As we examine the ancient Greco-Roman world, we are summarizing the works of Homer and Virgil. War and peace, love and hatred, jealousy and vengeance, adventure and danger, heroes and cowards, not to mention a few monsters thrown in to keep things from getting boring! These stories run the gamut of all human emotion and passion-the good, the bad and the ugly. The problem is that this describes the gods and goddesses as well. Odysseus and Aeneus perceive the gods to be just like themselves except, of course, for the fact that they are all-powerful and immortal! Now that's a scary scenario! If the gods are just like human beings with all our shortcomings. . .well, this doesn't exactly sound like a refuge to run to when trouble comes in this life, does it? The gods are fickle. They plot and scheme to intervene in the events of earth to benefit their favorite mortals and then take vengeance against others. And what about beyond the grave. . .will I find favor with the gods?

According to Homer, Odysseus was able to visit the place of the dead. Later on Virgil writes that Aeneas also made this same voyage. What a picture they have provided. Yesterday we began to discuss the Greco-Roman concept of the afterlife. We will later see that some of their ideas are comparable to popular conceptions of heaven and hell even to this day. Next week we will place these ideas up against the standard of Scripture.