What aspects of human nature are manifested by the god and goddesses in intervening of the story of troy?

Question

What aspects of human nature are manifested by the god and goddesses in intervening of the story of troy? How does it become their personal strenghts and weaknessses?

Answer 1

Aphrodite being the winner of the golden apple,would represent not only Helen's passion and the urge for infediality with Paris,but the problem of beauty and sexuality being used for ones own gain/iressponsibly.Because love can be blind and people can make some horrifically foolish choices as they did.On the other hand,was it for love or mere lust? Both Hera and Athena were cast as vengefull and both represented other aspects of Helen(women as a whole) the urge to think before acting blindly,the urge to be loyal and faithful to ones partner,to value marriage.Yet Helen throws it all away.The same could be said for Paris' choice,beauty and passion over thinking clearly and honor and respect for another man and his wife.The valueing of surface beauty and charm over deeper more meaningful quailities.Ares would represent thecourage and will to fight which Paris initially lacked and other like Hector and Achilles,etc posssesed.And both describe extremes,polarised.Hector was more honorable and self controlled,while Achilles was lacking in those quailites.I can't think of any more off hand but it seems that each character had traits both good and bad of the Gods/Goddesses that favored them and helped them,or challenged and tested them.Hope this helps.