Theme Of Hospitality In The Odyssey

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The theme of hospitality in The Odyssey is of extreme importance. The Odyssey is an anthem to one of the most honored ancient Greek society’s value, as was hospitality. Hospitality tended to bond Greek’s personal relationship, such as friendship and at the same time loyalty; it symbolizes respect, honor, and justices. Although most of the host from The Odyssey did honor their guesses, Odysseus and his son Telemachus, the most remarkable examples of genuine hospitality in the poem are three. Nestor of Pylos and Meneláos lord of Sparta, they gave a great welcome to Odysseus’s son Télemakhus. At Pylos, Nestor feasted with him and offered libation to the gods for his guess, then send one of his son to help the boy on his quest. When Télemakhus arrives to Sparta seeking news of his father, Meneláos treats him The last example comes from a servant from his own land Ithaka, by Eumanios. Most of the various host in the rendered the proper hospitality honor to the guess but from the three main examples the best host was Alkínoös and his daughter Nausicaa. Princess Nausikaa gave him food to satisfy his stomach and put him clothes to cover his naked body, advised him about the attitude of the citizens toward visitors. The Phaiakians preferred not to have contact with others, so for that reason he might not be welcomed in the king’s halls as a guess; as for the princess, she saw no evil on Odysseus and that is why she gave him a warm welcome. “Stranger, there is no quirk or evil in you that I can see. You know Zeus metes out fortune to good and bad men as he pleases him. Hardship he sent to you and you must bear it. But now that you have taken refuge here, you shall not lack for clothing or any other comfort due to a poor man in distress” (Book VI, 200-205). Odysseus’s success obtaining hospitality from the Phaiakians king, Alkínoös was because he followed Nausicaa 's advices. She counsels him that in order to gain her father favors Odysseus must

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