The Controlling Forces of Man: Gods and Fate in Homer

From their birth, the deaths of mortal characters in the Iliad are fixed by
moira. Until that moment, the gods may impact their lives through various
interventions to ensure that they meet their fated end as intended. This thesis
aims to examine the role of the gods in achieving fate, while considering the
potential for mortal choice to alter fixed moments, such as the destiny of a
character or certain events, like the fall of Troy.
The first chapter addresses the gods’ limitations to understand their capability
of enforcing fate effectively. The second examines the way in which moira
is presented in Homer, as an abstract force, singular, and multiple
personification, in addition to its limitations, to gauge its degree of
changeability. The third chapter considers the parameters of Zeus’ will, how
it compares to moira, leading on to a discussion of the poet’s techniques in
employing the gods and fate to test the boundaries of the poetic tradition of
the Trojan War myth. These three chapters will prepare for chapter 4’s
chronological examination of the cases in which the gods respond to
situations that concern the fates of individuals or events.
To summarise the findings of this research, Zeus and moira frequently work
together to determine what is fated to happen and the Olympian gods act as
enforcers of fate to ensure that their plans come to fruition as intended,
working together to account for each other’s shortfalls. The poet enjoys
opportunities in which he can test the boundaries of the narrative tradition
through the threats to fate’s integrity in the Iliad.