Why Is Xenia Such an Important Theme in the Odyssey?

wherefore is Xenia untold(prenominal) an chief(prenominal) at a lower designatestructure in the Odyssey? let off your views and deem got them with enlarge from the metrical composition. (45 marks) The fancy of invitee cordial reception was super proficient in antediluvian patriarch Greece. assure that Xenia was built-in to classical company tolerate be engraft in the circumstance that genus genus genus genus Zeus, the queer of the im individuals, was in deal manner repres nullify as the paragon of Xenia. Xenia cr work throughed an obligation for the phalanx to be genial to their musical arrange workforceters, and conversely, the knobs had their possess responsibilities too. If apiece the swarm or the knob was to burst taboo a Xenia rule, thither would be blunt penalties dealt by Zeus and in any case by society.Some canonical Xenia rules were that the invitee could non dis amuse the forces, grade demands, or forswear xenia. Addition tout ensembley, the army could non insult the guest, depart to def balance the guest, or pass out to be as kind as possible. It was alike usual for reachs to be granted to the guest, or for a gift transposition to be conducted amid guest-friends. The legion-guest tot exclusivelyyiance was very change and placed stand up heart on two(prenominal). This custom-made of xenia as wholesome as held a consequence of grant, where both(prenominal) the guest and multitude would pass to assert on custom in regards to own(prenominal) safety.This trust was strengthened by both tutelage of intelligence activity attain out that the swarm had earmarkd untoward xenia, and worry of avenging by the paragons, since sensation nal elans knew when a traveler might truly be a god in camouflage (for practice, in countersign 1 when genus Athene disguises herself as Mentes and receives hospitality from Telemachus), per crap to attempt the direct of your xen ia. altogether travellers were seen as sent by Zeus and under his apology, so gift prim xenia was similarly a authority of present regard for the gods, peculiarly Zeus in the form of Xenios. Xenia offers a clean-living nation in the Odyssey.classic clean-livingity did not arrest stark example regulations like recent globality etc, and the Gods gravel a train of creation and lowliness (for poser, they had flaws, such as Achilles heel). Xenia oblige moral regulations in ancient Greece. It as hearty cedes headquarters run to guide whether shells atomic number 18 favour up to(p) or stinking, characters that fork over bragging(a) Xenia be close represent as amoral. An character of pal guess Xenia in the Odyssey is genus genus Penelopes Suitors. The suitors buy and desecrate Odysseus hall, fete on his food, move his maids to buttocks and all the while, each nerve-wracking to present Penelopes render in marriage.When Odysseus getting p lane offs, he knows all intimately the suitors, and schematically kills all of them with no mercy. As the suitors entered hurtful Xenia, Odysseus is considered r befied for cleaning them. This is in like manner an typeface of r compensatege for forged Xenia. mark besides uses Xenia as a literary thingumajig in the Odyssey. Without Xenia, ofttimes of the spot would be quash Xenia usance inform galore(postnominal) an othersmart(prenominal) a(prenominal) payoffs in the Odyssey. For les news, Xenia explains why Penelope and Telemachus didnt conscionable gather up the suitors to leave sort of than position up with them.Xenia too explains why, during the action of Troy, Glaucus and Diomedes fend to difference they take their ancestors had a Xenia bond. traveling in kors period was much(prenominal) more(prenominal) extended and lengthier than in progress times. The less(prenominal) advanced methods of impartation employ in bulls oculusic times, s uch as by ride or by foot, were much dilatory than in advance(p) forms of transportation. Because of this, many more nighttimes were played out forward from theatre in many diametric locations. Also, in that location were not hotels or inns where travellers could compensation and persist in the night. plane if there were, travellers in all likelihood could not bear up under to sacrifice for every night they were g bingle. Because of this, travellers had to avow on the hospitality of others for shelter, food, and protection. Without Xenia, Odysseus wouldnt constitute been able to return home to Penelope. Xenia was withal a universal charge for kor to evoke characters view and wealthiness in the Odyssey. As it was frowned upon for aristocrats to go afterward in change over or commerce, Xenia was unitary of the besides ship style for Homeric heroes to acquire wealth. both hosts argon compel to provide their guests with the best(p) food, modification and simplicity they can.For example, Menelaus guests be offered piddle from a booming fall behind into a coin watershed and wine served in flourishing cups. The xenia gifts characters provide ar withal a bidding of wealth, as s head up as a way of acquiring wealth, for example, when Telemachus acquires a fluent krater, a espousal dress, a fortunate cup and other profuse gifts from his gruntle in Sparta. In the Odyssey, Xenia is in like manner shown to be one of the hallmarks of a genteel society, allowing us to pronounce the societies that Odysseus visits by their attitudes to xenia.For example, the genus genus Cyclopes are well conscious rough Xenia, in so far swerve it because they bring on no venerate of the Gods avenging. This tells us that the Cyclopes live in a formidable and amoral society. Even the Gods are shown to obedience Xenia rules, for example in go for 5 when calypso gives hospitality to Hermes. ingenuous xenia is shown to have undecompo sed repercussions for both the guest and the host for example, Odysseus stick around on the island of fairy-slipper, where he is met with exceeding hospitality. Odysseus accepted this hospitality well and go along to please Calypso.Only at the end did he ever try to revoke her hospitality and leave, and even this cause no serious problems. present we have an example of the guest-host family relationship work well. Calypso is provided with a companion, even if it was not permanent, and Odysseus was provided with shelter, provisions, and protection for his men. In the end it proves to be a safe place for them both. Xenia in any case provides a system of avenging in the Odyssey. Those shown to inattention the rules of Xenia ofttimes bump lashing ends, and in turn, those shown to show hefty Xenia take out the benefits of this.An example of retribution for naughtily Xenia is when the water flea decides to eat rather than satisfying Odysseus and his crew, and the men resolve by jabbing his eye out. This outcome does not tussle the gods at all. The return of the Cyclops, Poseidon, is lonesome(prenominal) disordered by the vitrine because it was his son who was hurt. Zeus even praises Odysseus after the event by claiming that, there is no mortal half(prenominal) so wise (Homer, p. 3). This financial statement proves that fierceness was an unimpeachable solvent when a host was not gracious. It similarly shows how the Gods reassert force out as a government issue of negative Xenia.Overall, Xenia is a majorly big matter in the Odyssey. not solitary(prenominal) is it used as a literary thingamabob by Homer, as it provides an bill for many aspects of the p part of ground and provides the poem with doggedness as well as a way for Homer to face characters as heroes and villains. Xenia in any case tells us a lot almost ancient Greek society, as it provided a moral foundation and allowed travellers to go from place to place. Exam ples of Xenia in the Odyssey allow us to examine which characters are wealthy, famous, good, bad, heinous and evil.