the relationship between immortals and mortals

• gods communicate with mortals via omens and dreams, and sometimes in person
• they come undisguised to the Phaeacians, according to Alcinous
• elsewhere, they take on a different identity before mortals
• Zeus never appears
• he sends Hermes to deliver his messages
• when gods are visible, they are characterised by light, beauty and speed of movement
• only heroes can recognise them, and T's realisation in bk 1 that his visitor is an immortal is an immortal is a sure sign that he is a hero in the making
• in mortal eyes, the gods are associated with punishment and fear
• the Suitors warn Antinous that the beggar could be a god
• P's 1st reaction is that the Suitors have been killed by an outraged immortal
• T fears that Ody might be a divine power playing a trick on him
• Ody is suspicious of Ino
• anything unexpected could be the work.of a god
• fear prompts men to seek the gods' approval
• Amphinomus urges that the will of the gods be ascertained before any attempts on T's life
• the gods like sacrifices
• Hermes complains that, having flown over the sea for so long, he has not enjoyed any offerings
• Humans use sacrifices as a way to gain favour
• Eumaeus prays that Zeus will repay Ody for all his offerings, and on Thrinacie, the men hope to appease the god by a sacrifice