In the ancient Greek culture Zeus is the Supreme Being among the gods of Olympia. His primary job is to ensure that the will of fate is imposed. One would surmise that to do this he would need to maintain neutrality, keeping at bay his own desires to persuade the pathways of the universe. However, in both Aeschylus' Agamemnon and Homer's The Iliad Zeus can frequently be found dabbling in the destinies of humans, and making up the rules as he goes along "because he can. .
Aeschylus' Agamemnon portrays a different picture of Zeus than Homer's The Iliad. To begin with the reader is not exposed to direct dialogue between Zeus and the other gods or mortal characters; therefore, he is less human-like. The chorus of Agamemnon, unaware at this time of the murderous plot of Clytaemnestra, believe that Zeus is championing the cause of their king, Agamemnon: "Ten years gone, ten to the day/our great avenger went for Priam--/Menelaus and lord Agamemnon,/two kings with the power of Zeus,"" (ll. 45-48) They are also under the assumption that Zeus is supportive of Agamemnon because of the inciting incident of the Trojan War to begin with: "So towering Zeus the god of guests/drives Atreus' sons at Paris,/all for a woman manned by many- (ll.66-68) Zeus was also the god of hospitality. Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, had been a guest in the house of Menelaus when he engaged in an affair with Helen, Menelaus' wife. Being the Supreme Being of the gods, Zeus also "stands for order and justice. Thus the law of human life that Zeus proclaims and administers "that wisdom comes through suffering "" (Norton. p 526. n 3) If this sentiment rings true, there would be great wisdom to come of the House of Atreus, as there was also great suffering. The House of Atreus was under a great cloud of miasma, beginning with the acts of Tantalus, Atreus' grandfather. Tantalus cooked his son Pelops and served him to the gods.
