'Hospitality and Destiny in the Odyssey and Sundiata Essay\r'

'Princeton’s Wordnet defines cordial reception as â€Å"[the comport of] cordial reception: [or] kindness in welcome lymph nodes or peculiars.” Since the start of this semester, we defecate exhibit well-nigh cardinal different journeys in which hospitality plays an important role in fulfilling the destiny of the briny character. In Homer’s Odyssey, m all manikins of this be apparent, whether they are for the benefit or the downfall of the bugger offoff booster Odysseus. However, Odysseus is not the only one whom hospitality rules. His news Telemachus in like manner is impact by his hospitality towards others. In Niane’s Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, the theme of hospitality runs thick through stunned the narrative, as Sundiata is greatly affected by how the other characters receive him. If it were not for the genial acts shown to both of the weary travelers, Odysseus and Sundiata may not conduct been able to pay to their homeland.\r\nThe extreme observance of hospitality in the ii texts may be compared with the gilt rule: treat others, as you would like to be treated. The rule of hospitality may also be applied to the beau ideals. In the time of Odysseus, gods or deities could production the form of worlds or alter human appearance. If a stranger showed up at your door, you big businessman not know whether they are mortal or immortal. If you turned a carriage a god or someone love by the gods, this could anger them and in turn they could avenge your in kind act. The gods might answer with not openhanded you a legal pull together or make your life a fill in hell, as Poseidon did to the journey of Odysseus.\r\nGood hospitality was to be displayed towards everyone, no matter age or gender. In The Odyssey, not only was Odysseus treated well by the passkeys of the lands he envisioned, besides, his young son, Telemachus, was treated with respect. In Sundiata, hospitality was not only showed towards men, but also women. When Sassouma strained Sogolon into drive out, the neighboring lands and male monarchs she and her children encountered treated them with genero baffley.\r\nIn The Odyssey many hospitable acts were displayed before kings even knew who had ventured to their land. When Telemachus travels to Pylos seeking information about his father, King genus genus Nestor treated him and Pallas genus Athene with much respect. As they approached the citadel King Nestor and his son spotted them. â€Å"As soon as they saw the strangers, all came crowding down, urging them to sit. Nestor’s son Pisistratus, first to reach them, grasped their work force and sat them down at the feast on fleecy throws” (Homer 108, lines 39-44). This demonstrates how welcoming the Pylians are towards strangers. This is truly a hospitable greeting because the Pylians were not just riot around, but in fact were bear on in a feast in honor of the god Poseidon. They invited these abroad guests i n as if they were members of the munificent family to take part in the feast.\r\nMenelaus, like Nestor, treated his guest as part of the royal family before versed their names. Menelaus caterd Telemachus and Pisistratus with food but not just any food but, â€Å"He passed them a fat teeming loin with his own hands, the choicest part, that he’d been served himself” (Homer 126, 74-75). The Greeks loved to eat and what an honor it would have been to be apt(p) the kings slab of meat. He also had women bathe them, rub them with oil, and provide them with warm fleece and shirts to wear.\r\nBefore Telemachus was to leave, Menelaus insisted on giving him many gifts but Odysseus’ young son respectfully declined any such gifts. Menelaus insisted on giving him a mixing bowl forged to perfection do of solid silver with a lip of florid do by Hephaestus himself (Homer 144, 692-694). The hospitality shown by Menelaus is a great example of treating others as you would l ike to be treated. Menelaus, the great and lustrous king, showered his guest with the crush of everything, as he would have wanted done for him.\r\n non only in The Odyssey and ancient Greece was hospitality shown towards strangers, but it also occurred in Sundiata. The first stop on the exile journey of Sundiata was Djedeba. The king there true them with a little mistrust, but mentioned that everywhere the stranger enjoys the right to hospitality (Niane 29). The term of enlistment with the king of Djedeba lasted two months and not much is mentioned in the novel of what was stipulation to Sundiata and his family. But the stay with Djedeba emphasizes the point that even though someone may be wary of allowing strangers to stay with them, the act of hospitality is entitled to all strangers who adopt a place to stay.\r\nThose who were members of the highest social class were not the only ones expect to practice hospitality. Hospitable acts were to be practiced by and towards all so cial classes. When Odysseus returned to Ithaca, genus Athene disguised him by dressing him in refuse clothes. She directed him towards the pigman’s establishment. The swineherd had to pen the king from his beastly dogs and after this invited him into his home. The swineherd, Eumeaus, told Odysseus, â€Å"It’s wrong, my friend, to discharge any stranger packing-even one who arrives in worsened shape than you” (Homer 303, 64-65). Odysseus told him, â€Å"May Zeus and the other gods prepare you your hearts desire for the royal welcome you have shown me here” (Homer 303, 60-62). The hospitality that was shown towards the beloved king no doubt pleased the gods.\r\nEven though the swineherd could not provide the extravagant baths, bedding, and food of kings, he still gave Odysseus the best of what he had. Odysseus was invited by the swineherd to sit down on a cumulus cloud of brush and twigs covered with the skin of a ungroomed wild goat, which was the swineherd’s own safe bedding. He fed the king scrawny pigs that were freshly slaughtered. This was the best food that could be offered by the swineherd because the suitors who overran the home of Odysseus took the fattened pigs. The hospitality shown by the swineherd proves that one does not have to offer the best of things to show hospitality towards strangers.\r\nHospitable acts were not expected only to be shown towards the living, but the deceased deserve the same rights. In Sundiata, when it came time to leave Mema and return to Mali, Sogolon passed away. Sundiata said to the king, â€Å"King, you gave me hospitality at your courtroom when I was without shelter…In any case, allow me to cover my mother before I go” (Niane 46). The king was outraged that Sundiata wanted to leave his country and at first refused. But each it was fear, or out of respect he had for Sundiata, or a crew of both, Sundiata got his wish. Burial grounds were provided for Sogolon in the country of Mema. wake hospitality towards the dead is as important towards present it towards the living.\r\nHospitality was not to go unnoticed either; hospitable acts were expected to be repaid when the time arose. A great example of repaying hospitality came from Menelaus. Telemachus and Nestor’s son arrived outside the gates of Menelaus’ estate and lord Eteoneus runs through the halls and delivers the news to the battle-hardened king and ask, â€Å"Should we unhitch their group for them or send them to someone free to army them well”(Homer 125, 33-34)? Menelaus responds hastily, â€Å"Just think of the hospitality we enjoyed at the hands of other men before we made it home…And bring them in strangers, guest, to share our menstruation feast”(Homer 125, 38-39, 41-42). Menelaus wants to show the same hospitality to those who visit his land just as the rulers showed him when he was in need.\r\nPolitical alliances also proved to be good situations to practice hospitality. One of the stops on the exile journey of Sundiata and his family was the region of Ghana. When they arrived they were greeted by the king’s brother who made them comfortable and brought water for them to gentle their thirst. After Sogolon explained where they were from and why they were in exile the king, Soumamba, responded, â€Å"No one has ever found our hospitality wanting. My court is your court and my palace is yours” (Niane 34). The reason for easy welcoming of the strangers was the history of the relationship between Mali and Ghana. The king also said to his brother, â€Å"Brother, look after our guests. Let Sogolon and her children be royally treated and from tomorrow let the princes of Mali sit among our children” (Niane 34).\r\nAnother hospitable act in Sundiata, which involved alliances between nations, happened again in Mema. This alliance had to do with the family relationship of two kings. Upon their arrival at Mema, the sis of the king greeted Sogolon and her family and housed them in a wing of the palace. They were recommended by Soumaba to come to Mema, and after showing the king of Mema, Moussa Tounkara, a letter from Soumamba the king said, â€Å"My cousin Soumaba recommends you and that is enough. You are at home. Stay here as long as you wish” (Niane 36). Sundiata became so beloved by the population and the king that he became viceroy and even secured a spot as heir to the throne of Mema. This is example of hospitality starts out as a gracious gesture, and evolves into a new set of hierarchal localize for the traveling family. The hospitality shown by the people of Mema allowed the exiled royal family of Mali to become pretty much citizens of this new country.\r\nThe act of hospitality is frequent in both the Odyssey and Sundiata. not only do kings of regions and countries practice this act, but hospitality is expected to be practiced by everyone heedless of their soci al class. Hospitality should be shown towards everyone regardless how the two parties affiliate with one another. Hospitality goes along way in the stories of Odysseus and Sundiata. It creates relationships with lands that others fear, like the region of Ghana in Sundiata. It also creates relationships with those who have no prior relationships to those of foreign lands, like Telemachus creates with the comrades of his father. If only this type of hospitality was prevalent in society today our world would be a much more friendly and bald-faced place to live.\r\nFagles, Robert. The Odyssey. New York: Penguin, 1996.\r\nNiane, D. T. Sundiata: an Epic of Old Mali. Harlow: Longman, 2006.\r\n'