One of the widely discussed topics in the classic literature is hospitality. It found a deep reflection and great importance in the Homer's Odyssey. The rituals of modern hospitality go deeply into ancient traditions. They shaped relationship between host and guest, which had been expressed preliminary in non-material benefit as shelter and protection, food and support, as well as gifts. From modern perspective, this is one of the key cross-cutting themes of the Odyssey as the book, which tells about a long journey and a return. The essay discusses specific examples of such relationships, both good and bad, and investigates how they support the story’s important ideas.
The mobility of the population in antiquity was surprisingly high. Events such as the Olympics were accompanied by the meeting of athletes, the arrival of a great number of spectators, as well as merchants and artisans from all parts of Greece. All guests that were visiting Olympics were considered the guests of Zeus, because according to the Greek beliefs, he was a protector of travelers and controlled hospitality rights. Homer called him ‘Zeus Xenios’. From the Odyssey and other sources of ancient Greek culture, we know that ‘xenon’ meant ‘stranger’ and ‘guest that needs assistance’. Deriving from this meaning, hospitality Greeks called ‘theoxenia’. It was a natural part of everyday life. According to the tradition, common respect between the guest and host played the most important role. First of all, the host obliged to supply his guest with a place to stay overnight, food and drinks. Due to poor communication between the Greek cities, the hotels or residences were not spread much. Usually, wealthy houses accommodated strangers for free. Very often, relatives or closed people to family accepted the travelers. All houses of wealthy people had a special room for guests. However, if there was no space in the house, the guest must have been situated under the portico outside the house. Hotels were not popular in Greece as to possess a hotel or tavern considered to be a dishonest and unworthy occupation.
Hospitality affects Odysseus throughout the story. The reader can judge civility of the antique society by the level of hospitality along the Odysseus journey. Readers can find in the words of Eumaeus the evidence of the fact that Greeks were generous to their guests:
“for the present, therefore, you shall want neither clothing nor anything else that a stranger in distress may reasonably expect” (245).
Homer underlines in each episode the hospitality in the name of gods. Describing the greeting of Arete and Alcinous, he wrote:
“Then when they had made their drink offerings, and had drunk each as much as he was minded they went home to bed every man in his own abode, leaving Ulysses in the cloister with Arete and Alcinous” (118).
According to the traditions of antiquity, the guest was under the auspices of the host. He could not be an enemy, but was accepted as a friend. Guests enjoyed inviolability and protection of the host and were treated with respect. Homer provided a description as “Ulysses brought up all the treasure of gold, bronze, and good clothing which the Phaeacians had given him.” (226). In Homer’s story, readers find the episode about the journey to Pheidon king of the Thesprotians. Odysseus was very grateful to the king for his attitude, which readers can see in his generous words:
The host often arranged a banquet in the honor of his quest. Describing the adventures of Odyssey at the beginning of his journey, Homer wrote about the banquet, which Nestor offered to his guests:
“the carvers gave every man his portion and they all made an excellent dinner. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began to speak.” (43).
Moreover, the Homer underlined the importance to share with the gust food before asking him a story of his adventures:
“Now,’ said he, ‘that our guests have done their dinner, it will be best to ask them who they are” (43).
The Greeks did it to be in Zeus' good grace. Thus, the exchange of gifts in Greece became, actually, an exchange of goods. For example, Menelaus during his visit to the King Polybus in Egyptian Thebes received numerous gifts as the silver pots and ten talents of gold, while the wife of the king gave to Helen a golden spinning wheel and basket with golden edges (61). From the king of the Sidonians Menelaus received seven talents of gold. Readers can understand that gifts owners are so abundant that it requires the same hospitality in return. In a result, Menelaus treats his guests well, because hosts once treated him well. More often the dialogues are filled with news, which travelers transported along the journey. Communication between characters is very simple. For example, Arete is asking Odysseus:
“Stranger, before we go any further, there is a question I should like to ask you. Who, and whence are you, and who gave you those clothes?” (118).
Not all the hosts during the journey of Odysseus were pleasant to him. Among all the episodes, which can be interpreted in terms of the theme of hospitality (the appearance of Athens in the house of Odysseus, the Telemachus’ visit to Nestor and Menelaus, the Odysseus’ visit to Phaeacians at the island of Scheria, return of Odysseus to his own house), the episode of the meeting of Odysseus and Polyphemus is the most significant in the whole story. In the ninth song, Homer presented hospitality to the contrary. In this episode, the Greek concept of hospitality confronts iniquity and willfulness of Cyclops. Homer described the scope of the laws of hospitality so readers can clearly see the difference between antique traditions in Greek policies and other nations. Having met the Cyclops Odysseus told:
“You wretch, eat up your visitors in your own house? You might have known that your sin would find you out, and now Jove and the other gods have punished you.” (157).
However, he met the complete denial of human Gods, and thus, the concept of hospitality. According to the legend for the denial of theoxenia, Zeus stripped Cyclops’ eye. In this episode, readers face different rating system. The Odyssey appeals to moral principles that are completely strange to Cyclops Polyphemus.
Traveling in ancient time was much more difficult and took much more time than nowadays. Thus, from the Odyssey we can make a conclusion that hospitality was the main Greek custom. The issue of hospitality helps to form a moral and ethical constitution of hospitality. First of all, it is evident that theoxenia is essential for Homer. According to the writer, gods wanted Greek people to express hospitality to their as it was a basis of human relationship during the time of constant battles and conflicts. Hospitality is one of the key cross-cutting themes of the story, which tells about a long journey. Hospitality is still present in a modern society. It changed its form and transformed food, protection, and shelter to other forms. Moreover, people nowadays still have a tradition to bring gifts to the host’s house. The hospitality of ancient Greeks takes one of the most important places in the Odyssey. Readers can easily see how strangers were greeted and treated by hosts during the travels of Odysseus. From one side, Greeks used to express theoxenia for Gods. From the other side, they wanted to receive the same attitude in response. The essay examined briefly the concept of hospitality in the antique Greek society. The essay provides specific examples of hospitality, both good and bad examples of the relationship between guest and host.
Works Cited
Homer., and Samuel Butler. The Odyssey. Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg. Print.
