The Odyssey

Xenia

Xenia is a ritual or concept in ancient Greek culture related to hospitality. It consists of two basic rules:

The respect from host to guest. The host must be hospitable to the guest and provide him/her with food and drink and a bath, if required. It is not polite to ask questions until the guest has stated his/her needs.
The respect from guest to host. The guest must be courteous to the host and not be a burden.

The guest could be a relative, friend, enemy, or even a stranger. But it most often was between the latter: host and stranger from another land. In Homeric texts, visitors benefitting from this practice are often strangers who appear in a strange land without explanation. The host, often the ruler of that land, is expected to show great respect and hospitality.

While it might seem like blind generosity that is hard to explain in our modern Western culture, it is best to look at motive from the ancient Greek perspective.

The mythology states that immortals - the gods and goddesses - can, and often do, disguise themselves and appear in foreign lands to test the mortals. Who treats them well, even when they are disguised? A mortal wouldn't dare be rude to a visiting god and then deal with the wrath of the offended god. But a mortal also never knows if a strange traveler is a god in disguise, so the host treats everyone like god, just in case.

Another (perhaps less cynical) reason behind this cultural norm of xenia is the practicality of travel. Modes of transportation were slow and limited, and journey took much longer than anything we know now. So travelers relied on hospitable welcomes at "road stops" along the way, and xenia ensured they would not be treated as invaders. Travelers had the comfort of knowing strangers would not reject them when they needed to rest.

Is trusting a stranger too risky?

Identity/Disguises

Characters in Greek mythology often change form or disguised identity to achieve a purpose. The purpose could be related to xenia: Maybe a god is testing a mortal being to be sure that mortal is upholding the values of Greek culture.

In most cases, the disguise in Homer's texts is for the person in disguise to get information, escape a dangerous situation, or be accepted.

Gods changed forms regularly, and some mortals dressed up in disguise to pass as someone else.

Athena immediately uses a disguise in The Odyssey when she dresses as Mentes, a man, in order to gain the trust of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus. She wants to use her wisdom to mobilize Telemachus, who wants to find his father, Odysseus.

Terms to know

Epithet (ex: Athena, the grey eyed goddess)
Proem
Hubris
Lotus
Xenia
Epic
Odyssey
Anthropomorphism
Polytheism
Wrath
En media res
Cunning
Nostos
Epic hero

BOOK ONE - HOW THE ODYSSEY STARTS: ATHENA

Book 1: Athena declares to Zeus her plan to help Odysseus. She will go to his home and help Telemachus (son) save Penelope (wife) from the many men (suitors) who have taken over the palace at Ithaca in Odysseus' absence.

Lines 95-113

I myself will go to Ithaca

To put some spirit into his son—

Have him call an assembly of the long-haired Greeks

And rebuke the whole lot of his mother’s suitors.

They have been butchering his flocks and herds.

I'll escort him to Sparta and the sands of Pylos

So he can make inquiries about his father’s return

And win for himself a name among men.”

Athena spoke, and she bound on her feet

The beautiful sandals, golden, immortal,

That carry her over landscape and seascape

On a puff of wind. And she took the spear,

Bronze-tipped and massive, that she uses

То level battalions of heroes in her wrath.

She shot down from the peaks of Olympus

To Ithaca, where she stood on the threshold

Of Odysseus’ outer porch. Holding her spear,

She looked like Mentes, the Taphian captain,

And her eyes rested on the arrogant suitors.

Lines 121-154

Telemachus spotted her first.

He was sitting with the suitors, nursing

His heart’s sorrow; picturing in his mind

His noble father, imagining he had returned

And scattered the suitors, and that he himself,

Telemachus, was respected at last.

Such were his reveries as he sat with the suitors.

And then he saw Athena. He went straight to the porch,

Indignant that a guest had been made to wait so long.

Going up to her he grasped her right hand in his

And took her spear, and his words had wings:

“Greetings, stranger. You are welcome here.

After you’ve had dinner, you can tell us what you need.”

Telemachus spoke, and Pallas Athena

Followed him into the high-roofed hall.

When they were inside he placed her spear

In a polished rack beside a great column

Where the spears of Odysseus stood in a row.

Then he covered a beautifully wrought chair

With a linen cloth and had her sit on it

With a stool under her feet. He drew up

An intricately painted bench for himself

And arranged their seats apart from the suitors

So that his guest would not lose his appetite

In their noisy and uncouth company—

And so he could inquire about his absent father.

A maid poured water from a silver pitcher

Into a golden basin for them to wash their hands

And then set up a polished table nearby.

Another serving woman, grave and dignified,

Set out bread and generous helpings

From the other dishes she had. A carver set down

Cuts of meat by the platter and golden cups.

Then a herald came by and poured them wine.

BOOK 24 - HOW THE ODYSSEY ENDS: ATHENA

Lines 495-end

And Zeus in his thunderhead responded:

"Why question me, Daughter? Wasn't this

Your plan, to have Odysseus pay them back

With a vengeance? Do as you will,

But I will tell you what would be fitting.

Now that Odysseus has paid the suitors back,

Let all parties swear a solemn oath,

That he will be king on Ithaca all of his days.

We, for our part, will have them forget

The killing of their sons and brothers.

Let them live in friendship as before,

And let peace and prosperity abound."

This was all Athena needed to hear,

And she streaked down from Olympus' peaks.

The meal was over. Seeing that his company

Had satisfied their hunger, Odysseus said:

"Someone should go out to see if they're coming."

One of Dolius' sons went to the doorway,

Looked out, and saw the mob closing in.

His words flew fast to Odysseus:

"They're almost here. We'd better arm quickly."

They jumped up and put on their gear,

Odysseus and his three men and Dolius' six sons.

Laertes and Dolius armed themselves, too,

Warriors in a pinch despite their white hair.

When they had strapped on their bronze

They opened the doors and headed out

Behind Odysseus.

Athena joined them,

Looking for all the world like Mentor,

And Odysseus was glad to see her. He turned

To his son Telemachus and said:

"Telemachus, now you will see firsthand

What it means to distinguish yourself in war.

Don't shame your ancestors. We have been

Strong and brave in every generation."

And Telemachus coolly answered him:

"The way I feel now, I don't think you'll see me

Shaming my ancestors, as you put it, Father."

Laertes was delighted with this and exclaimed:

"What a day, dear gods! My son and grandson

Going head to head to see who is best."

The Grey-eyed One stood next to him and said:

"Son of Arcesius, my dearest comrade,

Say a prayer to Zeus and his grey-eyed daughter,

And then cast your long-shadowed spear."

Pallas Athena breathed great strength into him,

And with a prayer to Zeus' grey-eyed daughter,

Laertes cast his long-shadowed spear

And hit Eupeithes square in the helmet.

Bronze bored through bronze, and Eupeithes

Thudded to the ground, his armor clattering.

Odysseus and his glorious son

Charged the front lines, thrusting hard

With their swords and spears. They would have killed

Every last man—not one would have gone home—

Had not Athena, daughter of the Storm Cloud,

Given voice to a cry that stopped them all cold:

"ITHACANS!

Lay down your arms now,

And go your ways with no more bloodshed."

Thus Athena, and they turned pale with fear.

The weapons dropped from their trembling hands

And fell to the ground as the goddess' voice

Sent shock waves through them. They turned

Back toward the city and ran for their lives.

With a roar, the great, long-suffering Odysseus

Gathered himself and swept after them

Like a soaring raptor.

At that moment

Zeus, Son of Cronus, hurled down

A flaming thunderbolt that landed at the feet

Of his owl-eyed daughter, who said:

"Son of Laertes in the line of Zeus,

Cunning Odysseus—restrain yourself.

End this quarrel and cease from fighting

Lest broad-browed Zeus frown upon you."

Thus Athena. The man obeyed and was glad,

And the goddess made both sides swear binding oaths—

Pallas Athena, daughter of the Storm Cloud,

Who looked like Mentor and spoke with his voice.

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