What role did ancient Greeks believe that gods and goddesses played in their lives? Gods and goddesses were like puppet masters who had full authority and control over the Greeks’ lives and the afterlife. Greeks should pray to the gods and goddesses, but their happiness came from personal accomplishments. Gods and goddesses were merely characters in stories the Greeks told for entertainment. Gods and goddesses were depicted in art and statues, but they did not play a role in the daily lives of ancient Greeks.