The Purpose Of Fate In Greek Mythology

The ideas of fate and destiny are often associated with the philosophical doctrine of fatalism, in which all events are believed to be fixed in advance and human action has no effect on what will occur. Classical Greek mythology, however, offers a different view on the ability of humans to alter future events. In works spanning from the epics of Homer to the writings of Sophocles, human are shown to have a significant amount of jurisdiction over the proceeding series of events through the decisions they make.

The fates may decide that a certain event will occur, but it is up to the individual to decide how that event will be brought about. But when given this opportunity, humans in Greek myths typically succumb to bouts of hubris, disrespecting the wills of both fate and the gods, bringing upon themselves severe consequences and pointless suffering. Thus, in classical Greek mythology, the concept of fate was fundamentally used as a rhetorical device to warn against acts of hubris, for even though all creatures are bound by fate, humans have substantial influence on what path is taken to reach the inevitable outcome.

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Although it has become more common to solely attribute the influence of fate on mortal beings, classical Greek and Roman mythology is rife with reminders that even the gods are bound by fate. Cronus, the leader of the Titans, ultimately failed in his attempts to prevent his foretold deposition by one of his progeny. Even Zeus, the most powerful of the gods, could not interfere with what had been decided by fate, exemplified in the following excerpt from Homer’s The Iliad:

Father Zeus held out his sacred golden scales:

in them he placed two fates of death that lays men low-

one for Achilles, one for Hector breaker of horse –

and gripping the beam mid-haft the Father raised it high

and down went Hector's day of doom, dragging him down

to the strong House of Death-and god Apollo left him.

(XXII: 249–255)

In this passage, Zeus is weighing the fates of Achilles and Hector. The scales tip to Hector’s side, and thus his demise was set. Yet Zeus had no role in deciding the motion of the scales – his role was merely that of an observer, a witness to what has already been ordained. It is in this capacity that the gods and goddesses of Greek mythos act as arbiters of fate rather than deciders, intervening to ensure that fated events happen as they should and to prevent mortals from acting outside of the decreed order. But the preservation of fate does not restrict the flow of events to a singular possibility, as it is the choices of the individual that dictates what events will occur along the way. One of the most common causes for mortals to make life-altering and damning decisions is hubris. Acts of hubris, as defined as excessive pride or arrogance, is typically portrayed as both insulting the gods and ignoring the will of the gods. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus commits an act of hubris when he taunts Polyphemus, the blinded cyclops, as he is fleeing the island. He is warned against speaking his taunts, yet he ignores his counsel and thus brings upon himself the wrath of Poseidon, Polyphemus’s father, invoked in the following passage:

If it's his destiny

to see his friends and reach his native land

and well-built house, may he get back late

and in distress, after all his comrades

have been killed, and in someone else's ship.

And may he find troubles in his house. (IX: 700-705)

This passage is exceptional in illustrating how much power decisions have on future events. Odysseus was indeed fated to return home, but it was not decreed that his journey home would be painless. He committed an act of hubris by deliberately taunting Polyphemus, and in doing so brought upon himself years of suffering by the hands of Poseidon.

One of the most well-known stories regarding fate and its consequences is the tale of Oedipus Rex. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus was prophesized to kill his father and wed his mother. When, at the end of the play, he learns that he had already fulfilled his prophecy, he blames fate for his actions and all his suffering, claiming that he had no agency in determining his actions. One such suffering was his self-imposed exile from Corinth, his home, in an attempt to circumvent his fate. In doing so, he made himself “a fugitive, never [to] see my people, / never [to] set foot in my native land again.” (Sophocles 989-990) Yet his exile from Corinth was not ordained by the fates – he had left Corinth of his own volition. Oedipus’ hubris lied in his belief that he could overcome a power that even the gods bent to, resulting in isolation and unnecessary misery. Further warnings against hubris emerge from stories in which mortals did not understand and accept that their actions caused consequences unconnected to the machinations of the gods and fate. In The Odyssey, Homer discusses the demise of Aegisthus at Orestes’ hands. In a very clear admonishment of not only Aegisthus, but humans in general, Zeus proclaims that:

It's disgraceful how these humans blame the gods.

They say their tribulations come from us,

when they themselves, through their own foolishness,

bring hardships which are not decreed by Fate. (I: 41-44)

It is in this passage that an intrinsic folly of man is brought to light: instead of taking responsibility for their actions, man blames powers outside their realm of influence for what has occurred. By following this logic, man can therefore do no wrong, as all their actions will have been decreed by the gods and fate. This is perhaps the ultimate act of hubris man could commit, as it not only shows excessive pride but also an inherent dismissal of the gods, as seen in the story of Aegisthus, who was warned against his actions by Zeus himself yet decided to ignore the gods’ will. As a result, Aegisthus faced consequences and an end not even dictated by fate, further emphasizing how much power an individual has on their own lives.

The role of fate in classical Greek mythology extends far beyond the determination of one’s life span – the threads of fate are masterfully woven into allegories meant to caution against inadvisable hubris. The dominion of fate reigned supreme, insurmountable by even the powers of the gods. Yet all of time is not dictated by fate’s mandates. Man has the ability to decide what events occur before and after those set in stone; however, with wielding such power comes the understanding that man will be held accountable for their decisions. The hubris of man caused Odysseus’ suffering, Oedipus’ isolation, and Aegisthus’ death – all consequences solely of man’s choices, without the interference of fate or gods. Thus, classical Greek myths utilize this inescapable idea of fate and destiny as a framework to bring a greater sense of self-awareness to the dangers of hubris on possible future events.

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