The god's in this story use their power to play with lives and to make their "team" win. Can the gods change fate though?
King Latinus contemplates if this is the person that the oracle spoke about from line 307 to 311:
"This," he thought, "must be the foreigner whom the Fates have destined to be my son in marriage and to share my power equally. His descendants will excel in virtue, and rule the world with might" (pg. 170).
King Latinus believes that this foreigner that has come must be the man that the oracle has spoken about and so he welcomes Aeneas with open arms and even gives him and his army gifts. Of course this upsets the gods that aren't for "Team Troy" so they try to get involved and stop this from happening. Books 8 and 9 go into more detail about how the war is turning out, but even with all of the power that they have, can the gods control fate? I know we haven't finished the book yet, but I believe everyone already knows the answer to this question.
It is very interesting how the Gods speak of fate in the epic. Jupiter criticizes Juno for trying to help Turnus, and thus hurt Aeneas, because they both know the ultimate fate of Aeneas. However, if all of the Gods know fate, why do they bother intervening in the lives of mortals at all? Or do they believe that fate can occur through their meddling?
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