Valar / Greek and Roman gods

[Morthoron]

Well, right off the bat the Valar are much more detached from humanity, aren't they? They don't exhibit neither the same range of emotions, nor entangle themselves in mortals' everyday life as the Greek pantheon did. Aside from Nienna's weeping and the noted tempers of Tulkas and Orome, there just aint much emotion in that colorless bunch (no wonder none of them had children -- they couldn't get stirred up enough to even try).

Of course there are similarities from one pantheon to the next, the general studies/abilities of each Valar (Manwe the sky, Mandos of Hades, Aule of earth, Ulmo the sea, etc.) matches the hierarchical equivalents of the Greeks in form if not direct comparison; however, the Greek pantheon were more human in their foibles, jealousies, loves, anguish, rages, etc., than the lofty Valar.

Overall, I think I'd rather party with the Greeks than the Valar.