The Odyssey: An Underlying Theme of Xenia

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In a modern world such as ours, it is sometimes difficult to understand special customs that were most highly respected in ancient cultures. However, some have been able to adapt with the times and transform into decorum that can be still valued today. Xenia can be a perfect example. Coming from the ancient Greeks, xenia was the religious and civic commitment of hospitality that was expected of all guests of people as well as from the hosts themselves. The ancient Greeks held xenia in the highest regard and believed in great consequences if the rules of xenia were abused in any way. Xenia, to them, was much more than guidelines for them to follow; it was a duty that required utmost regard.

The ancient Greeks believed that there were exact rules of xenia that needed to be carried out in order for it to be valid. The requirements of the guest included that the guest must do no harm to the host; they must not steal; they must not rape, seduce, or sleep with their host’s wife, daughters, and servants or slaves; and they must not overstay their welcome at the host’s residence. In turn, the host must provide food, drink, a clean set of clothes, a washing of hands, feet or a bath, and a safe place to sleep; they must do no harm to their guest; and they must not question the guest of their name or business until all the before stated requirements were fulfilled. One straightforward example of proper xenia is when Telémakhos and Nestor’s son pay a visit to Meneláos while on a quest to find news of Odysseus. As soon as Meneláos hears of Telémakhos and Nestor’s son’s arrival, he orders his servants to treat them to all the necessities of xenia, even going so far as to reprimand a companion in arms who had questioned whether to welcome the...

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...o the complex tale of Odysseus’ adventures are underlying themes of Greek ethics, one of the most prominent being xenia. While the epic teaches many things of the gods and of Greek culture, xenia appears again and again and seems the most pronounced. Xenia was expected not just in the epic itself, but in the daily lives of real ancient Greeks. The extreme hospitality and courtesy that was customary for the Greeks to show to their guests or hosts can also be a loose model to modern day civilization, where common civility is often neglected to be shown. In a world full of prejudice, arrogance, and animosity between people of different parties, xenia should be a most welcome idea of behavior, albeit one that should be altered to fit in with the new world.

Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. Print.

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