When contemplating the ultimate nature of the Greek gods and the resulting roles they play in human affairs, it is helpful to see examples of divine intervention through the actions of the goddess Athena. Athena occupies a central place in the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Oresteia. Each work clarifies various traits of Athena, which can be better understood in the context of the different stories. While Athena's overall personality remains constant in each of the stories, varied and sometimes contradictory attributes manifest themselves as each work's major themes fall into place. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Within the Iliad Athena represents the Greek army and supports it fervently, both on the battlefield and on Mount Olympus. She is characterized by her warlike personality, fighting and positioning herself at the forefront of the action. Athena demonstrates her leadership skills throughout the Iliad and also her resourceful and diplomatic nature. At the beginning of the Iliad, Athena intervenes in the story by telling Achilles that she has "come to control your anger." The Iliad as a whole represents a more controversial epic conflict and war are all aspects that permeate the work. Therefore, Athena's actions in the Iliad portray her more as a supporter of war, against the dark backdrop of the story of the Trojan War, as told in the Iliad. The warlike nature of the Iliad can be contrasted with the almost hyper-civilized nature of the Iliad. tone of Homer's Odyssey. The theme of hospitality is central. Hospitality is used to establish an expected code of conduct for each character in the Odyssey. A character who is given balance, or lack thereof, in this virtue drives both conflicts and resolutions within the story. Being too hospitable or not hospitable enough causes different suffering and resolutions. It is imperative to note that this society is not at war, as the society of the Iliad was. Virtues such as gift-giving, hospitality, and the ability to speak well are all latent in the text. Suitors also exemplify a violation of the host-guest relationship on the host role. What's important is that Athena is actually driving their lack of hospitality. He does this because he understands that by making them unsuitable hosts, they will have to pay severely in the end; this is part of the resolution process that follows. Athena gives the reader and Odysseus the chance to see exactly what kind of guests the suitors are: "And she urged him to go and gather his little pieces of bread from the suitors and so to know which of them were right." On both sides, the suitors have created imbalances in their relationships and this drives the main conflict within the Odyssey. A further example of this different approach to life from the Iliad to the Odyssey is the mirrored interaction and relationship of Athena and Ulysses. Athena in the Odyssey represents the traits of a more advanced civilization. He is the dominant figure among the gods and is extremely eloquent and diplomatic throughout the epic. These same qualities he shares with Odysseus, whose oratory skills and cunning transcend mortals. Both Athena and Odysseus represent wit, wisdom, and leadership skills. While her fighting skills and inclinations towards war characterized the Athena of the Iliad, the Athena of the Odyssey represents the mental rather than the physical. In the Odyssey Athena also shows genuine affection for Odysseus and even admiration as she tells him: Whoever met you, even a god, would have to be a consummate trickster to outdo you in subterfuge. You have always been a stubborn, cunning and irrepressible schemer. So don't propose, even in your country, to.