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Justin Chen Paper #1: The Odyssey The presentation of material gifts to guests and friends was an important institution in the ancient Greek society of Homer�s time. Indeed, both Odysseus and Telemakhos are offered everything from gold to tracts of land by generous hosts during their respective journeys. The duty of the host to be hospitable to guests and supplicants alike is an important theme throughout the poem, while another reason for giving gifts is to placate others. Perhaps the most important function of gift giving, however, is for the outward appearance. Homer�s epic, The Odyssey, does not merely portray gift giving as a deeply ingrained social courtesy; rather, the ability to give generously reflects well on one�s own kindness and socioeconomic status, and it also reflects well on the status of the person to whom the present is made. Thus, the proper exchange of gifts represents a highly developed and distinctly civilized institution that, in many respects, elevates the society that fosters it. The notion, first uttered by Nausikaa, that �Strangers and beggars/ come from Zeus� (VI, 105, 221-222) is echoed throughout The Odyssey many times. Thus, hospitality and kindness toward strangers appears to be intimately linked with a divine creed of sorts. Yet invariably throughout the course of the poem, generosity to visitors is seen not so much as a measure of religious piety, but one of personal worth and civility. For example, the suitors at Odysseus� house act with almost cruel impatience toward Odysseus in his disguise as a beggar. Melanthios, the goatherd, echoes the general sentiment of the crowd when he scoffs, ��Stranger,/ I see you mean to stay and turn our stomachs begging in this hall. Clear out why don�t you?�/ There are feasts elsewhere� (XX, 382, 194-199). The poor treatment Odysseus receives at the hands of the suitors is all the more striking because of the irony of the situation. Although the suitors themselves seem to have no compunction for depleting another man�s stores, they refuse to spare even a meager amount of food for a truly needy person. The portrayal of Odysseus� mistreatment is a strong condemnation of the suitors� actions, and perhaps serves partly to justify their eventual slaughter. In fact, the gods use the suitors� disrespect to goad Odysseus to anger. As Homer describes it, the suitors �could not now be still/ or drop their mockery—for Athena wished/ Odysseus mortified still more� (XVIII, 347, 427-429). In direct contrast to the suitors� ill-treatment of the beggar Odysseus is Menelaos� wise chastisement of his servants, �Could we have made it home again�/ if other men had never given us lodging?� (IV, 54, 35-38). This statement reflects the underlying root of the comment that �strangers and beggars come from Zeus�—that is, a re-expression of the idea that one should treat others as one would like to be treated. If The Odyssey is considered for what it is, an educational and socializing piece of oral art, it is not surprising that such a benevolent lesson should be found therein. There are also of course numerous examples of generosity toward strangers. A particularly striking instance of hospitality can be seen in the swineherd Eumaios� kindly reception of Odysseus despite his own humble circumstances. Eumaios greets Odysseus by saying, �Come to the cabin. You�re a wanderer too./ You must eat something, drink some wine, and tell me/ where you are from and the hard times you have seen� (XIV, 248, 53-55). Although his hospitality is not the sole factor in his eventual salvation—he also fights bravely alongside Odysseus during the final showdown with the suitors—Eumaios� generosity with the beggar demonstrates to the reader his own good nature. A subtle but important aspect of the institution of gift giving is the offering of food, drink and shelter without questioning the visitor�s identity or motives. In the case of the swineherd, Eumaios offers food and drink before requesting to hear Odysseus� tale: �You must eat something, drink some wine, and tell me/ where you are from and the hard times you have seen.� Similarly, Telemakhos is not questioned as to his identity when he visits Nestor. Homer writes, �[W]hen they had eaten and drunk their fill, at last/ they heard from Nestor, prince of charioteers:/ �Now is the time,� he said, �for a few questions,/ now that our young guests have enjoyed their dinner� (III, 37, 73-76). Nestor then proceeds to ask, �Who are you, strangers? �/ are you, now,/ reckless wanderers of the sea, like those corsairs/ who risk their lives to prey on other men?� (III, 37, 77-81). This exchange, when viewed through the lens of modern culture, seems particularly unusual. If Telemakhos truly were a corsair who risked his life to �prey on other men,� it seems logical that Nestor should have determined this information before inviting him in for food and drink. It can be argued that perhaps Nestor actually recognizes Telemakhos as Odysseus� son, thereby prompting special treatment. However, based on the context of the poem alone, it seems more likely that Nestor is merely obeying the tenets of the guest-host code and providing certain basic gifts to Telemakhos that are owed to any traveler. Indeed, this case is strengthened by further reflection upon Menelaos� reception of Telemakhos. When his servant Eteoneus inquires to his master, ��Two men are here—two strangers, Menelaos,/ but nobly born Akhaians they appear./ What do you say, shall we unhitch their team,/ or send them on to someone free to receive them?�� (IV, 54, 28-31), Menelaos answers him �in anger� (IV, 54, 32). In this situation, Menelaos has no way of knowing that his guest is Telemakhos, the son of a dear friend. Thus, his demand that the strangers be treated hospitably must at least partially stem from the guest-host code seen in the episode between Nestor and Telemakhos. Again, it could be argued that a preconceived notion about the guests—in this case, knowing that the strangers appear to be �nobly born Akhaians�—could have influenced Menelaos to be more hospitable. However, Eumaios� reception of the beggar Odysseus provides more evidence that offering food, drink, and shelter are extended to all supplicants and not just to those whose appearance seems more palatable to the host. As a corollary to the positive implications of hospitality, a lack of proper gift giving etiquette in Homer�s The Odyssey is considered crude or even, to a certain extent, inhuman. For instance, the frequent comparison of the suitors to a flock of wolves dehumanizes and shows just how base and mean their actions are. Similarly, because of the Kyklop�s� lack of courtesy toward strangers, Odysseus considers him to be �a wild man, ignorant of civility� (IX, 151, 231). Indeed, the entire Kyklop�s episode is a revealing look at the concept of gift giving as a civilized institution. Before Odysseus even steps foot on the Kyklop�s� island, he warns his shipmates, �The mainland natives�/ may be wild savages, and lawless,/ or hospitable and god fearing men� (IX, 150, 188-189). The distinction Odysseus draws with this statement demonstrates his association of hospitality with civility. Odysseus� story to the Phaiakians clearly portrays Polyphemos as an inhospitable brute. Especially revealing is Odysseus� account of the Kyklop�s� first words: ��Strangers,� he said, �who are you? And where from?/� are you wandering rogue, who cast your lives/ like dice, and ravage other folk by sea?�� (IX, 152, 274-277). These are almost exactly the same questions asked by Nestor in his interrogation of Telemakhos, but only after his guest had already been fed. Thus, Polyphemos� lack of proper host etiquette contrasts sharply with previous examples of hospitality, and again, the delicate and well-developed tradition of gift giving and kindness to strangers is seen almost as a measure of civility. There is only one example of gift giving as a means of placation. After Odysseus wins the discus throw in the Phaiakian games in response to Seareach�s taunts, Alkino�s declares, �As for Seareach—why, man to man/ he�ll make amends, and handsomely; he blundered� (VIII, 136, 423-424). Seareach�s way of making amends is to offer to Odysseus a �broadsword of clear bronze� whose �hilt is silver, and the ringed sheath/ of new-sawn ivory—a costly weapon� (VIII, 137, 430-432). Again, there is a very civilized quality to the offering of gifts. A well-chosen present speaks well for the giver, the receiver, and the relationship between the two. The exchange of gifts also enhances the status of the receiver. When Alkino�s tells him, �Rest one more day, until/ I see all gifts bestowed� (XI, 196, 409-410), Odysseus responds, �even a year�s delay, if you should urge it, in loading gifts and furnishing for sea— This statement reveals that part of the importance of a gift lies in its ability to bring glory to its recipient. Once again, this observation connotes a civilized, well-defined practice that is a reflection of the society in which it was developed. Throughout Homer�s The Odyssey, hospitality, the guest-host code, and the offering of gifts play important roles. Examples of people who choose to either reject or follow the well-defined rules of gift giving etiquette can be found in the poem. In the end, however, the importance of the gift giving institution is as a positive reflection of the civilization that allowed such an intricate system to develop. |