Beyond the Boundaries of Fantasia: An ancient imagining of the future of leadership

Problem: the leader may overestimate or misunderstand the support he/she has from the gods

PROBLEM

The leader may overestimate or misunderstand the support he/she has from the gods.

In Iliad One Agamemnon believes that he has no need of the support of Achilles because Zeus is on his side. Soon, however, Achilles will appeal to his divine mother, Thetis, to ask Zeus to give favor to the Trojans and cause the Greeks (Achaeans, Danaans) to suffer.

WHY this may be a problem

Misunderstanding/overestimating divine support is one of the most common mistakes that lead to ruin in the ancient world, according to ancient poets and historians (see Herodotus' Histories for many examples).

QUESTIONS to consider

What might cause a leader to misunderstand or overestimate the level of divine favor they have?

Why do you think Agamemnon is so confident in the favor he has from Zeus in Iliad One?

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