestry-weaver, claims her skills are god-like and superior to Athena’s, and challenges her. In Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”, Arachne says to Athena: “‘I challenge her, and if I lose, there’s nothing I would refuse to pay!” showing her pride and great confidence. Athena, disguised as an old crone, warns Arachne: “‘defer to a goddess, be humble in her presence, ask her pardon.” This is a prime example of how like Athena Arachne really is: Athena wants to be worshiped as an untouchable idol who no mortal can match in skill, and Arachne, taking a page from Athena’s book, too wants to be worshiped for her skill, which she thinks superior. They both almost have this intense want for being the best and most successful, or envied.
Of course, myths regarding mortal men display the same theme: Phaethon, blinded by the glory of driving the Sun chariot, disregards Helios’ warnings and goes through with his dangerous activities anyway. In “Metamorphoses”, Helios forewarns Phaethon: “‘Each of them may do much as he will, but none of them has power, with one exception, your father, to hold the reins riding that fiery car. Not even Jove, hurler of thunderbolts, could drive this chariot, and who is greater than Jove?” Phaethon, who must have been thinking that he could better Jove himself and prove his father wrong, simply brushed off Helios’ statement and went forth with the driving of the chariot, departing in an unfortunate demise. It was almost like Phaethon believed himself superior to Zeus. He must have saw the activity of driving the Sun chariot as more than what a mortal, or even a god could do, and believed himself at the par of his father, the Sun.
All gods in mythology are worshiped, but not all of them are as corrupted as the Greek gods, who are too worshiped nonetheless. Mankind wants to play god, but in doing so, unexpectedly matches the gods’ actions to a tee.