Personally I don't think an entire species or civilisation have any obligation to bend over and appease the whims of either Venat or Hermes. Especially when neither deigned to actually speak up in good faith in regards to their concerns.

The story was written in such a way as to have both blame the victims of their genocidal rampages - which is pretty questionable in itself.

Venat is basically Yunalesca - a well meaning individual who did not act out of malice but who still was very much a villain by virtue of trying to perpetuate a cycle of intense suffering.