Virtue Of Hospitality Homer s Odyssey And The Holy Bible

Virtue of Hospitality Homer is believed to have lived around 8th century B.C. Ironically, Homer’s life coincides with the earliest known manuscript of the Holy Bible, the Codex Amiatinus. Although Homer possibly lived during the rise of very significant biblical prophets such as Amos, Hosea, Zachariah, Isaiah and Jonah, Homer writes his epic poem, The Odyssey, in a strictly pagan method. Both The Odyssey and the Holy Bible praise the virtue of hospitality; however, it is evident that the Ancient Greeks and the Hebrews have contrasting motivations for hospitality. Therefore, it is no surprise that Odysseus’ voyage home was epically arduous. Greeks were famed for establishing and following an abundance of laws. One of their most cherished laws was known as xenia. Xenia was the â€Å"unwritten law† that allowed a stranger to seek shelter in another man’s home. Because of Greece’s vast landscape, and due to their extensive journeys, Greek’s were accustomed to both residing in a stranger’s house and allowing strangers to stay in their own homes. The palaces that Odysseus’ seeks shelter in are chosen not only for their hospitable hosts, but also for their abilities to protect him from his enemies; namely, Poseidon. After barely surviving the wrath of the Earth Shaker and his turbulent seas (Homer 50), Odysseus finally washes up on the shores of Phaecia. While nude and untidy, he encounters the Phaeacian princess, Nausicaa. Despite his condition, Nausicaa graciously informs him