... a very big role in Greek life. It was by this system that people were able to travel without the fear of being rejected and having nowhere to stay. A host never knew if the beggar on his/her doorstep was a god in disguise. Such paranoia and religious beliefs kept most characters in Homer's Odyssey on the straight and narrow, but others had no manners to begin with. In Greek religion travelers ... in the area. Part of the motivation behind the supreme hospitality of the Greek culture had to do with the fear of the gods. There were stories of when the gods themselves would show up on a do...

• Word Count: 940
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Odysseus's adventure in Homer's epic, "The Odyssey," follows him on a journey where he meets an array of new people while traveling to new land. As he meets these new characters, he experiences the different forms of lack of hospitality. Homer uses Xenia, the Greek practice of hospitality to strangers, to characterize mortals, gods, and ... of the men, disobeying the third step of Xenia. The Cyclops did not give a warm reception to the passing men, therefore his cruelty would characterize him as a monster. The theme of the voyager traveling in far-off land was very common in Greek mythology. ...

• Word Count: 609
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School