Tempting Fate/Oral Tradition

• Countless instances in Greek Mythology. Proclaiming oneself smarter/mightier/prettier/better than the gods always brings immediate ruin down on the offending mortal (if the gods don't at least choose to be lenient and instead put said mortal to the test), yet mortals do this continuously.
  • In the story of the Seven Against Thebes, one of the leaders, Capaneus, stood just at the wall of the city and shouted that Zeus himself could not stop him from invading it. Zeus promptly killed him with a thunderbolt.
  • In revenge for Diomedes wounding her before Troy, Aphrodite/Venus saw to it that he was driven into exile in Italy. Trying to cheer him up, his six companions told him that at least Venus could do no worse to them. She then turned the six companions into birds.
• Discussed in The Bible:

Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.

—Matthew 4:5-7

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