Zeus
ZEUS
1.
Oh Zeus,*
Ruler of starry heavens and of fertile earth,
Supreme among Gods and father of all men,
Your name known to me it is, although, you, unknown
To me remain
For
No mortal, since the beginning of time, has set eyes upon
Your divine face**
But
You, the immortal God, through the millennia with different
Names to mortals have appeared***
Nonetheless
Immutable and undeniable forever you are!
2.
Zeus, the “life-giver”, you are called
But
With other names, too many of us, have chosen, you, to recognize
So
Please, do not be offended if by a diverse name, I you identify,
Cause
My action doesn’t spring out of disrespect or spite
But
The result of my own ignorance it is and nothing has to do with your
Holy essence
3.
Tell me, oh Zeus,
Why in your name, throughout history, people have been killing constantly
Each other?
This is difficult for me to understand, as you the father of all us were and
Are and would, always, be
So
How could ever possible it be, for you, one of your children to demand
Another of yours to slay?
4.
One thing I beg you, oh Zeus, god of gods and of all the peoples’ father,
Is it feasible ever to enlighten us, the ignorant, of your divine essence,
Of your immutability, omniscience, goodness and omnipotence,
So as to see and comprehend that you this world have out of love created
And that your law is eternal,
Thus we to be convinced, from now on, peacefully to live in harmonious
Coexistence?
© Demetrios Trifiatis
09 SEPTEMBER 2014
*Zeus: The most powerful of all ancient Greek gods; ruler of heaven and earth, of all gods and all men.
His name comes from the Greek verb “ Zein” and means “To live” so Zeus means the one that gives life: the “life-giver.”
**Xenophanes of Colophon, Greek philosopher and poet, 565 -478 BC. He said: “ No man has seen anything clearly nor anyone know about the Gods.”
** John epis:, first, chapter 4, verse 12 “ No man hath ever seen God at any time.”
*** Heraclitus of Ephesus, Greek philosopher 544-480 BC, said that Zeus didn’t mind if the people called him Zeus or by any other name.
**** Ferekides of Syros, Greek philosopher , sixth century BC, said that when Zeus decided to create the world he changed himself to the love- god, Eros, and by doing so he managed to unite everything in a harmonious whole which means that this world is the outcome of love.
****John, epis:, first, chapter four, verse 16: “ God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.”
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