Of all the things highlighted in these ancient texts in our first Culture and Expression unit, the concept that most marked me is that of Xenia. Xenia, or "guest friendship", is the Greek practice of hospitality in which one is expected to treat a household guest, whether strangers or close friends, with the utmost courtesy and the greatest respect. In fact, Zeus was known as the god of Xenia, and it is believed that those who betrayed this concept were punished by him. To imagine that it was completely normal to have complete unearned trust with everyone you meet astounds me. In my life, I honestly couldn't 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 weird, but being the guest is just as foreign to me. It seems almost narcissistic to assume that everyone in sight must set aside their day in order to accommodate you at the peak of their personal abilities, as long as you decide to generously extend your stay. Throughout the texts of The Odyssey, The Thousand and One Nights and others, the treatment given to visitors and their respective hosts differs according to cultural expectations and religion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay In the Homeric epic The Odyssey, we witness several instances of Xenia taking place, whether it is an optimal and peaceful situation or a situation which chaos ensued. Telemachus, son of the protagonist Odysseus, visits several esteemed figures during his travels. As a guest, he behaves politely and thoughtfully, as expected. Meanwhile, his hosts, Menelaus and Helen, act 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. And also a pretty cup so you can pour gifts to the gods and always think of me.” Although this reaction was due to Telemachus's relationship with the great Odysseus, Menelaus always granted him food, drink, and lodging before Menelaus even knew that Telemachus was a prominent member of Greek society. However, not all interactions are equally pleasant. In response to Odysseus and his crew begging for shelter and gifts in the name of Zeus, a certain one-eyed giant revolts in bewilderment: "Well, stranger, you are a fool, or you come from a very far country." You command me to fear the gods! My people do not think of this Zeus.” As the story develops, Polyphemus barricades himself and feasts on Odysseus' crew one by one. While I'm not a fan of strangers breaking into my house either, I don't think I would have put that much effort into protecting my home. I guess it would depend on how tasty the aliens look. Alongside the common theme of Xenia and hospitality is the terribly pessimistic theme of betrayal. This dichotomy is easily highlighted in the news of the capture of Joppa. In this tale, the prince of ancient Joppa is deceived by an opposing general, Djehuty, who enters the prince's sacred borders. Unfortunately, Djehouty not only enters Joppa, but he also sends a barrage of gifts to the prince - baskets with soldiers hidden inside, ready to destroy Joppa. This story is written on the side of Djehouty; he is therefore on the side of the traitor. “It ends happily.” If the concept of hospitality is thus evaluated, why is the individual who has essentially?