Fortune, Fate, or Free Will?

Warm up writing idea for today: How much truth, if any, do you place in fortune or forces outside yourself? Do people today still believe as the Greeks did? Are there times humans cannot control themselves due to outside forces?

Today you will be viewing a part of the story of The Iliad, and you may notice how often a Greek god or goddess steps in to change the course of events. The Greeks attributed all actions and events to the will of the gods. If a man or woman had good fortune, it was because he or she was in the favor of a powerful god. Likewise, to make a god angry meant losing favor and suffering bad consequences. It's as if humans were simply pawns in a board game being played by the gods. This might explain natural disasters, love affairs, death, and even being trapped on an island with a beautiful sea nymph for seven years? (The first story you'll read is about Odysseus's inability to leave Calypso's island!)

Keep reading and I hope you will enjoy the stories within The Odyssey. So many references to mythology appear in other literature, even literature we'll read this year. Understanding these allusions (references) reveals a deeper appreciation of literature.

It's late at night and I'm eye-burning tired, but I thought I'd take this quiet opportunity to slip into our "virtual" classroom. I've spent the day rocking, holding, and calming (trying to anyway) a sweet, new four day old grandbaby. Though I miss you guys, I have to say it's magical to have a new grandchild.

Thanks for all your hard work!