The Generosity Of Xenia In Ancient Greece

Penelope and the old servant treated the old beggar as any other guest, the beggar was help in the house of Penelope and Odysseus. Being disrespectful toward how the old man was perceived would go against the Law of Hospitality. Xenia puts the homeowner on watch 24/7. Telemachus observed Athena and hurried over embarrassed that she was held back by the gates. Telemachus wasn’t aware that Athena would be coming to visit him.

LEFT justify and indent first line. TAG? CA? In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, Ancient Greeks strongly believed in providing their guests with excellent hospitality because in Ancient Greece, it was believed that any stranger may be a god in disguise, so Penelope does nothing out of the ordinary when she warmly welcomes people into her home. Though Penelope treats her guests no differently than she would a king, she enjoys and is comforted by the presence of her hosts, and she takes care of and provides hospitality for people that she does not even know.

Hospitality is a courteous way that guests are treated in a stranger’s home. When a person enters someone’s home for the first time, their first impression will be based off the owner’s hospitality. If the host shows respect and care for the guest, the guest will feel admired. If the host shows discourteous, lack of respect, the guest will have a negative impression of the host. In Greek mythology, showing good hospitality (or also known as xenia) was important.

It is better if we all, Host and guest alike, can enjoy the feast. All that we are doing we are doing on behalf Of the revered stranger, providing him With passage home and gifts of friendship. A stranger and suppliant is as dear as a brother”(8.586-91) Alcinous explains why it is important to treat strangers with kindness. It allows

Imagine a life where people ignore us and treat us as if we were not even there, simply because they believe we do not have the same mental age as our peers and cannot hear. All on a day to day basis. When entering One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, one can tell that Chief Bromden, our Indian narrator, is fully aware of his surroundings and does not live up to the statement above; even though the nurses and aids in the ward think otherwise. In this novel, we see how Chief Bromden comes to understand that he is not the one who started to present himself as deaf and dumb, but it was the people around him that thought he was too dumb to hear what they were saying. Through Kesey’s writing, we come to see how McMurphy, a rough-n-tough fighting man, helps Chief regain his ability of speech and build his emotional and “physical” strength back to its fullest potential.

Throughout The Odyssey there are many examples that prove the significance of the Homeric value of “hospitality.” Due to the unadvanced ways of transportation and communication, many days could be spent in an unknown location and the hosts of the location were supposed to treat the guests very well. For instance, as Odysseus arrives on the island of the Phaeacians, he is greeted with welcoming hospitality. Nausikaa, “But now that you have taken refuge here, you shall not lack for clothing, or any other comfort due to a poor man in distress (VI.205-207.104.) Clearly Nausikaa and Phaeacians are aware of the challenges Odysseus has endured and offered him clothes, food and any comfort he wants, all hospitable acts. On a different note, as Odysseus

Odysseus was very kind to Tiresias, understanding that he may not like him after what he did to Zeus. Odysseus demonstrates his kindness by saying “How, / lord can I make her know me for the man I am?” (11. 164-165). Odysseus is talking about him talking to his dear mother in the underworld because he wants to show her how far he has made it. By doing this Odysseus shows that he can keep himself together and be nice to people even when he might have to work harder for

The concept of hospitality is clearly evident in society to this day. From the royal treatment of kings and queens to the warm welcomes shown by families, the Greek culture was no exception to this idea. As demonstrated in The Odyssey, a sense of respect was presented not only towards the Greek gods but also to the mortals themselves. Characters such as Odysseus rely on the hospitality of others for food, shelter, guidance and protection. Without it, many characters wouldn't have survived as they were often stranded in distant lands.

Hospitality proved to be an essential value in The Odyssey. It shows the respect for people as well as the gods. For example, Odysseus approaches Eumaios’, one of Odysseus’ loyal servants, home as an old beggar. Eumaios still takes Odysseus in and offers him food and wine. Eumaios also states that “rudeness to a stranger is not decency...All wanderers and beggar come from Zeus” (15.67-70).

“The focus of entertaining is impressing others; the focus of true hospitality is serving others” - Tim Chester. More specifically, in Greek culture, it is the practice of friendly reception, creating new alliances with strangers, avoiding unnecessary enemies, and impressing the Gods. Throughout the epic The Odyssey by Homer, this motif is used in both positive and negative ways. As Odysseus’ tale unfolds, Homer tells about his journeys in which some people have specifically disregarded hospitality, while others are very gracious and kind. In addition, the people receiving this hospitality can also respond negatively or positively.