Hospitality in the Odyssey
Jeremy Worden
Hospitality Illustrated in Homer 's The Odyssey
Far removed from our individualistic society today is the ancient Greece portrayed in Homer’s The Odyssey, where hospitality and good will are the main focus of these people. As decreed by Zeus himself, those who wish the favor of the Gods must welcome foreigners and domestic with hospitality. A man was supposed to offer the best of his food, his home, and his knowledge before ever asking for his guest’s name or why he was there. There was a sense that those of high status are the main givers of hospitality, but they were not the only ones commanded to offer hospitality. Homer emphasizes hospitality from everyone during Telemachus’ and Odysseus’ journeys, using a man’s xenos, host/guest relationships, with his guest to infer his integrity and character. If a man isn’t pure, then he doesn’t show hospitality and Homer makes sure that man is put in his proper place through the vengeance of those he has wronged. As far as integrity goes, there is no one that shows this quality greater than Telemachus. He is a moral and virtuous prince, devoted both to his mother and to his father’s house, so when Athena appears in the house of Odysseus, Telemachus does what he can to show hospitality to her, but does not seem to provide for Penelope’s suitors. These men are the scum of the Earth. They have no regard for the xenos between Telemachus and themselves. Thus, they are portrayed as pathetic, dishonorable nobodies. On the other hand, Telemachus is portrayed as an honorable man by the way he conducts himself with Athena. What makes him all the more impressive is that Athena is disguised as the mortal Mentes, so Telemachus isn’t entertaining a goddess; he’s inviting in a complete stranger and offering all that he has even with the nuisance of the suitors getting in the way.
Homer makes sure to give us a clear idea of what hospitality is before we begin determining the quality of the hospitality shown
Hospitality Illustrated in Homer 's The Odyssey
Far removed from our individualistic society today is the ancient Greece portrayed in Homer’s The Odyssey, where hospitality and good will are the main focus of these people. As decreed by Zeus himself, those who wish the favor of the Gods must welcome foreigners and domestic with hospitality. A man was supposed to offer the best of his food, his home, and his knowledge before ever asking for his guest’s name or why he was there. There was a sense that those of high status are the main givers of hospitality, but they were not the only ones commanded to offer hospitality. Homer emphasizes hospitality from everyone during Telemachus’ and Odysseus’ journeys, using a man’s xenos, host/guest relationships, with his guest to infer his integrity and character. If a man isn’t pure, then he doesn’t show hospitality and Homer makes sure that man is put in his proper place through the vengeance of those he has wronged. As far as integrity goes, there is no one that shows this quality greater than Telemachus. He is a moral and virtuous prince, devoted both to his mother and to his father’s house, so when Athena appears in the house of Odysseus, Telemachus does what he can to show hospitality to her, but does not seem to provide for Penelope’s suitors. These men are the scum of the Earth. They have no regard for the xenos between Telemachus and themselves. Thus, they are portrayed as pathetic, dishonorable nobodies. On the other hand, Telemachus is portrayed as an honorable man by the way he conducts himself with Athena. What makes him all the more impressive is that Athena is disguised as the mortal Mentes, so Telemachus isn’t entertaining a goddess; he’s inviting in a complete stranger and offering all that he has even with the nuisance of the suitors getting in the way.
Homer makes sure to give us a clear idea of what hospitality is before we begin determining the quality of the hospitality shown
Cited: Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. Penguin: New York, 1996