Who is the king of the gods in The Odyssey?

Zeus is the king of the gods in The Odyssey. As ruler of Mount Olympus and the Greek pantheon, he presides over divine decisions affecting Odysseus and the other characters.

Zeus is not Odysseus's main enemy or helper. Poseidon, god of the sea, opposes Odysseus after the hero blinds Poseidon's son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Zeus, by contrast, helps enforce the larger divine order. When Athena asks for Odysseus's release from Calypso, Zeus sends Hermes to deliver the command.

Zeus also punishes Odysseus's crew after they kill the sacred cattle of Helios on the island of Thrinacia. He destroys their ship with a thunderbolt, leaving Odysseus as the only survivor. This episode shows Zeus acting as a guardian of divine law, oaths, and proper respect for the gods.

Readers sometimes confuse Zeus with Hades, who rules the Underworld, or Poseidon, who rules the sea. Apollo is also an important Olympian deity, but he is not the supreme ruler. In the world of the Odyssey, Zeus holds the highest position among the gods.