The Importance of Hospitality Illustrated in Homers...

Far removed from our individualistic society today is the ancient Greece portrayed in The Odyssey, by Homer, where hospitality and good will are the way of things. As decreed by Zeus himself, those who wish the favor of the Gods must welcome foreign 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 is a sense that those of high status are the main givers of hospitality, but they are 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.†¦show more content†¦Telemachus is made to be the standard by which we can judge the following instances of hospitality or lack there of. He is rewarded for his kindness too. In this way, Homer can subtly teach us the virtues that he believes define a man’s character by giving them good fortune. Athena gives Telemachus hope of his father returning and tells him how to find out more from Pylos and Sparta. They set off together to gain knowledge of his father and to give us a dose of good hospitality. Telemachus’ journey brings him to Pylos, where King Nestor welcomes him with open arms as he â€Å"[sits] them down at the feast on fleecy throws† (Homer, 3. 40-1). King Nestor is instantly assumed to be a good-hearted man, because he has fulfilled the first step in proper hospitality. Next, he asks of Telemachus all the questions a good host would care to know and Telemachus’ questions in return prove that he trusts Nestor to help him in his quest to find his father. Nestor offers Telemachus a comfortable stay, gives praise to Odysseus, and treats Telemachus with all the respect of a fellow king. Homer exemplifies Nestor’s honor, because he and his son welcome d Telemachus without knowing who he was until after the feast. This is most likely why all hospitable hosts will not ask for a name or a purpose until they have met their guests’ needs: it is proper to do so. An interesting thing to note is Nestor’s insight into Agamemnon’sShow MoreRelatedGrecian Identity Essay1512 Words   |  7 Pagesatmosphere of Greece. With time, however, the people of Greece began to strive toward a collective identity. The political environment began to solidify toward a populist view. These occurrences and changes of the culture are illustrated in the works of Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, and Hesiod’s Works and Days, as well as the Aeschylus’ The Persians. These collective writings depict the progression of Grecian culture through the eventual unification of its identity and its government. The Iliad,Read MoreHospitality in the Quran1690 Words   |  7 PagesIdeas on Cultural Hospitality in the Quran The virtues within the Qur’an regarding hospitality and generosity seem to be a product of the landscape of pre- Islamic Arabia. Indeed, the arid environment and tribal configuration of the society required that neighbors help each other, strangers or travelers be given food, and wealth be distributed evenly throughout the clan. The communities that settled along the trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula relied on merchants returning to their community