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In Creek mythology there is an innumerable amount of gods, most of which have a specialized function in both the realm of gods and humans. Yet, no god is more striking, more memorable, or more powerful than Zeus, the father of the gods of Olympus. His authority is far-ranging and definite; there is no revoking his command once it has been ordained. In the same fashion, there are hundreds of Greek heroes, yet there are none braver, stronger, or more wrathful than the swift runner Achilles Who commands respect from all the Greeks and yields to no man.
However, despite all their strength and authority, neither Zeus nor Achilles appears capable Of eschewing or defying the omnipresent power that holds more sway than them: fate. Sans doubt, once a human is dealt his hand. There is nothing that he can humanly do in order to prevent his fate. As for the gods, with all their power and independence, they are still undeniably bound by the hands of fate. Fate is a peculiar phenomenon in that it has no limitations, yet it is a fixed occurrence that does not change over time or through the progression of different events that may influence it.
Powerful men and gods such as Achilles ND Zeus may do as their hearts and minds desire, because there is no one who can stop or duty them. Thus, the role of Tate becomes clear, since Tate is without desire or mind; its existence is to curb the ridiculous and emotional wishes of powerful beings who cannot be stopped otherwise. Fundamentally, there is no god or man stronger or more powerful than Zeus; he is capable of doing whatever he wants, whenever he pleases. Given this omnipotent ability, all his desires should become immediate manifestations, yet this would only lead to chaos due to the lack of limitations on freedom.
There are multiple times during the events of The Iliad that begin with Zeus seriously contemplating using his unlimited power to fulfill his desires yet ultimately ends in his freedom being restricted by fate. In one scene, Patrols in a blaze of raw magnificence and strength is battling Sarandon, the son of Zeus. It becomes apparent that the mightier and glory-driven Patrols Will overpower and kill Sarandon. Zeus is obviously most distressed and sorrowfully states, “My cruel fate… My Sarandon, the man I love the most, my own son-doomed to die at the hands of Moieties’ son Patrols.
My heart is torn in two as I try to weigh all this. Shall pluck him up, now, While he’s still alive and set him down in the rich green land of Lucia, far from the war at Troy and all its tears (Iliad 16. 514-520) It is apparent than Zeus could have easily saved Sarandon in numerous ways, yet he cannot defy the fate of the doomed Sarandon. In another scene, almost identical to the first, Zeus laments the ill-fate of Hector as he is chased by the vengeful Achilles: unbearable-a man love, hunted round his own city walls and right before my eyes.
My heart grieves tort Hector… Come, you immortals, think this through. Decide. Either we pluck the man from death and save his life or strike him down at last, here at Achilles’ hands-tort all his fighting heart” (Iliad 22,201-209). Once again, Zeus begins with the desire to save Hector from the enraged Achilles, but he is reminded by Athena of the hand of fate that has been drawn for Hector. In order to remind Zeus of Hectors fate, Athena protests, “Father! Lord of the lightning king of the black cloud, what are you saying? A man, a mere mortal, his doom sealed long ago? (Iliad 22. 21 1-214) upon hearing her objections, Zeus halts his urge to save Hector and realizes that he Anton challenge fate, unless he wants to create total chaos among the gods Of Olympus. On the human side, there is the swift runner Achilles Who is revered as the greatest warrior amongst the Achaeans. In battle, he is fearless and unmatched; his presence alone sways the very tide Of the war. Granted that he is a match for any Trojan soldier and could simply win the war for the Achaeans, his freedom is still restricted by his destiny.
When the Achaeans are being routed time and time again by the Trojan, Agamemnon sends an embassy of his finest men in order to persuade Achilles to rejoin the Achaeans in fighting the Trojan. Achilles adamantly refuses the offer and reveals his fate to the embassy: “Mother tells me, the immortal goddess Thesis with her glistening feet, that two fates bear me on the day of death, If hold out here and lay siege to Troy, my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies. It I voyage back to the fatherland I love, my pride, my glory dies… True, but the life that’s left me will be long, the stroke of death will not come on me quicken’ (Iliad 9. 98-505). Undoubtedly, the prophecy that Achilles receives from his mother weighs heavily upon him. Although he is given he unique opportunity in choosing his fortune, neither option is wholly desirable or undesirable, Consequently, for a large portion of The Iliad, his fickleness with his fates cripples him and renders him paralyzed from being the mighty, unconstrained warrior that he is known and meant to be Moreover, when the death of his beloved friend Patrols rouses Achilles to arms, he is deterred by fate from carrying out his impulse to sack the city of Troy.
Zeus plots with the other gods to prevent the enraged Achilles from annihilating Troy and rationalizes his decision by stating, “If Achilles fights the Trojan-unopposed by s-not for a moment will they hold his breakneck force. Even before now theft shake to see him coming. NOW, With his rage inflamed for his friend’s death, I fear he’ll raze the walls against the will of fate” (Iliad 20. 32-36).
It is not fated for Achilles to sack the city of Troy: therefore, the gods convened to prevent him from opposing his fate. Moreover. This fate coincides with the original prophecy that his mother told him: if he stayed in Troy and fought, he would gain eternal glory but would die in the battlefields of Troy. In my own opinion, believe Homer wisely uses the device of fate as a regulator f the limitless power of Zeus and Achilles.