The Evolutionary Root of Modern Values in Ancient Greece

The moral values represented within the archetypes of Ancient Greek society are closely related to the expectations of family, morality, and democracy that society embodies today. Through examining the work of Homer in writing the epic The Odyssey, it becomes evident the influence such writing still has today. Homer’s discussion and portrayal of civilization during that time period are relevant to the extent of providing evidence for the foundation of our own time. “What classicists refer to as ‘Homeric society’ consists, then, of a network of social institutions, relations, and norms of the human groups depicted in the Homeric epics” (Peacock 1). These networks continue to shape our culture, both in the similarities between both times and the distinct differences that have shaped people since the Hellenic era.

The Greeks were one of the first advanced civilizations of the time period up until that point to produce great innovation and scholarship. The writings of Homer represent this extension in achievement, as poetry and literature flourished more than ever before within the bounds of society. These writings are key to look to as a prime example of literature that cannot be separated from the time it was written, so closely represented are the themes and archetypes of the time. Homer was writing within the first time period that the oral tradition transitioned to written work and was translated from stories to the poems that we read and interpret. “Cultural products such as poetry cannot be separated from the sociopolitical conditions in which and for which they were originally composed and received” (Fox ii). He was writing during a time period of great economic and political upheaval, as society transitioned to the economic, social, and political boundaries we understand to be typical today. Even in a society of people who were largely without formal education, Homer’s writing was studied and read extensively across social classes. “Homeric poetry became a source of instruction to the Greeks, and in particular an instrument of education” (Fox 1). Whether or not Homer was aware of his influence at the time he was writing, works such as The Odyssey still stand as historical documentation to the extent that they provide a depiction of what facets governed Greek life. Homer’s work touches upon common themes in society and raises questions about the current morality as contrasted with the way it arose from ancient civilizations. In examining the epic literature, we are able to draw comparisons between the important aspects of life then versus now.

The Greeks were a culture constantly on the defense from outside invaders, and as such a great importance was attributed to the strength of their men. Young boys were raised into warrior culture, their studies entailed learning to fight and defend their home and property from outside political attack. I Homer’s writings, Odysseus is held up as the warrior ideal, described consistently throughout the verses as “princely” or “hardy.” Even when he disguises himself as a beggar, Odysseus proves more cunning and of greater strength than all of the suitors lined up to take his place at Penelope’s side. The absolute proof of Odysseus’s agility and strength comes to a head when he proves himself to Penelope as being her husband amongst the other suitors. “Great consternation came upon the suitors. All faces then changed color. Zeus thundered loud for signal. And glad was long-tried royal Odysseus to think the son of crafty Kronos sent an omen” (Od 21. 387-417). Odysseus was granted the ability to string his bow and fire true, exemplifying both his own strength and his connection to the Gods in receiving some kind of blessing for his action. Odysseus, while already a strong protagonist and clever man, is nothing without the sway of fate guiding surrounding actions to his favor. He must pray and learn to be humbled in the face of divine intervention with his own destiny.

This emphasis on the importance of male strength fostered an alternate reaction of forcing Greek women into a certain level of domestic servitude, as they complied with the directions of their husband. There is a certain exchange of power between husband and wife, as a woman concedes her personal freedoms for the protection that comes along with being married. Because of how property laws excluded women, there was such importance placed on raising a son to be heir to a family's’ assets. This aspect of property rights as they pertain to Greek culture is exemplified by the exchange that takes place in Book Two of the Odyssey, as Penelope’s potential suitors occupy the home owned by Odysseus ( Od. 2. 333-336). As a woman, Penelope does not own rights to the property contained in her husband’s home, and when he is presumed to be dead she must consider her only option as remarrying. It is made apparent that Odysseus has wealth, as the main protagonist of the epic he exerts an enormous amount of influence (Peacock). Yet this power is kept in check by the very premise of the poems, that he as the hero cannot return safely home after he has incurred the God’s wrath during his journey.

This idea is a powerful driving force behind much of the Ancient Greek writings and relates heavily to both the political and religious views of the time. Pleasing the Gods was of utmost importance to the Greeks, and there was payment to be made whenever they failed to do so. Tied into this idea is the prominence of retribution throughout classical Greek writings. Authors of the time period were consumed throughout their expression with the idea of justice and fairness, in war and peacetime. If a character acted against the archetype of respect laid out for members of the society, they received some form of punishment from the Gods or another mortal. Homer wrote of Odysseus grappling with the fate laid out by the Immortals that he is rendered unable to return home for a period of ten years. When the hero is finally is able to set sail and leave Calypso’s island, he is thrown off course with a giant wave sent by Poseidon. The God of the Sea took Odysseus’s actions in blinding the Cyclops to be irreprehensible and retaliated as such. “Poseidon, the girder of the land is ceaselessly enraged because Odysseus blinded of his eye the Cyclops.” (Od. 1.55-87). In escaping the cyclops’ cave, Odysseus defied his own mortality and thus acted in such a way that he must receive punishment from the Gods (in this case, one God). It is interesting to note how time and time again in Homer’s verses, the Immortal beings reveal themselves to be petty and jealous, displaying characteristic weaknesses of humans. They are closer to human beings than in any other literarily categorized religion and as such yield a much more enormous influence than any absent entity would.

Odysseus’s punishment results in his entire journey, which can be viewed as an allegory for one’s passage through life to the end of living. It is not until he realizes his own position as lesser than a God that the humbling experience of Odysseus’s trials may come to an end. As he speaks to one of the suitors in Book 18, “Once among men I too was counted prosperous; but many wrongs I wrought, led on by pride and sense of power, confident in my father’s and my brothers’ aid” (Od 18. 118-150). Once Odysseus has realized his own foolishness in acting brashly against the Gods, he is able to make the next step of his journey and return to his home. This humbling is part of his journey.

The Ancient Greek system of values was vastly different from what we as members of today’s society promote as acceptable or moral behavior. It was a commonly accepted belief that men had to be ruthless and cruel in defending their property from invasion, in large part because such invasion was so common. Young boys learned how to fight in battle and stand up to defend their country, on quite a different level than in today’s world. This warrior culture defined the terms of relationships between fathers and sons in Ancient Greece, and reinforced archetypes of them being the family protector. “Society valued these men for their possession of the qualities and skills which it recognised as being most essential to its safety and security: wealth, high-birth, courage, physical and military prowess, and skill in counsel and strategy” (Fox 21). Odysseus proved himself throughout the epic time and time again to be of greater prowess than other men, as such he maintains the hero archetype in this epic poem.

The necessary military vigilance resulted in death becoming a much more accepted aspect of the Ancient Greek culture because during that time period people had to constantly confront their own mortality. Dying was oftentimes a brutal and drawn-out affair, considering the time period was prior to the medical advances that so prolong our lives comfortably today. A man would bleed out onto the battlefield and be honored as a hero for dying in combat at the enemy’s sword, defending his life and country. One example of the importance of honor to the Greeks is Homer’s mention of the hero Achilles at the beginning of Book Four, “To the son of Achilles, that breaker of men’s ranks; he gave his daughter” (Od 4. 5-7). In the Iliad, Achilles entered battle fully knowing that in doing so, he was sealing his own fate. Yet he persisted and died on the battlefield a hero, forever remembered and preserved in literature for his heroic deeds. This brings to question the importance of legacy to the Ancient Greeks. So great were the familial ties between father and son, and to the rest of the family unit that if a man died in honor on the battlefield, his descendants would receive recognition for his deeds for years to come.

The cultural value of death was apparent in relation to the importance of religion to the Ancient Greeks. No action was undertaken without first consulting with and obtaining the blessing of the Gods, as Odysseus time and time again realizes in his quest. He is blessed by particular Immortals, at the same time he is thwarted by others exerting their power to influence opposing forces against his journey. The Goddess Athena provides an example of how influential the action of prayer and offering was in changing the sway of a mortal’s fate, as she consistently assists not only Odysseus but his family members in their ultimate quest. In the first book she answers the calling of Telemachus, “Into his heart she had brought strength and courage, turning his thoughts upon his father even more. And he marked this in his mind, an awe came on his heart; he knew a God was with him” (Od 1. 321-352). It is important to recognize the great value that the mortals in Homer’s poems placed on interactions with the Immortal. Although there is no factual historical basis for such happenings, and his writings are often labeled as fictitious regarding descriptions of the Divine, Homer captured how important some form of religious worship was to everyone at the time. His characters believed that their lives were governed to a great extent by the interference of Immortal entities, and so put an endless amount of devotion to their prayers.

Homer examined cultural and political upheaval from an economic standpoint in his writings, as the time in which he worked became a highly representative shift towards a new way of order. Within Ancient Greek society, the political climate guided every interaction amongst classes. It was the first time that rough sketches of democracy appeared in a civilized society and resulted in a new organization of the existing foundation. This directly correlated to more stable property rights becoming established. Democracy was at the time a political upheaval of sorts, following the monarchies that dominated culture prior to Greek society. Although there was previously some form of public assembly and representation, true democratic elements in all these primitive societies and states did not outpower the structures keeping citizens in their particular social class and resulting positions of power. “Only in the Greek city-states emerges a democratic structure with democratic institutions and laws establishing the framework for the working of the state” (Kyriazis & Economoub 3). The religious aspects of Greek life were heavily tied into political happenings as well, as they relate to justice and retribution, drawing parallels to the legal system. Homer gives his readers a glimpse into how political court was held with his description of public meetings in Book 2 of The Odyssey. (Kyriazis & Economoub 15).

Homer captured the democratic elements of a changing Greek society as they evolved into an entirely new set of class governances. “By analyzing the Homeric epics we can find many indications for the protection of property rights and for the implementation in practice of a set of democratic values and equal political rights during Bronze Age and Archaic periods in Greece” (Kyriazis & Economou 9). The Iliad begins detailing the exchange of a woman as property between Achilles and Agamemnon. This slave girl being traded is just one example of how all possessions were established in a system of exchange and value. While not exactly democratic for the disadvantaged members of society, there was still a certain amount of freedom for those who participated in the expanding mercantile market.

Part of the change in Greek society at this time was the shift to a coin system of exchange, as trade expanded across the Mediterranean and merchants increased their areas of trade and economy. This enabled more social mobility between classes for tradesmen and artisans, resulting in a more equal political democracy (Fox 23). There arise repeatedly within Homer’s writings many instances of a topic being settled by common consensus, or a vote of some sort. “There were different elements, in religion, warfare but also in the Athletic Games, that all evolved similar values and norms, of equality, justice, freedom of speech, safeguarding of property rights and individualism (Kyriazis & Economou 17). This is mainly of importance because it was the first move to a civilized near-democracy. Full-fledged equality was not realized within Ancient Greek Society, however, the legal process of questioning and debate over resources is exemplified with Homer’s referral to different bartering and trading that goes on within the epic poem. This regards trading of commodities like cattle, human exchange in slavery of women, or even prayer to the Divine in exchange for a blessing. Democratic debate became a cornerstone of civilized society during this time and continues today in Western culture to be the entire basis of legal representation within the justice system.

The historical chronicles that are described within Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey are of great relevance and impact in today’s society. We can look to them for evidence of standing cultural archetypes that exert a continued influence on Western society. These include spoken and unspoken ideals of family relations, democratic processes, and moral guidance. The changes over decades of human societal development have been innumerable, but in looking to this historical point as a reference to today, parallels become evident. In Ancient Greece as depicted in the verses of Homer, we find roots of modern civilization from which to draw conclusions about the roots of certain aspects of life still prevalent today. Although these epic verses are an embellishment on historical events, their long-standing relevance proves the cultural significance of such written documentation from what was previously an oral tradition.

Works Cited

"A Note on Memory and Reciprocity in Homer’s Odyssey." Workbench External Result. Harvard University, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://chs.harvard.edu/wa/pageR?tn=ArticleWrapper&bdc=12&mn=4616

Fox, Peta Ann. "Heroes at the Gates: Appeal and Value in the Homeric Epics from the Archaic through the Classical Period." MA thesis. Rhodes University, 2011. Web. <http://eprints.ru.ac.za/3479/1/FOX-MA-TR12-187.pdf

Kyriazis, Nicholas , and Economoub, Emmanouil Marios L. "Property rights and democratic values in Bronze Age and Archaic Greece." Munich Personal RePEc Archive (2012): n. pag. mpra.uni. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/42399/1/MPRA_paper_42399.pdf

Lattimore, Richmond. "The Odyssey of Homer." The Odyssey of Homer. Harper & Row, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <https://archive.org/stream/odysseyhomer12homegoog#page/n22/mode/2up/search/exchange

Peacock, Mark S. "The Political Economy of Homeric Society and the Origins of Money." Contributions to Political Economy 30.1 (2011): 47-65. Oxford Journals. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://cpe.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/1/47.full