Of all the things highlighted in these ancient texts in our first Culture and Expression unit, the concept that struck me the most it is that of xenia. Xenia, or “host friendship,” is the Greek practice of hospitality in which one is expected to treat a guest in the house, be they a stranger or a close friend, with the utmost courtesy and respect. Indeed, Zeus was known as the god of xenia, and those who betrayed the concept were thought to have been punished by him. To imagine that it was completely normal to have total, unearned trust with everyone you meet is astonishing to me. In my life, I couldn't honestly imagine ignoring the risk of involving a complete stranger in your life, and especially not in my home. And not only is being the host bizarre, being the guest is equally foreign to me. It seems almost narcissistic to think that everyone in sight is obliged to set aside their day to accommodate you to the best of their personal ability, until you decide to generously extend your stay. In the texts of the Odyssey, the Arabian Nights, and others, the treatment of visitors and their hosts differs depending on cultural expectations and religion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the Homeric epic The Odyssey, we see several examples of xenia in action, whether it is an optimal, peaceful situation or a situation that ensued chaos. Telemachus, son of the protagonist Odysseus, visits several esteemed people during his travels. As a guest, he behaves politely and thoughtfully, as expected. Meanwhile, his guests, Menelaus and Helen, behave accordingly. “Stay with me here in my palace until eleven or twelve days have passed. Then I will send you with precious gifts, three horses and a shining chariot. Even a beautiful cup to pour gifts to the gods and always think of me." Although this reaction was due to Telemachus' relationship with the great Odysseus, Menelaus still granted him food, drink, and lodging before Menelaus even knew that Telemachus was a prominent member of Greek society. However, not all interactions are so pleasant. In response to Odysseus and his crew begging for refuge and gifts in the name of Zeus, a certain one-eyed giant rebels in bewilderment: “Well, stranger, you are a fool, or you come from some country far away. You command me to fear the gods! My people don't think about that Zeus at all." As the story develops, Polyphemus proceeds to barricade and feast on Odysseus' crew one by one. While I'm not a fan of strangers breaking into my house, I don't think I would have gone out of my way to protect my home. It should matter how tasty the foreigners looked, I suppose. Alongside the common theme of xenia and hospitality there is the terribly pessimistic theme of betrayal. This dichotomy is easily delineated in the account of the Capture of Jaffa. In this tale, the prince of ancient Joppa is deceived by an opposing general, Djehuty, who oversteps the prince's sacred boundaries. Unfortunately, Djehuty not only travels to Joppa, but drops a barrage of gifts for the prince: baskets with soldiers hidden inside, ready to destroy Joppa. This account is written from Djehuty's side; therefore he is on the traitor's side. “It ends happily.” If the concept of hospitality is valued in this way, why was the individual who essentially burned his host's livelihood praised? I suppose this question, and most other questions in life, can be answered with the divine. For example, in the prophecies of Joshua, we follow the story of Joshua?