In the epic ancient Greek poem, "The Odyssey," hospitality is perhaps the foremost moral theme. While Odysseus' wife is being badgered by a houseful of uncouth suitors eager to take her husband's place and wealth, the titular hero is trapped on the island of the goddess Calypso. Finally, the heavens hear his pleas to return home, and they grant him passage to the country of the Phoenicians.
Before entering the city, Odysseus thinks to himself, "What kind of people have I come amongst? Are they cruel, savage, and uncivilized, or hospitable and humane?"
