Finding Culture Between the Lines
Literature that comes from a particular culture often provides insights into the culture itself. Even a portion of a work can accomplish this feat. Homer’s The Odyssey exemplifies this aspect of literature. Every book teaches the reader so much about ancient Greek culture. In the beginning of book ten, Odysseus describes his visit with Ćolus, god of the winds. This episode provides insights as to how the ancient Greeks thought about hospitality, greed, and fate.
Hospitality is an ever-present theme in The Odyssey. The reader learns how to be both a good guest and a good host through the many instances when one character visits another. In the episode where he lands on the island of Aeólia, home of Ćolus, Odysseus acts as a good guest should and Ćolus reciprocates accordingly. The reader knows this because Odysseus and his men stay with Ćolus for a whole month before setting off again. Odysseus says that, “[f]or one full month we were his guests; he asked/ to hear so much-of Troy, the Argive ships,/ and the return of the Achćans ; I/ withheld no thing; my telling was complete” (232). The telling of one’s story is an important custom in ancient Greek hospitality but comes only after the host has provided for the guest. When Odysseus and his men leave Aeólia, Ćolus gives Odysseus a gift, another aspect of ancient Greek hospitality.
Being hospitable, especially towards strangers, was an important part of ancient Greek society. One never knew when a god who had assumed the form of a human would appear at his door. If one did not act hospitable when a god did appear at his door, he would almost surely be punished. Therefore, showing hospitality towards everyone would profit the individual in the long run. Even the gods were hospitable, as the aforementioned episode shows. Ćolus is a very gracious host and allows Odysseus and his men to stay for a month, providing for them throughout that month. This demonstrates another reason for the ancient Greeks to be hospitable. Acting god-like was important to them as well and every good characteristic of the gods that one emulated brought him closer to the that goal.
In spite of this, sometimes individuals emulated bad characteristics of the gods. Greed is another characteristic shown in this episode of The Odyssey that both humans and gods possessed. Ćolus’ previously mentioned gift to Odysseus consists of “a sack of hide...from a nine-year-old ox....stuffed [with] the howling winds/ of every sort” (232). Ćolus then “stowed/ that sack within my hollow ship and tied/ its neck hard fast...lest any breeze...slip out” (232). Odysseus says that Ćolus also left the breeze Zephyr free “to speed/ my fleet, my men” (232-3). However, when Odysseus and his men have almost reached home, Odysseus falls asleep and his men mistake the breezes for gold and sliver. One makes the case that they deserve some of what Odysseus has and he opens the sack in order to give everyone their fair share. The breezes escape and create a hurricane of sorts and send Odysseus and his fleet all the way back to Aeólia (233).
This part shows how ancient Greek society felt about greed. They obviously saw greed as a negative quality in a person. The greediness of Odysseus’ men result in the whole fleet being punished. The harshness of the punishment also reflects how much the ancient Greeks detested greed. The hurricane sends Odysseus and his fleet back to Aeólia when they were so close to reaching Ithaca. It will take Odysseus more than seven years to reach Ithaca again because of the greediness of some of his men. If only these men thought that Odysseus would do the right thing by sharing some of his wealth with them, their voyage home would have ended much sooner. However, one can see that greed is not the only factor that keeps Odysseus from going home.
The idea of fate was a prevalent one in ancient Greek society. The gods controlled one’s destiny and there was little anyone could do to change it. Fate is also prevalent in The Odyssey. Odysseus’ fate is to wander the earth for the rest of his life and not return to Ithaca. When Odysseus returns to Aeólia, Ćolus tells him “to leave this isle. No living thing/ can match your villainy. It’s surely wrong/ to welcome or to escort anyone/ the blessed gods abhor. Now quit our shores;/ you came as one who carries heaven’s scorn” (234). The fact that Odysseus could not reach home, even with Ćolus’ help, shows that the wrath of the gods has fallen upon him. Ćolus rightly believes that does not to bring the same fate upon himself by allowing Odysseus to stay with him and demands that Odysseus leave his isle.
Fate was a very powerful thing in ancient Greek society. A mortal could rarely change his fate on his own. The only way Odysseus gets his fate changed is through he help of Athena. If not for her intervention, Odysseus would be forever wandering the seas, never reaching Ithaca.
In conclusion, in depth study of Homer’s The Odyssey provides the reader with insights into ancient Greek culture. Even a small portion can say so much. When Odysseus visits Ćolus, the reader learns about ancient Greek hospitality, the dislike of greed, and the overwhelming power of fate. If the reader learns this much from just three pages of The Odyssey, think about how much the whole book can teach him about ancient Greek society!
© October 13, 2000
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