Xenia in the Odyssey Essay - 760 Words

The concept of guest hospitality is extremely important in ancient Greece. Hospitality, or Xenia, is so essential in Greek society that Zeus, in addition to being the king of the Gods, is also the God of travelers (Wikipedia). This created an obligation for the host to be hospitable to their guests, and conversely, the guests had their own responsibilities as well. If either the host or the guest was to break any rule set by Xenia, there would be severe penalties dealt by Zeus and also by society (Wikipedia). In The Odyssey, Xenia is a theme which is shown repeatedly throughout the book: Nestor and Menelaos take in Telemakhos warmly as a guest and Eumaios plays an excellent host to Odysseus, while Odysseus is disguised as a wandering†¦show more content†¦However, the suitors did the worst thing a guest could do and, although in vain, plotted to kill Telemakhos as they feared that he would return from his trip to Pylos and Sparta with news of Odysseus. This is perhaps the big gest violation of Xenia that a guest can possibly commit and is punishable by death. In addition to overstaying their welcome and basically taking over the palace as their own, they also treated other guests of the palace poorly despite being guests themselves. In Book XX, Odysseus returned to his palace disguised as a stranger when the suitors were enjoying one of their banquets. Odysseus went around collecting scraps from the suitors so that he would learn to distinguish the good from the bad among them. However, Odysseus inspection was not appreciated by Antinoos, and instead of giving him food as the others had done, he threw a stool at Odysseus, and struck him on the back (Greek Mythology Link). Without knowing it, the suitors, through Antinoos’ actions, had attacked their host which was another crime punishable by death. Certainly, the suitors were aware of the consequences of their actions. Otherwise, when Antinoos threw the stool at Odysseus, the others wouldn’t worry that Zeus could be in the guise of the beggar. The suitors have been going against the values of Xenia for so long that they knew it was a matter of time before they’re punished for their actions; it wasn’t merelyShow MoreRelatedXenia in the Odyssey1993 Words   |  8 PagesThe Importance of Xenia in The Odyssey and it’s Consequences One of the most important themes in The Odyssey is the concept of xenia, which is the old Greek word for hospitality. In modern times, hospitality is something we rarely think of, and the first thing that comes to mind is the hotel industry, but in ancient Greece, xenia was not about hotels, or just about etiquette, it was a way of life with many benefits in a world that was still mostly savage. Xenia was more than just being polite toRead MoreAnalysis Of Xenia And The Odyssey 889 Words   |  4 PagesSignificance of Xenia in the Works of Homer: Hospitality in the Illiad and the Odyssey The concept of Xenia was extremely significant in ancient Greek culture. As such, it played a prominent role in the works of authors, most specifically Homer. In fact, some of the most significant information we have about the concept of Xenia, as it relates to cultural norms come from the work of Homer, and the examples of hospitality demonstrated in the protagonist’s journeys in the Iliad and the Odyssey. More specificallyRead MoreWhy Is Xenia Such an Important Theme in the Odyssey?1211 Words   |  5 PagesWhy is Xenia such an important theme in the Odyssey? Explain your views and support them with details from the poem. (45 marks) The concept of guest hospitality was extremely important in ancient Greece. 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Odysseus throughout the way has shown he is exceedingly hospitable. The Odyssey reflects Xenia through Odysseus’s journey of: Odyessus’s Crew, nymphs, and the Gods. Xenia was shownRead MoreFar Removed From Our Individualistic Society Today Is The1514 Words   |  7 Pagesindividualistic society today is the ancient Greece portrayed in The Odyssey, by Homer, where hospitality and good-will are a given in the lives of decent, moral people. As commanded by Zeus himself, those who wish the favor of the Gods must welcome foreign and domestic visitors with hospitality. The term developed to describe this concept is the Latin, xenia or guest-friendship. In ancient Greek literature, forms of the word xenia (ÃŽ ¾ÃŽ µÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±), are fairly common: Homer s two books, for example, contain