I’m interested to hear what you all think about this…
As we learned a little in class this week, making offerings and sacrifices to the gods is a very important part of the lives of the Greeks, as well as a very organized system of doing so. First of all, the one animal that is often spoken of is the bull. Here are a couple examples: “Many thighs of bulls we offered Poseidon there – thank god we’d crossed that endless reach of sea,” (Book 3, Line 199). “They sat in nine divisions, each five hundred strong, each division offering up nine bulls,” (Book 3, Line 8). This repetitive use of the bull as a sacrificial animal seems to stress the animal’s importance in the Ancient Greek society. The organization of the numbers of people and sacrificial animals seems to be highly regulated and carries great importance. The reasons that people made these types of sacrifices seems very interesting to me. At many instances throughout The Odyssey, characters are found sacrificing or sometimes just praying to the gods to help them through a tough journey or for safety. An example of this is Telemachus praying to Pallas (Athena) starting with, “Dear god, hear me!” (Book 2, Line 295). He goes on to explain what Athena has done for him, then to explain the problem facing him now. This displays the way that the people turn to the gods for any kind of help. A final important aspect of the gods in the lives of the people is the signs that the gods send, such as omens and natural signs. The powerful Zeus sends the signs of the eagles from above to foreshadow and send a message. It is significant to note the reaction of the people, all taking this as a very “glaring, fatal sign” and believing in it (Book 2, Line 170).
Overall, the gods play a really important role in the lives of the people, both supporting them and guiding them. In return, the people sacrifice and respect the gods.
What do you guys think about this? – This stood out to me as important from our readings because I felt the connection between the gods and the people makes the Ancient Greek culture and the story what it is.
I totally agree with you Julia. I think that the relationship between the gods and humans is really important. I think that without that relationship that they had, the Ancient Greek culture would be nothing to what it was, and even in the current Greek culture would be totally different. The fact that humans worshipped the gods and goddesses and the gods and goddesses looked after them and helped them out, is what made the Ancient Greek culture. If the humans had not listened to omens or done anything for the gods and goddesses, then the humans' lives would have been messed up big time. I do not know how it all started but, if sacrificing and worshiping worked for the humans for that many years, then doing all of that must have been making the humans' lives better. I think that gods, in general, play an important role in any society or civilization. If a society or civilization has nothing to worship and look up to, then what would teach them right from wrong, and good and evil? They would never learn and the society or civilization would end up dying quickly. This is the reason why having a god is so important, you need a god that you can worship and look up to, so you have some organization in your society or civilization. That it is also why it is important to have that special relationship between the humans and the gods and goddesses. It is like a cycle. If you worship the gods and goddesses then they will help you out, and you will keep on wanting to worship them out because they helped you out.
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