the odyssey, a cosmology
I have so many thoughts about The Odyssey. Like so many. From the
treatment of women to politics of Ancient Greece to how it works as one of the most
well-known epics, The Odyssey has so
many facets to it that one blogpost may not even be able to cover. But, nevertheless,
I will try.
In my opinion The Odyssey is an explicitly mystic interpretation
of the world of the Ancient Greeks. Numerous times, it offers explanation to
cultural values, natural phenomena, and the nature of human relationships in a
way that only a society’s reflection of itself could.
For example, the idea of xenia. In the Odyssey, it is explained that all travelers (citation) come from Zeus. Thus, every Greek has a responsibility
to aid and assist them when they arrive and are weary. This translates into offering
lodging, breaking bread, and eventually gifting the traveler with something to
help them on their journey.
For Odysseus, we can see two
versions of this central value during his time with Nausicaa and with Calypso.
When he comes across Nausicaa, she, with help from Athena, remains strong and
offers him a bath, food, and advice to approach her parents. Though she was
apprehensive of the strange man who wandered upon her and her slaves, ultimately,
she performs her duties. Calypso, on the other hand, when Odysseus comes across
her, persuades him to her bed under the guise of xenia. However, her intentions
are not to honor Zeus, but rather for explicitly stated self-serving reasons (citation). Regardless, in
working for her own merit, not the glory of Zeus, she is punished by having to
give Odysseus up. Despite this, she fulfills her last duty as a gracious host
by sending him with goods.
In looking at these two distinct practices of xenia and their results, no doubt Ancient Greeks internalized its
value and the divine repercussion of selfishness. With Nausicaa, having assisted
Odysseus, she is revered, and it is implied that she will find a noble husband
like Odysseus. However, Calypso must return Odysseus and is confined to her eternal
loneliness. For the Greek listener, these two separate results of following vs.
abusing xenia create a powerful dissuasion against rejecting those in need. As
it would seem, rejecting or taking advantage of a traveler is to the same
effect as rejecting or taking advantage of Zeus.
In other words, not acceptable.
- Tina
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Calypso is an interesting case, in the context of xenia. We're originally presented with Odysseus's situation as one of imprisonment on Calypso's island, as if she's keeping him there against her will. And yes, it turns out that, when prompted, she can get him to build himself a shoddy raft out of twigs, but it's not like she has a fleet of ships she can give him. She's in "exile," too, and from her point of view, we can see why she thinks this hunky hero washing up on her shore is a potentially good thing. She's lonely, too! Odysseus, at the conclusion of his narrative, affirms that she "helped" him, and she is presented as saving him from being lost at sea. She takes care of him and treats him very well, even offering the "gift" of immortality (ultimate xenia!). Of course, xenia also entails not detaining a guest-friend longer than they want to be detained, and, as we see with Menelaus and the Phaeacians, speeding the guest-friend's course home. So Calypso does fail in this regard. But she's a potentially sympathetic figure within the story, who in many ways helps Odysseus as much as she inhibits him. The story requires him to be kept from home for a long time, and she serves that purpose.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I never thought of Calypso's correlation with xenia but there are definitely many parallels. It would also be interesting to compare the suitors and Calypso in terms of their treatment towards xenia. The suitors have a complete disregard for the concept and end up dying because of it. Calypso is mildly punished for her own intentions however follows the concept much more than the suitors did.
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