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Xenia Is A Good Thing In Homer's Odyssey

528 Words3 Pages

Raquel Cacahua Ms. Caskey
English 9 Honors
22 November 2016
Xenia is a good thing in the Odyssey
In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer the reader learns the hospitality of xenia. There were two rules for Xenia in Ancient Greek. Xenia was to show politeness to visitors that have came to there home from other places. Back then, Xenia was needed when traveler were far from home and did not have a place to stay. When a person receives a visitor at their home, they must be respectfully to the guest and if needed, give the guest food and a drink and a bath. But they may not question the guest until the guest has stated his/her needs. There was also a rule that the guest were suppose to have be polite and respectful but also over take advantage and be rude and disrespectful. The extreme value of xenia to the Ancient Greeks is a recurrent theme in the Odyssey, as shown by Calypso, Eumaeus, and Athena. …show more content…

Odysseus was on the island for many years until Calypso gets a message from the gods saying Odysseus needs to go home and he needs supplies to for his journey home. Calypso doesn’t agree that Odysseus should leave but wants the best for him so she decides that for the best he will be free even if she truly loves him she will help him and let him be free. Calypso lets him free she helps Odyssey by supplying him with food and items for him to survive. “Calypso helps him build a new boat and stocks it with provisions from her island.” She supplies him with items and he leaves on his journey.
Eumaeus is one of Odysseus trustworthy friend who has helps him throughout the story but there is one point where Eumaeus helps Odysseus a lot. Eumaeus knows that Odysseus is the beggar and helps him out with the problems. “On the way they meet Melanthius, a base subordinate of the suitors, who heaps scorn on Eumaeus and kicks his beggar companion.” Eumaeus does everything to help out Odysseus and so that no one knows that who truly is the

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