The Greeks placed great importance on hospitality. How is this displayed throughout Homer's The Odyssey?

Hospitality was an integral part of Greek life and this is extremely apparent throughout Homer's epic The Odyssey. On countless occasions total strangers are welcomed into a host's house and given before their names are even known. The idea of guest friendship is one of the strongest themes in the epic. Three aspects relating to hospitality are displayed: those who welcome without question, such as the Phaecians, those who neglect their duty as hosts, the …

…on hospitality. The epic shows us that both host and guest had a large responsibility to fulfil and if they failed to do so, the gods themselves would be angered. The degree of hospitality did not depend on the status of the guest and total strangers had the right to expect food and shelter. Hospitality was a key aspect of Greek life and played a role that is somewhat hard to grasp in today's time.