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NERD NERD NERD NERD - Jamie Peters

 Look, if it isn't obvious already, I am a HUGE Percy Jackson fan. I just bought the last book in The Trials of Apollo series, like, Sunday, if that proves anything. I have been able to see (from a preteen perspective) the many, many, many differences between the Greek and Roman worlds and mythologies. Many such differences are perfectly displayed in the beginnings of each of these reading excerpts.

First, the excerpt given from Hesiod's Theogony details stories strictly about the gods and their decisions. We are shown many thrilling scenes, including Kronos eating his kids (1), Prometheus tricking Zeus (2), the horrible, dooming creation of women (3), and the relationship problems of Zeus. Even though the creation of mankind is discussed, human beings are considered WAY beneath the feet of the mighty gods, and are treated like such. In the Greek world, the gods are respected by the humans, but not considered present in everyday life.

The Roman gods, on the other hand, seem to be more involved in mankind's affairs. Ovid's documents depict the damnation of mankind by the gods for the sins of Lycaon and his followers (6-7), their subsequent rebirth by the two survivors of a world flood (8-9), and the apparent deification of Julius Caesar (9-11). In the Roman world, power is revered and often feared. No one had greater power than the gods, so if someone was blessed with power (Caesar), he must be closely connected to them. Sure, Greek people thought that too, but it is one thing to be blessed by the gods an another thing to be called one. You do not try to step up to their level, no matter how detached they are - you will be smited.

I commented on Rachael's and Ian's posts.

Comments

  1. Lily CaswellOctober 19, 2020 at 9:37 PM

    Offhand, I think the correct phrase is “you will be smitten” but I don’t know. I never really thought about that specific difference between the Greek and Roman gods though, so now you’ve got me thinking. There are many instances of gods (cough, cough, ZEUS) having children all over the place and them not being considered gods and sometimes not even demigods. (Unless of course, you’re in Camp Half-Blood.) With the Roman gods, the emperors after Julius Caesar are worshipped at the same level of Jupiter and Juno.

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  2. Abigale BellOctober 20, 2020 at 9:45 PM

    I loved reading your post! The differences you brought out are very clear. I can definitely see a big difference between the involvement of the gods in the everyday lives of the Greeks and Romans. I think their view of the gods played a lot into the way they lived their lives.

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