The Importance of Xenia in The Odyssey and it’s Consequences One of the most important themes in The Odyssey is the concept of xenia‚ which is the old Greek word for hospitality. In modern times‚ hospitality is something we rarely think of‚ and the first thing that comes to mind is the hotel industry‚ but in ancient Greece‚ xenia was not about hotels‚ or just about etiquette‚ it was a way of life with many benefits in a world that was still mostly savage. Xenia was more than just being polite to
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Tina Huang HRS 119 Professor Shinbrot January 19‚ 2016 Many cultural values are transmitted and discovered within myths‚ especially in the story‚ The Odyssey written by Homer. The Odyssey continues from the events of the The Illiad‚ focusing on Odysseus after the Trojan War and his long journey back home to Ithaca‚ to his wife Penelope and his son‚ Telemachus. Throughout the ten year journey‚ Odysseus faces many hardships and while doing so‚ he learns more about himself and the human condition
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ancient Greece. Hospitality‚ or Xenia‚ is so essential in Greek society that Zeus‚ in addition to being the king of the Gods‚ is also the God of travelers (Wikipedia). This created an obligation for the host to be hospitable to their guests‚ and conversely‚ the guests had their own responsibilities as well. If either the host or the guest was to break any rule set by Xenia‚ there would be severe penalties dealt by Zeus and also by society (Wikipedia). In The Odyssey‚ Xenia is a theme which is shown repeatedly
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Xenia‚ is an old Greek concept that encompasses generosity to those who are far from home. Xenia is present throughout The Odyssey‚ as Ody travels to many places and meets many people that have different levels of hospitality towards guests. Ody receives help and presents from many of the different kings‚ but also is treated very rudely by many of monsters. In Book 9 of The Odyssey‚ Ody travels to the Island of Cyclops’s and finds himself in a cave filled with cheese and milk. Soon after he and
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Law of Xenia Xenia‚ the Greek term for the Laws of Hospitality‚ The custom in classical Greece and other ancient cultures that‚ if a traveler comes to a strange town‚ he can ask for food‚ shelter‚ and gifts to help him on his journey. In Greek tradition‚ the host was considered responsible for his guest’s comfort and safety‚ and a breach of those laws of hospitality was thought to anger Zeus‚ God of the gods. In the Odyssey there are a few instances in which the law of Xenia is broken‚ quite a
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just the right amount of pride. This may be true for some‚ but many in today’s society could learn a lesson from ancient Greek literature. In Homer’s epic poem‚ The Odyssey‚ the story of Odysseus’s journey and the people he encounters teaches valuable lessons about the virtues of xenia‚ arête‚ and hubris. In the epic poem‚ The Odyssey‚ Homer uses many terms that were used to describe various qualities and practices that were greatly valued in ancient Greek culture. Many of the prominent traditions
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Greek code of hospitality xenia influenced the epic in various ways. The Phaeacians welcome Odysseus under this code. “’In accordance with our [Phaeacian] custom‚ let us make the immediate arrangements to escort him [Odysseus]’” (95). They followed with their custom and later saw him back to Ithaca. This influences the end of the epic greatly without the Phaeacians generous interpretation of xenia Odysseus would never have reached home and taken revenge on the suitors. Xenia was shown again when Telemachus
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epic poem‚ The Odyssey‚ Homer tells the story of a war hero named Odysseus who is away from home for twenty years. During this time‚ Odysseus fights in the Trojan War and then travels for ten years trying to return home. Throughout this journey‚ Odysseus learns many lessons; however‚ the three most important lessons he learns are to follow the laws of xenia‚ the importance of family‚ and to show respect to the gods. The first lesson that Odysseus learns is to follow the laws of xenia. When Polyphemus
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There are many different themes in The Odyssey‚ but the most prominent theme Homer portrays in his epic poem is hospitality or Xenia. The act of Xenia was perhaps the most important Greek custom out of all because you see it being performed time and time again throughout Odysseus’ journey home. The Odyssey was about the twenty year long journey of King Odysseus return to Ithaca from battling in the Trojan War. The theme of hospitality is present not only while Odysseus is travelling from city to
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Greeks. In order to advance their island-scattered civilization‚ the ancient Greeks relied heavily on trade and journeys‚ and in consequence‚ one of their key beliefs was the concept of hospitality or xenia. As the ancient Greeks tended to embed such beliefs within their literature‚ Homer‚ an ancient
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