“The Odyssey” by Homer (post 5): Why does Athena usually appear in the guise of people, rather than as herself, or simply force people to do what she wants?

In The Odyssey, Athena frequently appears in the guise of people (e.g., Mentes, Mentor, Telemachus, and a shepherd). In contrast, it is relatively rare that she appears as herself or that she simply makes people do or say what she wants.

Of the three ways she could get what she wants—impersonating, acting as herself, putting thoughts in a person’s head—only impersonating necessarily leaves the person with no memory for what had been said or done.

For example, when Athena speaks in the guise of Mentor, the real Mentor is not present, and so cannot have any memory for what was said. Whereas, if Athena had made Mentor say what she wanted said, or had herself said what she wanted said in everyone’s presence, then Mentor would remember what had been said.

Perhaps it was not uncommon in the ancient world for a person to have been witnessed doing or saying something, but honestly have no memory for it. What could explain it? If you didn’t have the concept of memory gaps due to multiple personality, then you might explain it by saying that it was not really the person, but a goddess impersonating the person.

But would multiple personality have been more common in the ancient world than it is now? If childhood trauma had been more common, then multiple personality might have been more common.

However, it may simply have been that fiction writers in the ancient world, like fiction writers today, were more likely to have had multiple personality than the general public, and that it was reflected in their stories.

Of course, if no narrator or character ever raises the issue of Mentor, for example, having amnesia for advising what he had appeared to advise, then few readers will notice or care.