Zeus w „Argonautykach” Apolloniosa z Rodos

Abstract

According to Apollonius Rhodius, Zeus is a force constituting the order in the world, he is the author of history, the course of all events depends on him, he has foreseen everything in the least details. The plan created by Zeus has to be fulflled without any changes, because his will became predestination to which he is subordinated. Zeus is a warrenter of law and order among people, he rewards them for merits and punishes for crimes, but gives them possibility to expiate their guilts. The guilt unexpiated by its perpetrator will reach the members of his family. Each of the gods, both the Olympian ones and those of lower rank behave in their activity according to the resolutions of the supreme god. They are executors of his will and exponents of his intentions. In outline, the idea of Zeus does not differ from the vision of this god, which we can reconstruct on the basis of works by Callimachus and Theocritus as well as by Aratos of Soli.