e it to excuse their rule over the people. Also, the children of the Gods often had greater ability then mortal men. The great ability of heroes was explained by divine. The role of divine parentage is used in myth to make heroes. It is a tool that continues the power of the Gods, and creates a new class of mortals that are closer to the Gods than other mortals. The children of Gods are greater then mortals, but lesser than their own parents. This again shows how the power structure between the Gods and mortals ask like a royal family, with these children playing the part of the lesser nobles. On the flip side of this is when the Gods punish the mortals. The Gods do this not in the name of justice, but when the mortals offend them in some way. Hera, the wife of Zeus, often punishes mortals for loving Zeus, or challenging her power. The seer Tireseus was blinded by Hera for claiming that women enjoyed sex more than men, Hera also cast Orions wife , Side, into Hades because she was too beautiful. Hera provides punishment for those mortals who overstep their bounds. The story of Artemis and Actaeon is another good example of punishment. When Actaeon wanders upon the bathing Artemis, she turns him a stag to be killed by his own hunting dogs. Actaeon meant no offense, but he saw the goddess in a way that was beyond his status. Another example of this is the story of Athena and Arachne, where Arachne proves to be a better weaver than Athena, and is promptly turned into a spider by the angry goddess. In each of these cases the mortals are punished for trying to be the equal too, or greater than the gods. The Gods often punish in anger. This anger can come from jealousy, refusal, insult, and when a mortal tries to be greater than the Gods. When a mortal tries to be as great, or greater than the Gods, he often faces their wrath. The Gods are jealous in nature, and do not tolerate any competition. Hera punishes those who can be greater than her,...
