Grudges Response

While I agree with Beth that the gods do hold stupid and unnecessary grudges and should let them go, I believe that Poseidon has the right to stop or kill Odysseus. Odysseus had, after all, blinded Poseidon's son, and got away with his life. If your child, or parent, or sibling was blinded by somebody intentionally, wouldn't you do anything in your power to sue, settle, or in some way get them back? Now think in Poseidon's point of view. Odysseus, a MERE MORTAL, blinded your son, the all-powerful cyclops Polyphemus. You may argue that Polyphemus was going to eat Odysseus, but let me repeat: Odysseus is a MORTAL, meaning that the gods do not typically care about whether or not one mortal dies.

Now, addressing Beth's second thought, saying that gods holding grudges causes humans trouble. The point of humans' existence is to sacrifice to the gods, and be the gods' main form of entertainment. Part of the reason why the gods like Odysseus so much is because he sacrifices to them often. Zeus says, "Great Odysseus/ who excels all men in wisdom, excels in offerings too/ he gives the immortal gods who rule the vaulting skies?" (Book 1, line 78-80). Also note that Zeus says that Odysseus is a wise man, showing that they value that. Anyway, other than sacrificing and entertainment, the gods could care less about humans suffering, just so long as they receive their sacrifices. Beth also said that a reason for the gods holding grudges is that they don't grasp how short humans' life spans are. On the contrary, I believe that, since the gods rule the world, it's the humans that have to grasp how long the gods' life spans are.

Finally, Beth's question: "If humans mean so little how come the gods hold grudges against them or care?" (Grudges by Beth Fitzgerald posted on 4/15/11). My answer to this is that whenever the gods' supreme power is questioned, they make life a living Hates, as did many dictatorships have done in the past. Whenever some person or group rises up and chalenges the gods'/governments' power, they are hit down to the bottom so that they can stay in power.