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katerinaaqu · 2 months ago

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Zeus was following Justice by helping the Trojans, Hera was unaware and opposing (An Employing Ritual analysis based on Homer's Iliad)

So many people out there have read the first rhapsody/book of Iliad and many speak badly on how Zeus acts at the council or how he silences his wife with a threat, telling her to "stay put" or basically to...keep her mouth shut because that is his will. And then of course we have all the usual talk about mysogyny and all that stuff

I am not going to argue that indeed in ancient Greece equality beteween men and women was not a thing and absolutely if your husband nowadays told you to shut up and stay out of the way obviously in modern day ears sounds like the biggest red flag ever. Of course despite Homer writing some of the most powerful female characters ever in both their behavior and their position, he still reminds to his audience the marital duties of a wife through the behaviors of en in mythology. Of course no one can deny that indeed despite the fact that Hera is his co-regent she is inferior in power and position than her husband due to the laws of marital duties of that time. However it also needs to be noted how incredibly human the characters act; Zeus gets furious at the nagging of his wife (his wife opposes him before his family as well) so he loses it in anger and threatens her. Sounds like the average couple fight at a family dinner XD

However the analysis is not about the marital duties (or not entirely! Hehehe there will be a mention on Zeus's threat at the end of this analysis). Is what brought that fight to begin with and that would be Zeus's decision to listen to Thetis's request. Why is he following justice and why Hera even though she brings valid arguements is unaware of certain details? Okay bukcle up for this will be probably long;

The Employing Ritual and Thetis's Request

In ancient Greek literature we often see a ritual take place. It is quite similar to the customs of Xenia; a holy unwritten law that humans and gods alike obey which is the employing aka when you make a request of someone or when you beg someone to do something for you. Culturally the ritual seems to be going like this; an individual falls on the knees of the person they want to be their benefactor and they hug their knees while making their request. The request could be anything from a simple favor till sparing one's life in a desperate situation (For example see Helen doing that to Menelaus when she begs for her life, something I also memorize to my fanfiction , or Odysseus begging Circe to let them go from the island of Aeaea). In more formal occasions, the one making the request can also touch the chin or the person they employ to make their point even clearer

The power imbalance between two people is not necessary but of course by n large in mythology we see examples of the inferior in power person to beg a superior in power, like a commoner begging a king due to the fact that we usually have someone in a tough position that makes the request.

Then if someone needs to make a request, after finishing with the physical gesture, begins the verbal exchange. Usually the person in question brings up to their benefactor a favor they did for them before or try to appease to the person's feelings or both. So the request usually goes like this: "Please, if I ever did this good to you and you are good yourself and you respect the laws of the gods you shall do this favor for me" Then by n large, like it happens with the custom of Xenia, the benefactor has no real ability to refuse. In theory they can refuse the employing party but that would make them unjust to the eyes of the gods so by n large the benefactor knows that he has no way of refusing and he has the moral obligation to fulfill the request. Usually the benefactor finishes the exchange by promising to the employing party that they will do them the favor they request.

In the first Rhapsody of the Iliad, Thetis finds her son crying because he feels ashamed that Agamemnon removed his beloved price-woman Briseis from him and he wants revenge. He asks his mother to ask for Zeus to grant him that revenge and he tells her she should go and beg for it to him. Thetis obeys and flies to Olympus to find Zeus alone sitting on his throne.

And swiftly she sat close to him and she clasped his knees with her right hand while she touched him beneath the chin with the other and beggingly she spoke to Zeus son of Kronus the king: "Father Zeus, if I ever among the immortals have helped you with my words or my actions, fulfil me this wish; honor my son, who is destined by birth to die early, and still the king of men Agamemnon has dishonored him: by taking away his chosen price to have her himself. But you, Olympian Zeus, lord of council, honor him by granting victory to the Trojans till the Achaeans give back my son his honor"

(Translation by me)

So here Thetis basically uses all the tools she has. She starts by asking Zeus to remember her actions towards him, if she ever did something good, for him to remember it and then she transfers him her emotions; my son is destined to die young, she says (which ironically seems to be the case for Zeus himself since we know his own son Sarpedon is to die in battle in Troy, which is another interesting parallel created by Homer) and then she brings him before her wish; so that Zeus would grant victory to the Trojans in battle till the Greeks miss Achilles and give him back his honor. She even is essentially comparing Zeus to Agamemnon when she says "συ περ" ("but you") in one essence "Agamemnon has dishonored my son but you are different! You are just"

As we said before, not even gods can disobey the law of Cosmos! Zeus has no choice but to obey Thetis's request and grant her her wish. And it is clear that his bounding to her request doesn't give him pleasure. In fact Homer says that he stays completely still and silent. He is even processing in his mind what he can do on it because he has nothing personal against the Greeks. Thetis realizes his hesitation and she keeps holding onto his knees to make sure he knows they are still doing the ritual till he gives his response! In fact his hesitation is so long that Thetis needs to make her request a second time and this time she ups the game!

Give me your irrefutable promise and nod your head or refuse me, for I know there is nothing you are afraid of, I know very well out of all of you (here: the gods) I am the least honored!

(Translation by me)

Thetis here not only does she use an indirect threat (she implies that Zeus can refuse her because he is the king of gods. She basically says "sure you can refuse me this holy work. What do you have to be afraid of? You are the epitome of justice. Justice will not fall on your head!") and then she uses emotional manipulation. She basically says "oh sure dishonor me too! I am the least honored by all the gods so why not of you too?" To that Zeus is certain he cannot refuse her. In fact he already knew. However the fact that Thetis keeps pressing him he knows that there is no way around or toning her request down despite the fact that he, again, has no reason to do that to the Greeks and what is more he doesn't want to quarrel with his wife who is clearly helping the Greeks. In fact he calls her request "λοίγια ἔργα" ("sad work" or "wreched business") but he accepts. Because that is the just thing to do. And he nods his head to her.

But what favor was indeed Thetis insinuating here?

Achilles gives us the answer in the same rhapsody a few lyrics prior:

For I heard you many times at my father's palace bragging that only you came repell the shameful ruin of the son of Kronos, the lord of dark clouds, when the Olympians wanted to bind him; even Hera and Poseidon and Pallas Athena, but you arrived, goddess, and freed him from his binds, quickly calling the Hecatoncheir (one-hundred armed) whom the gods call Bariareon but all men call Aegaeon to tall Olympus, who is much greater in strength than his father and sat by the side of the son of Kronos, restoring his authority and the holy gods saw him and got scared.

(Translation by me)

So basically this grand favor that Thetis was referring to, for which she required her son's wish to be granted was Thetis coming to assist Zeus out of a coup that was staged by his own family! So there was absolutely no way that Zeus could refuse her by seer grattude alone yet alone now that he was the epitome of justice

Zeus follows his own laws.

Zeus is known for being the epitome of justice. The laws he imposes on humans by n large apply to him. He is setting an example as a ruler, as a god and as a king that he follows the very laws he establishes, making him just. Even if he himself doesn't agree or even if one should say the punishment towards all Greeks is unjust, Zeus must still follow his own rule, especially when Thetis employs him in the most official manner. Hera though does not follow the will of Zeus and chooses to not only disobey him and ride down with Athena at some point to assist the Greeks but also she does so by tricking and seducing Zeus to distract him and give an opening to the gods that assist the Greeks. Under this light it is HER actions that seem to be stopping justice (of course again one can argue that indeed it is unfair for the Greeks to suffer just because one king offended another) but by the laws of the Employing Ritual it was Zeus who was on the right.

However of course Hera either didn't know or she ignored the signs to it out of her love for the Greeks and so did Athena. And Zeus provided no information about Thetis and instead he chose to assert his dominance to the gods for his will instead.

Last but not least...

Why doesn't Zeus tell Hera who arrived on Olympus?

Zeus seems to avoid the fact that Thetis came to him even if Hera accuses him for it. Why then does he say that he helps the Trojans now "because he likes it" and he doesn't say he is bound by a promise? Some people correctly assume it is because he doesn't want to deal with her jealousy however there is a much deeper meaning to it. Sure it is Zeus we are talking about and surely he could speak out of seer authoritative nature just to say that no one has the right to tell him what to do and that his words are the law. It is possible but still no matter how someone sees it, he could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had told Hera he is following a favor.

So why does he choose to simply show his dominance as a husband and not speak on justice? In my opinion that lies again to the reason why Thetis was there. She calls upon the return of a favor. But remember what the favor was? Thetis helped Zeus during a coup

Zeus doesn't bring it up because if he does bring Thetis up, he will also have to bring up his wife's treason!

Zeus doesn't seem eager to totally remind Hera of her act that is beyond simple jealousy or simply raising her voice at him. She had literally conspired with the gods to take him down! By that account alone she should be more severely punished than what she was. And all know that the gods received his pardon eventually when he restored order to the heavens. Somehow Zeus is unwilling to bring up the subject of treason because he doesn't want to bring the council of gods before such responsibilities again. He knows it is a done story, that he has offered his pardon and that the gods repented. He sees no reason to bring it up. By bringing the name of Thetis up and her favor, it would be bringing up the story of treason and that wouldn't just slide

Zeus actively chooses to assert his dominance as a husband and a father, rather than as a king and that in my opinion is not talked about enough. Yes in one way he humiliates Hera in front of all and Hera needs to be consoled by her son Hephestus but I feel like Zeus could easily have himiliated her as a traitor rather than a wife who spoke out of the line and that seems to me like a very much human emotion speaking in Zeus because yes, he doesn't like disobedience but at the same time he loves his wife and doesn't want to bring up her treason one more time.

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