Xenia in the Odyssey
Homer is a legendary author renowned for his two epic poems, “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey.” The setting of “The Iliad” is during the Trojan War. “The Odyssey” narrates the misfortunes faced by Odysseus as he returns home to Ithaca from the Trojan War. The two poems still lie at the heart of ancient Greek literature. Both poems portray the theme of xenia and the importance of being hospitable to strangers. Xenia is the old Greek concept of hospitality. In ancient Greece, people were required to be generous and hospitable towards strangers. Xenia was more of a religious ritual rather than a set of mannerisms accorded to strangers. The breach of xenia is the cause of all the misfortunes in the Odyssey. The Trojan War began when the Trojans abducted Helen, thus breaching the rules of xenia. Odysseus faces all the troubles described in “The Odyssey” while returning home from the Trojan War. Although the Odyssey reinforces several essential themes, xenia cuts across all the themes as the aspect of hospitality is evident in most parts of the book. Throughout the book, there are several instances where xenia was performed or violated.
The suitors who tried to woo Penelope violate xenia. Many years have passed, and Odysseus is yet to return from the Trojan War. Since everyone in Ithaca assumed that Odysseus was dead, many suitors try to win the hand of Penelope in marriage in the hope of inheriting her vast wealth. As xenia dictates, Penelope and her son Telemachus have no option than to host the suitors and treat them warmly. In ancient Greek, it was typical for suitors to camp in the house of Odysseus and sought the hand of his wife in marriage since Odysseus was presumed dead. However, the suitors display bad xenia by imposing themselves on Penelope and her son Telemachus. The guests live freely in the house, consume wine, devour livestock, and insult the host. However, Penelope and Telemachus are bound by the rules of xenia to remain hospitable to their ungrateful guests. At one point, Telemachus complained of the suitors and said, “But tell me, in truth, what is this feast, these folk? Why is this needed? Is it a banquet or a wedding celebration? It’s clearly not one where each brings his own provisions, since imperiously, insolently, they feast in your house. Any man of sense who mixed with them would be angered at the sight of these shameful actions’ (Homer 325). Hospitality was attributed to the gods, and people were gracious to strangers because they feared the wrath of the gods (Schrodt et al.). The suitors also portray bad xenia when they humiliate Odysseus, who is disguised as a beggar. Instead of welcoming and feeding the beggar, the suitors mock and hit him. Therefore, although the suitors were ungrateful guests, Penelope and Telemachus had no option but to remain gracious hosts.
Good xenia is portrayed by Nausikaa, the princess of the island of Phaiakians. Poisedon is still angry at Odysseus, and she causes his ship to wreck. After the wreck, Odysseus takes refuge in the island of Phaiakians. When the maids accompanying princess Nausikaa run and hide at the sight of Odysseus, princess Nausikaa remembers the obligations of xenia and hosts the poor stranger (Rudd 4). Nausikaa tells her maids, “Listen to what I say, my white-armed girls. This man does not come to the godlike Phaeacians without the gods willing it. He seemed rough to me before but now seems like one of the gods who rule the wide heavens. I wish such a man might be my husband here if he remains. But come, girls, give the stranger food and drink” (Homer 230). Although Nausikaa does not know Odysseus, she treats him with xenia as is a requirement by the gods.
Xenia is important because hospitability to strangers is a requirement from the gods. The gods punished people who were not hospitable to strangers. Thus, xenia was more of a religious ritual than a moral obligation. According to Boisvert, Zeus, the most powerful god, oversaw the most virtual human institution, hospitability (1). Due to the influence of the gods, xenia was taken seriously among the Greeks. The gods had habits of assuming mortal bodies and visiting human beings as beggars or strangers. Therefore, human beings were obliged to treat all strangers like gods to avoid infuriating gods who were disguised as beggars (Schrodt et al.). The gods punished people who did not uphold xenia. Greeks believed that turning away someone and not providing them this hospitality would result in some form of punishment from the gods (Kokkinidis ). For instance, the suitors who exploited the graciousness of Penelope and Telemachus were punished by Zeus by death. When Odysseus finally returned home after years of being held captive, he was infuriated by the suitors and how they imposed on his wife and son and killed them in rage. However, Odysseus was also required by xenia to be gracious to the suitors. As punishment from the gods, Odysseus has run away from to hide from the parents of the slain suitors. Odysseus returned to his home after the intervention of the goddess Athena.
In conclusion, xenia was a crucial spiritual ritual in ancient Greece. Throughout “The Odyssey,” the concept of hospitality cuts across all the themes. Good xenia is portrayed when princess Nausikaa hosts Odysseus and welcomes him to her home. Xenia is violated by the suitors who imposed on Penelope and Telemachus, where the suitors ate drank and insulted the hosts without reciprocating the kindness. Xenia was vital because it was a requirement from the gods. Anyone who violated xenia was bound to be punished by the gods.
Works Cited
Boisvert, Raymond D. “Ethics is hospitality.” Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association. Vol. 78. 2004.
Homer. The Odyssey. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Inc., 1998
Kokkinidis, Tasos. Philoxenia: The Ancient Roots of Greek Hospitality. 21 September 2018. 4 December 2019 https://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/09/21/philoxenia-the-ancient-roots-of-greek-hospitality/
Schrodt, Cory Biggs & Melissa Joseph & Mollie Bennet &Dustin Manning &Jonas. The Value of Hospitality. 2019. 4 December 2019 https://minerva.union.edu/wareht/gkcultur/guide/8/web1.html
Urban, Amanda” What Pains are Fated to Fill Your Cup: The Role of Food, Drink, and Xenia in the Homeric Epics.” Scholars’ Day Review 1 (2013) https://www.monroecc.edu/fileadmin/SiteFiles/GeneralContent/events/scholarsday/documents/urban-finaldraft.pdf