Zeus is the Greek "Father of Gods" and Polytlas is one of the epithets used to describe Odysseus: * Polytlas-- much-suffering; much-enduring; persistent An approximate translation of "Persistent God Nathan" can be made from the inscription, although more accurately, it may be translated as "Much enduring divine Nathan." This is an allusion to the Odyssey, the great epic adventure written by Homer, in the ancient Greek. Along the Odyssey, Odysseus (the greek name of Ulysses) is called πολύτλας διος οδισσεύς (polytlas dios Odisseus), which means "Odysseus divine sufferer" or "great sufferer". So, the allusion is comparing the sufferings that Nathan will endure in his adventures with the story of Odysseus.