What is Homer's central theme about fate?
Fate, like the lightning from Zeus's hand, is a force that shapes our destinies. While mortal men strive with all their might, their actions often play out within a grand design far beyond their understanding. In the *Iliad*, the doom of Troy and the fate of heroes are woven from the threads of divine will and mortal choice. The *Odyssey* shows Odysseus, blessed by Athena but tormented by Poseidon, buffeted by circumstances, yet his own cunning and perseverance are also part of his destined return. The will of Zeus is inscrutable, yet honor and courage are the virtues mortals can cling to.