On sin and forgiveness, from the Iliad...
Achilles was angry at Agamemnon and threatening to leave the war, but Phoenix has this to say:
"Now, therefore, I say battle with your pride and beat it; cherish not your anger for ever; the might and majesty of heaven are more than ours, but even heaven may be appeased; and if a man has sinned he prays the gods, and reconciles them to himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense, with drink-offerings and the savour of burnt sacrifice. For prayers are as daughters to great Jove; halt, wrinkled, with eyes askance, they follow in the footsteps of sin, who, being fierce and fleet of foot, leaves them far behind him, and ever baneful to mankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world; but nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing after. If a man has pity upon these daughters of Jove when they draw near him, they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying; but if he deny them and will not listen to them, they go to Jove the son of Saturn and pray that he may presently fall into sin- to his ruing bitterly hereafter. Therefore, Achilles, give these daughters of Jove due reverence, and bow before them as all good men will bow. Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and promising others later- if he were still furious and implacable- I am not he that would bid you throw off your anger and help the Achaeans, no matter how great their need; but he is giving much now, and more hereafter; he has sent his captains to urge his suit, and has chosen those who of all the Argives are most acceptable to you; make not then their words and their coming to be of none effect. Your anger has been righteous so far. We have heard in song how heroes of old time quarrelled when they were roused to fury, but still they could be won by gifts, and fair words could soothe them. "
(in book 9)
I really like the illustration of prayers and sin both being the daughters of Jove, and prayers always running after sin...but then if opportunities for prayers are ignored, the idea that your punishment will be to be more and more driven to sin...i feel it speaks to something profound about the human experience of doing right and doing unjustly...and how being continually unjust is in and of itself a punishment.... and it also speaks to a perspective common in west africa and apparently in the medditteranean, that we don't consider how god will be based on our actions, but that when we see how god is, it should be a guiding principle for us. if god can be humbled, if the sun can rely on something, then why not us? how can our pride or anger be bigger than a gods? if god can bend, then how much easier should it be for us to bend? etc...
