Susan Johnston Graf

In ancient Greece, deities were regarded as anthropomorphic, immortal, and powerful. They were conceived of as persons rather than abstract concepts, and were described as similar to humans in appearance, albeit larger and more beautiful. The emotions and actions of deities were largely the same as those of humans; they frequently engaged in sexual activity, and were jealous and amoral. Deities were considered far more knowledgeable than humans, and it was believed that they conversed in a langu…