Theme: Xenia

Question 1

What is Xenia ?

Answer 1

Guest friendships and hospitality
- improtant in brining together heroic society
- inherited
- contractual
- cemented through the giving of fits

Question 2

What is an example of the bonds of Xenia being passed through generations ?

Answer 2

Book 6
- Glaucus and Diomedes realise that Diomedes’ grandfather Oeneus entertained Glaucuses in his palace
- the pair then exchange their armour with Diomedes receiving gold armour and Glaucus bronze armour
- the pair also agree to ‘avoid each others spear even in the tumult of battle’ which highlights the bond of guest friendship that are passed down through generations and inherited

Question 3

How do we see the importance of Xenia in Hectors return to Troy ?

Answer 3

Book 6
- Hector returns to Ilium from the battlefield after being instructed to by Heleneus
- Xenia is a mark of civilised behaviour as Hecabe offers Hector ‘sweet wine’ and tells him they must offer a libation before they talk on his return
- clearly a hallmark of civilised behaviour however Hector only refuses so it would not leave him ‘unfit to fight’

Question 4

How do we see the gods uphold Xenia ?

Answer 4

Book 18
- Thetis visits Hephaestus aiming to convince to convince him to make Achilles a fresh set of armour after his was taken by Hector after Patroclus death
- Upon seeing her Charis, Hephaestus’ wife, immediately upholds the custom of Xenia saying ‘let me offer you hospitality’ and welcoming her indoors
- Further to this an added layer of reciprocity and contractual Xenia: Thetis previously upheld Xenia when Hephaestus was taken in by Thetis after being thrown of Olympus into the sea
- Contractual element as he is now obliged to repay this hospitality by making Achilles a fresh set of armour ‘I must certainly repay her for saving me’
- conventional attitude to cementing this with material gifts
- It’s overwhelmingly clear that upholding Xenia is common place whilst also having a reciprocal element to it where if one demonstrates good Xenia they can expect a repayment

Question 5

How can we see Xenia in the embassy to Achilles ?

Answer 5

Book 9
- when the group of heroes, Phoenix, Odysseus and Ajax approach Achilles he displays the expected hospitality
- Achilles immediately orders for the men to drink wine mixed with water for his ‘dearest friends’
- The men feast and enjoy wine, bread and roast mutton
- It’s a common place element despite there not being a contractual element to this encounter Achilles still welcomes the men and shared food and drink with them
- dining is a very communal and enjoyable element of Greek society