Quotes About Gods

We men are wretched things, and the gods, who have no cares themselves, have woven sorrow into the very pattern of our lives...Zeus the Thunderer has two jars standing on the floor of his palace, in which he keeps his gifts, the evils in one and the blessings in the other.

So the immortals spun our lives that we, we wretched men live on to bear such torments-the gods live free of sorrows. There are two great jars that stand on the floor of Zeus's halls and hold his gifts, our miseries one, the other blessings. When Zeus who loves the lightning mixes gifts for a man, now he meets with misfortune, now good times in turn.

He was the loveliest born of the race of mortals, and therefore the gods caught him away to themselves, to be Zeus' wine-pourer, for the sake of his beauty, so he might be among the immortals.

But humans cannot stay awake forever; immortal gods have set a proper time for everything that mortals do on earth.

Of all creatures that breathe and walk on the earth there is nothing more helpless than a man is, of all that the earth fosters; for he thinks that he will never suffer misfortune in future days, while the gods grant him courage, and his knees have spring in them. But when the blessed gods bring sad days upon him, against his will he must suffer it with enduring spirit.

So the immortals spun our lives that we, we wretched men live on to bear such torments - the gods live free of sorrows. -Achilles to Priam

this is no horrible war of Achaians and Trojans, 380  but the Danaäns are beginning to fight even with the immortals.

So the other gods as well as chariot-fighting men slept through the night;

for when the gods have made up their minds they do not change them lightly.

Look you now, how ready mortals are to blame the gods. It is from us, they say, that evils come, but they even of themselves, through their own blind folly, have sorrows beyond that which is ordained.

A hopeless exile from his native home, From death alone exempt—but cease to mourn; Let all combine to achieve his wish'd return; Neptune atoned, his wrath shall now refrain, Or thwart the synod of the gods in vain.

2.?ILIÁDOS B So the other gods as well as chariot-fighting men slept through the night; but

Now the gods were seated in assembly by Zeus

See now, how men lay blame upon us gods for what is after all nothing but their own folly.

and poured libations out to the everlasting gods who never die — to Athena first of all, the daughter of Zeus with flashing sea-grey eyes — and the ship went plunging all night long and through the dawn (R. Fagles translation)

That was all gods' work, weaving ruin there So it should make a song for men to come!

Of all that breathes and crawls across the earth, our mother earth breeds nothing feebler than a man. So long as the gods grant him power, spring in his knees, he thinks he will never suffer affliction down the years. But then, when the happy gods bring on the long hard times, bear them he must, against his will, and steel his heart. Our lives, our mood and mind as we pass across the earth, turn as the days turn... as the father of men and gods make each day dawn.

Hear me, God of the silver bow, you who stand over Chryse and Killa most holy, you whose might rules Tenedos, God of Plague; if ever I roofed over a temple that pleased you, or if ever I burned as sacrifice to you the fatty thighbones?40 of bulls and of goats—grant me this wish: May the Danaans pay for my tears with your arrows.

But the great leveler, Death: not even the gods can defend a man, not even one they love, that day when fate takes hold and lays him out at last.

when you two goddesses command, a man must obey, however angry he may be. Better for him if he does. The man who listens to the gods is listened to by them

They made these improving remarks to one another, but Apollo leaned aside to say to Hermes:   "Son of Zeus, beneficent Wayfinder, would you accept a coverlet of chain, if only you lay by Aphrodite's golden side?"   To this the Wayfinder replied, shining:   "Would I not, though, Apollo of distances! Wrap me in chains three times the weight of these, come goddesses and gods to see the fun; only let me lie beside the pale-golden one!"   The

However, what is done is better left alone, though we resent it still, and we must curb our hearts perforce...as for my death, when Zeus and the other deathless gods appoint it, let it come.

10.?ILIÁDOS K

Men are so quick to blame the gods: they say that [the gods] devise their misery. But [men] themselves- in their depravity- design grief greater than the griefs that fate assigns.