reach his high-roofed house, his native land at last.".
( pg 156, lines 125-128).
He points out that it is not Odysseus' fate to remain on the island with her, but for him to return home. Through this quotation it is evident that the Gods do not create destiny or fate, they are simply aware of it, and are endowed with the powers to help fufill it. It is almost as if the Gods are ruled by destiny. Since they can netheir create, nor severely alter one man's fate, they are in essence powerless. They can set one off of his course, but cannot keep him from the enevitalbe if that is what his destiny holds for him.
There are, however quotes that point out the mortal's view of the gods. "it's Olympian Zeus himself who hands our fortunes out to each of us in turn, to the good and bad however Zeus prefers." (pg 315, lines 504-506). Another quote from page 315, lines 504-506 says "As for father Zeus,one thing he will give and another he'll hold back,whatever his pleasure. All things are in his power." Both of these quotes are saying that the Gods really do control our fate. It indicates that Zeus decides what fates are in store for each mortal, and that he hands them out on his own accord. This, however, is not Zeus himself speaking. The first one is the princess, a mortal, and the second one is Eumaeus, also a mortal. Therefore these quotes supports my first chosen quote in saying that this is the view the mortals have of Gods. They believe that they control everything, when really it is ourselves who control our own fate.
"There in the future he must suffer all that Fate and the overbearing Spinners spun out on his life line the very day his mother gave him birth."(pg 186, lines 196-198). By capitalizing the words Fate and Spinners, Homer is indicating that these are beings, such as the gods. By personifying these words he is showing us that it is the "Fates" and the "Spinners" who are creating our destiny.