You get a xenia! You get a xenia! Everyone gets a xenia!
We've just finished Odysseus's tale in Book 12, and to be honest, I'm really starting to enjoy the story a little bit. It's pretty cool to listen to, and there are a lot of interesting monsters and events within the epic. However, this blog post is about xenia.
As I was listening to all the presentations, one word I heard many, many times was "xenia". It seemed that every presentation had some variant of "this is x character performing good/bad xenia". This happened so much that towards the end of the presentations, I was writing stuff like "xenia shows up again... shocker" and "xenia part 37: Electric Boogaloo". Jokes aside, I think it's clear that xenia is obviously an important part of Greek culture, as even as Odysseus fights monsters and goes on wild adventures, he always manages to pull a host out of his ass and have them host him (or not, as the cyclops does). It's actually quite lucrative, it seems like his traveling expenses basically get covered from being showered with gifts wherever he goes. In Book 13 I think Poseidon explicitly mentions that Odysseus amasses so much wealth from the Phaetians that is is more than he could possibly have brought home from Troy. In our contemporary age, yeah we treat guests with respect, but it's not like we allow them to crash at our place and party for a year (looking at you Circe). Granted, ordinary people probably have much less wealth to give away than kings, queens, and goddesses, but my point still stands.
Related to what we talked about on Tuesday regarding Homer patting himself on the back, I think the emphasis on xenia might be partly for the sake of the bard reciting the Odyssey. If you walk into a bar or restaurant, and you tell at tale where good xenia is rewarded and bad xenia is punished, you might expect your hosts to be a little more generous than usual. Perhaps this is just me being too cynical though.
As I was listening to all the presentations, one word I heard many, many times was "xenia". It seemed that every presentation had some variant of "this is x character performing good/bad xenia". This happened so much that towards the end of the presentations, I was writing stuff like "xenia shows up again... shocker" and "xenia part 37: Electric Boogaloo". Jokes aside, I think it's clear that xenia is obviously an important part of Greek culture, as even as Odysseus fights monsters and goes on wild adventures, he always manages to pull a host out of his ass and have them host him (or not, as the cyclops does). It's actually quite lucrative, it seems like his traveling expenses basically get covered from being showered with gifts wherever he goes. In Book 13 I think Poseidon explicitly mentions that Odysseus amasses so much wealth from the Phaetians that is is more than he could possibly have brought home from Troy. In our contemporary age, yeah we treat guests with respect, but it's not like we allow them to crash at our place and party for a year (looking at you Circe). Granted, ordinary people probably have much less wealth to give away than kings, queens, and goddesses, but my point still stands.
Related to what we talked about on Tuesday regarding Homer patting himself on the back, I think the emphasis on xenia might be partly for the sake of the bard reciting the Odyssey. If you walk into a bar or restaurant, and you tell at tale where good xenia is rewarded and bad xenia is punished, you might expect your hosts to be a little more generous than usual. Perhaps this is just me being too cynical though.
I definitely think that Xenia is an important part of Greek culture. Twice in the epic so far it is said that "travelers are from Zeus," which means that treating them well will be beneficial to you, though it is funny to think that the extra emphasis might be in the best interest of the bard himself.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see how various cultures interpret the broad concept of hospitality. I think we definitely see xenia-like concepts in our modern culture, with informal rules governing the interactions of hosts/guests. It's definitely cool to see how certain concepts are sort of immortal, but exist in different variations- i.e. pretty much every culture has some kind of ideas about interactions of guests and hosts, but the specifics are reliant on a huge number of factors.
ReplyDeleteThrough the countless examples of it showing up we can see it's a very important part of the culture, and basically an expectation that everyone shows xenia. I think this is highlighted when Odysseus goes into Polyphemus' cave expecting to be given hospitality, though cyclops are relatively uncivilized. We can even see how upset Odysseus gets when Polyphemus doesn't show xenia, not giving Odysseus a gift or treating him as if he was sent by the Gods.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how much the Greeks seem to care about being polite to each other while traveling but sacking and ravaging cities is also completely fine and ok. I also wonder how intense the xenia was in actual daily life for Greeks – I doubt everyone had the resources to provide bed-and-breakfast services to any random person to their doorstep, so I wonder what an appropriate amount of xenia was in day-to-day life.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post reminds me of a more pointed example earlier on. It's when Odysseus is chatting with the Phaeacians and there's a bard about to play. Odysseus, being his usual Careful and Tactful (TM) self, decides to use Very Good Manners and cuts a choice piece of meat, gets some wine, and brings them to the blind bard, whom he then helps with his lyre. Maybe this piece of the story was added by a blind bard!
ReplyDeleteI mentioned it at the very start of our discussions, but one structural role that the repeated emphasis on xenia--and all the rituals attending being a "friend-guest" and host--plays is that it sets out quite clearly why and how the suitors are in the wrong. We need to see them as particularly egregious in their refusal to follow the cultural standards for hospitality, so that we see them properly as villains who must be destroyed--rather than somewhat boorish house guests who have a good reason to be there but maybe overstay their welcome a bit.
ReplyDeleteOne particularly interesting trend I have noticed in terms of Odysseus and xenia is, as you say, that he searches for it. He is constantly stopping to find hosts to stay with and tell his story to, clearly anticipating gifts in return. It is another lens through which we can look at Odysseus and question his heroism, particularly when you look at what kinds of hosts he is searching for, which is primarily rich people and kings.
ReplyDeleteNice post! I think the "x" factor (hahahahhaha) makes the story interesting also because it would kind of just suck for Odysseus to show up at some rando peasant's house, who has nothing spectacular to show, and can't really help him that much. It's more interesting to our ears to hear Odysseus is partying with goddesses and that the Phaecians sail him home. It is still kind of shocking how huge a role xenia plays in like, every part of the plot. Problems at home? Guests abusing xenia. Problems at sea? You were a bad guest who abused xenia. How are you gonna get home? Xenia. A lot of xenia. Heck, Odysseus basically ONLY gets from place to place because a host gave him a boat, or gave him directions. Dang. Thanks for hammering this home.
ReplyDeleteXenia really matters to the story, yes. For a few reasons, it's practical to the Bard as you say, but also it makes some sense. Life in ancient Greece was really dangerous and people needed as much help as they could get, especially if they're travelers. I also think it goes to show how important considering other people's needs has been to humans throughout history, like bad things happen when you're impolite, and it's cool to see that portrayed in such an old text.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of xenia in this story. First of all, I like the idea of a society where it is a common value to be welcoming, even to strangers, and that the benefit of the doubt is given to help those in need. Second of all, perhaps the narrator has an ulterior motive by highlighting the importance of xenia and hoping to get something out of it, but his story might sometimes contradict that. Two examples that come to mind are the suitors and the Phaetians. The suitors are portrayed in the story as the "bad guys" for taking advantage of this xenia. This would make the storyteller look bad. The Phaetians, on the other hand, did everything they were supposed to and still got punished, which once again, does not make a good case for his audience to be welcoming to him.
ReplyDeleteI think your idea about the teller of the story maybe wanting to put the idea of good xenia into their host's head is kind of hilarious and maybe true. I imagine that frequently, like Odysseus, these storytellers or storyteller were guests and maybe wanting to milk a little more hospitality out of their hosts could be a motivation. Either way, it's interesting to think about! The way that I see xenia in this story is a function for creating justice. In a world where the gods seem so fickle and petty, its on guideline that we can try to follow, even if it doesn't always work out to be exactly analogous or work as a marker of good and evil
ReplyDelete