, also called Homeric (for its portrayal in Homer’ Iliad) or Olympian (for Mt. Olympus, home of the gods). The Olympian gods grew large in the imagination of the Greeks and came to rule over religious worship. So powerful and at the same time so vulnerable to human weaknesses, they regulated the fortunes and the lives of those they both loved and hated. Splendid, magnificent, each one with its own character, they became objects of worship for many centuries. The Olympian gods shared all of mankind’s virtues and faults. They were severe, punishing every unjust act, while protecting and assisting the just and the pious. They even had their own likes and dislikes which governed their behavior towards mortals. This was made very clear during the Trojan War (as portrayed in Homer’s Iliad) when the gods got involved and assisted either Achaeans or Trojans, depending on whom each of them favored. The gods were vengeful but also excessively generous, while at the same time being propitiated by the material sacrifices they were offered by the faithful. The Greek deities had supernatural powers, particularly over human life, but were severely limited by the relentless force of fate (Moira). There was no job or social need that was not connected to the worship of some god: from farming to education, from the fine arts to hunting, from military valor to love. Although all gods were to be equally respected and worshiped, each god had distinctive characteristics which justified their presence and participation in the daily activities of the mortals and especially in the adventures of the heroes. One finds certain gods more carefree and fun-loving, who gave life its necessary zest with their high spirits and merriment; this facet is to be found, for example, in the religious worship of Dionysus and Aphrodite. The gods were most important in their role as guardians of the city-states and as those who could provide information...
