There are various stories that focus on a human child who must miraculously save the ancient Greek gods and subsequently the world. (for example, Stella Tarakson’s Hopeless Heroes series or Gerald Vinestock’s Crib and the Labours of Hercules, reviewed in this survey). Many of them involve time-travel of some sort. They also constantly play on the tension between viewing the Greek myths as just stories yet also proving their truth, and the consequent implied existence of the Greek gods. However, their main objective is usually an empowering of the young hero (and readers) and they actually employ the fantastic elements to address family issues more than those involving the ancient world.
This story is an example of this type of book. While there is no time traveling and the narrative unfolds within a contemporary time line, the main hero is facing family problems. William’s father is an estranged parent, who hardly even writes to him. His mother loves him, yet she is described as having mood swings and can be a difficult person.
The spell which Zeus casts on his parents makes them ignore William completely and think that they have only just met (they mentally return to their first encounter ten years ago, so this is the only nod at time-traveling in the story). Their odd behavior, especially his mother’s, makes William feel lonely and unwanted, and probably magnifies his deepest fears of being deserted.
In order to come to terms with his father and create some kind of a relationship with him, William must go through his own journey of maturation, in the form of his assistance to Zeus and his triumphant attempt to tie the knot at the omphalos. Furthermore the tying of the omphalos could also be deemed as allegorical to William’s own circumstances. The two ends of the rope can be seen as representing his parents and it is up to William to try and connect them once more, since he is the center of his parents’ union. It is the child who is the center of the family (= the center of his own world) and his presence can connect the loose ends of his family. While his parents do not get back together, still this encounter emphasizes William’s sense of family and belonging. He discovers his Greek roots and accepts them.
Since Odysseus is mentioned as William’s ancestor, William not only gains a father, but also deeper roots and a sense of identity. He is not alone, but a part of a very long and respectable tradition of heroes. William always wanted to “blend in with everyone else” (p. 11) but his mother kept his strange-sounding Greek surname. By introducing him to Odysseus, who represents the Greek tradition, William is made proud of his heritage and embraces his uniqueness.
The presentation of the Greek gods is also interesting. Zeus explains his strange appearance to William, saying: “there I was, king of the gods one minute… – then wallop! Stuck as a swan, Greek civilization in tatters, no one believing in me anymore, temples all in ruins. Tragic. That’s what it is. Tragic.” (p. 35). It is a powerful message. What happens when people stopped believing in the ancient gods? Did they disappear? While we do not receive a definite answer, it seems very likely that most of them simply disappeared. Do gods disappear when we do not believe in them? This is a deep theological question which is not answered here. However, it does refer to the abandonment of the Greek heritage. Later Zeus refers to this deterioration in his conversation with Charon. Charon, who is referred to simply as “the boatman”, asks Zeus what happened and Zeus replies: “change of management” (p. 53). While this reply appears comical, could it have deeper meaning? Who took over the ancient gods? The monotheistic Christianity?
Another reference to ancient beliefs concerns the underworld. William asks Zeus of they are visiting the place where people go to after death. Zeus replies: “it’s where the Ancient Greeks came…it’s what they believed in so it’s what they got.” (p. 56). Once more there is a reference to the power of belief. The ancient Greeks created this underworld according to their own vision, inventing it according to their beliefs. However, it is not just a fantastical place dependent on their beliefs, since William visits the underworld in modern times. Yet it seems that the underworld only contains the ancient Greeks and is limited to them. This is a blend of fantasy and reality. The vision and creation of the ancient Greeks is very real to modern William as well. Furthermore, at the end of the story, after William vanquishes the gorgons by making them turn each other to stone and returns home, he reads a news article about the recent discovery of statues of gorgons, who are believed to be related to Odysseus. Again, fantasy and reality intertwine, and William is connected to his ancient ancestor.
Thus the new hero who saves the world does so by returning to the ancient traditions and also by believing. After the swan sends a thunderbolt as proof, William does not doubt the existence of Zeus. He accepts the ancient tradition and combines it with his modern knowledge, defeating the mythical gorgons using modern materials he bought at a department-store near his home in England. Thus we could say that William invents a new form of reception in order to save the world, the physical as well as the more abstract, philosophical notion of the ancient world. William does not deny Zeus’ request, but rather understands the importance of preserving the past as a means to protecting the present as well as the future. The Greek traditions lie at the center of the world and we must not let them dissolve and disappear, since to do so would be to lose our own civilization as well.