The Odyssey is an epic poem written in the sixth century B.C.E, by a Greek poet Homer. Although Homer is not a prominent poet in his era his work has not gone unrecognized: the morals and ethnic code, explaining the hospitality laws and what the Greeks expect from the host and guest going into detail on the relationship between the host and guest, giving examples of a bad guest, and finally revealing the specific characteristics of a bad host.
Back in the sixth century the Greeks had an unwritten law that anyone, such as wanderers, beggars, or a nobleman are welcomed into anyone household or land: “But now, since it is our land and our city that you have come to, you shall not lack for clothing nor anything else” (Homer). It was a part of the Greeks ethical code to show compassion and generosity, displaying hospitality to those far from home was sort of a tradition. A good example is the connection between Telemachos and King Menelaus, the guest being Menelaus treats the host with respect acknowledging as a guest. The guest is never supposed to ask for anything unless
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he has brought some type of present or offering, this does not always need to be done just in some cases. Menelaus thinks Telemachos is a good guest so he decided to bring him in for a feast, providing food along with shelter “Go and take out their horses and bring the men in to share our feast” (Homer). This is a good example of being a good host, and showing the proper hospitality and respect to your guest. There are some people that do not treat their host with respect and should not be allowed in anyone household or living space. One example is when the Cyclops (Polyphemus) arrived to his cave and found Odysseys and his men eating his food and helping their self to his drinks. After, the soldiers did not bother to leave, Odyssey and his men fell asleep in what they presumed to be an abandoned cave, but in all actuality it was the living quarters for a giant Cyclops. This shows wrongful doings of a “bad guest” making themselves comfortable where they do not belong “Walk briskly to the cave, but find him not alone home…so we entered” (Homer). The cyclops was furious and told Odyssey and his men that he was going to eat all of them and leave odyssey for last, only because Odysseys was somewhat thoughtful enough to give a gift to polythemus. Odyssey gave the Cyclops strong wine as a gift “take this wine as a gift from me “(Homer 6), which was a kind gesture but unfortunately two of his men were killed. They had to disguise themselves by tying themselves to the bellies of sheep and sneaking out. There are often questions about whether or not the cyclops was a bad host, but it was always.
Polythemus was slightly in the wrong when it comes to the basic rules of being a host, he was supposed to be welcoming to any wanderer but instead he ate three of them “I will eat nobody last of all his friends” (Homer). Despite the fact that odyssey and his troops barged into a cave and ate all of the cyclops food, the unwritten law of hospitality still stands strong in that era. And by not only eating his unexpected guest he broke that rule, therefore becoming a bad host. Regardless of the fact he still gave odyssey a “gift” Polythemus gift was to eat him last “I will eat nobody last of all his friends, I will eat the others first that is my gift to you “(Homer).You can see how this can reflect badly on both the guest and the host but for the most, part the host is at shame for his actions and
behavior. The unwritten law of hospitality unfortunately is not in effect in modern society but back then it was frowned upon to leave anyone to fend for themselves. But Homer has done an exceptional job in his epic poem showing the different types of good and bad guest/host, and shedding light on the morals and ethical code back in the 8th century.
The Odyssey is an epic home it was written by homer in the classical Greek. The story is about the main character Odysseus a Trojan war hero and his journey to return home to Ithaca conflict and obstacles are throughout the story and affect different characters many of the characters experience some form of reciprocity by the end of the epic and get what they
“I often gave to vagabonds, whoever they might be, who came in need.” (Homer, 351) Hospitality was evident in Homer’s time period and eventually was seen as an institution in the Greek culture. A guest-host relationship, known as Xenia, takes place throughout The Odyssey whether it’s to gain relationships or to avoid punishments from the gods. It is a major theme and is apparent in every book of The Odyssey. Hospitable characters who use xenia are what keep this novel going. Xenia affects the plot in many ways and influences characters actions and choices throughout the novel.
Homer. “The Odyssey”. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puncher. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 475. Print.
Hospitality: Greek philoxenia; literally “love of strangers.” Homer might have had such a definition in mind when he introduced the theme of hospitality to his epic poem the Odyssey. A multitude of reasons for the prominent position this theme plays, both in the Odyssey and perhaps in Homer’s own society, are hinted at in the introductory books, often referred to as the Telemachy. Just two of these, namely the hunger for news and the belief in divinity, are illustrated by the words and actions of the hosts Telemakhos and Nestor.
For example when Athena first visited Telemachus, he was shocked no one had greeted her and invited her in, telling her how they would feed and entertain her, and then find out what her need is. He sat her on an elaborate chair and himself on a bench without asking for anything in return. (1.118-124, 130-134) Not only was he shocked a guest was at the door, he made her more comfortable than himself, not even knowing she was a goddess. This shows the gods that people are behaving correctly and putting others comfort before their own. Homer did this to introduce the hospitality theme. He went farther into detail in this passage to tell the audience what hospitality was like during that time as well as characterize Telemachus. He sounds very generous when welcoming Athena into his house and the audience starts to understand who he is. However we see some characters that feel forced to be hospitable for fear of the gods rather than hope for them. Eumaeus showed this when he said "You too, old man of many sorrows, since the spirit brought you here to me, do not try to please me nor spell me with lying words. It is not for that I will entertain and befriend you, but for
The Greeks have been known for their hospitality and politeness, especially when treating guests- whether strangers or not. This is demonstrated near the beginning of the Odyssey when Telemachus went to Pylos to visit Nestor. Nestor, not knowing who he was taking into his home as guests, treated them with great honor and respect. "Now is the time," he said, "for a few questions, now that our young guests have enjoyed their dinner. Who are you, strangers? Where are you sailing from, and where to, down the highways of sea water (p 299)?" If ever Greeks were to serve themselves before their guests or even a little better than them, then they were breaking the most basic of all Greek customs, for this tradition of hospitality was passed down from generation to generation, and breaking it would bring embarrassment and dishonor upon the home.
...of ancient Greek society. The act of; providing strangers a meal, a place to sleep, and a welcoming spirit before they continue their journey, are strongly encouraged. The hosts don’t ask for the guests’ identity—to be polite—and treat them with courtesy. For instance, Nestor welcomes Telemachus to his island, and offers him to join a big feast without having the knowledge of where he came from or who he was. The guests are also expected to return the favor of kindness. On the other side of hospitality, the host-to-guest relationship isn’t as pleasant, and the gods strongly forbid the mistreatment of strangers. Going against their wishes will result in misfortunes. For example Cyclops got his eye blinded, and the suitors were deprived of existence. Thus, although the rules of hospitality aren’t written down, there are clear guidelines between generous and hostile.
A positive host is one who welcomes their guests with open arms. Generous Greek hosts treat their guests with the highest respect. A positive host does not ask a guest of their identity, until after they dine. Greek hosts offer their guests a wide variety of meats and wines. If a host enjoys the company of his guests, he will offer gifts to them. The type of gift offered to the guest would depend on the wealth and generosity of the host. If the guest is a weary traveler and a long way from home, a host may invite the guest to stay for the night at his home. An example of excellent Greek hospitality as read in The Odyssey would be shown in the character Menelaus, towards his unknown guests, Telemachus and Peisistratus. Menelaus is quoted in The Odyssey as follows: “Welcome. Do begin your meal. After you’ve dined we shall inquire who you may be. (IV pg. 42)” Other examples of good hospitality would include King Alcinous and Queen Arete, of the Phaecians, towards Odysseus, and the king of Pylos, Nestor, towards Telemachus. Therefore, t...
All throughout The Odyssey there are scenes of good and bad, xenia, or hospitality. It can be seen that hospitality is extremely important in the Greek culture, both how someone treats their guests and how the guests treat the host. A closer look chronologically into the good, then bad examples will show how one acts affects the actions that are brought upon them when they either follow or disobey Zeus' Law. Right at the beginning of The Odyssey, the reader is shown the hospitality that Telemachus has. Athena arrives, disguised, and he invites her into his home by saying: "'Greetings, stranger!
People who are in need have always been around, and will also continue to be here; therefore, the means of hospitality should be spread. Throughout Greek culture, xenia has been a prominent method for those who are in need. Homer could obviously see the importance of hospitality since he put such emphasis on it in his work. This re-occurring theme has however, lost some of its relevance through time, but can still be shared through small acts of kindness. The Bible even says to “offer hospitality to one another without complaint” (1 Peter 4:9).
The Greek value of hospitality is exhibited in The Odyssey by Odysseus and Penelope. Odysseus and his hungry men entered an unfamiliar cave, which was home to the Cyclops. Once the Cyclops saw the men he asked why they are there, and in Odysseus's explanation he mentions “It was our luck to come here; here we stand beholden for your help, or any gifts you give-as custom is it to honor strangers” (line 194). Odysseus is tried to convince the cyclops to let him and his men live by using the Greek value of hospitality. He wants the Cyclops to view him as a guest, not food. To Odysseus it was second nature to help out a guest or person in need. While Penelope was speaking to the suitors she noted “Here is a poor man come, a wanderer, driven by want to beg his bread, and everyone in hall gave bits, to cram his bag” (line 1116). She shamed Antinous for not helping the man, because in Ithaca its is accustomed to provide the hungry and poor with food. The fact that Antinous “threw a stool” at Odysseus, and “banged his shoulder” appalled Penelope. The thought of doing such a thing was unheard of to Penelope since hospitality is a part of her way of life along with all other Greeks. The people of Ithaca from The Odyssey a...
Hospitality today is nothing like it was in Ancient Greece. Today, good hospitality is being friendly and respectful to a guest. In Ancient Greece, hospitality was something people had to do, or face the wrath of Zeus. Zeus’s law of hospitality is that any stranger that comes to your home, the host must be willing to feed, entertain, and maybe offer them a bath and anything else they might be in need of without question until those things had been given, and also give them a parting gift. The guest, in turn, would not be a burden in any way. In The Odyssey, most people follow the rules of hospitality, but there are others who do not. The Greek concept of xenia shows the serious priority the Greeks place on the laws of the gods.
The Odyssey is filled with emotion and adventure. Homer’s ability to show and give the reader a visual of each and every scene gives the story its unbelievable significance. To all the people who read his work there is something to be captured within every sentence, each one different in its own, unique way. Through tales of courage and defeat, friendship and love this book tells of all the values within the life of a single, solitary man, and his journey to attain what is true and dear to him. And this journey is known to all of us as The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a test of human devotion and trust through the gods, the mortals, and the obstacles through which they venture. No matter where they go or what they do, humans are tested for certain characteristics everyday of their lives, whether they realize it or not; and The Odyssey is just one of those many miraculous tests.
The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald, is about the war hero Odysseus' ten year adventure to return home after the Trojan War. At one point in the epic poem, Odysseus is retelling his adventure at the land of the Kyklopês, in which he and his crew go to an island filled with these creatures. Through Odysseus, Homer uses contrasting connotation when speaking of the crew and the Kyklopês to convey that mankind is better than the Kyklopês using two different domains domains of society.
The Odyssey is one of two ancient Greek poems written by the famous Greek author, Homer. The story details the adventures of Odysseus and his men during their ten-year sail after the Trojan War. They must return home before their civilization falls to ruins. The men face a Cyclops, a group of Sirens, a giant whirlpool and rock monster, and many other creatures and challenges. The Odyssey was written sometime during the eighth century, so it features complex dialect and hidden meanings. Homer uses diction in The Odyssey in order to express a tone of darkness and bravery.