Introduction In Homeric poem “The Odyssey,” we are treated to an account of the story of Odysseus as he tries to make his way back to Ithaca after successfully aiding the Greeks in conquering the city of Troy. While the tale has various mythical and magical motifs in the form of Gods, Goddesses, nymphs, witches, and magic; one of the most interesting and a rather unusual aspect of the story was the astounding level of generosity shown to Odysseus through various parts of the story (Grabek, 96). In this essay, examples of hospitality in “The Odyssey” shall be explored. It can be stated that if it were not for the multiple instances where Odysseus was accepting the generosity of various strangers, he would long ago have been able to reach home instead of being delayed for so long. Greek Hospitality An examination of other forms of ancient Greek literature reveals that the concept of Greek hospitality (xenia) towards guests is firmly embedded in the belief that all guests are under the protection of the Gods. Zeus himself was said to be the benefactor of guests who entered the households of strangers in foreign lands and that to turn away a guest would be the same as insulting Zeus himself (Grabek, 96). Other interpretations show the belief that guests are said to be tests sent by the Gods themselves and that various guests asking for shelter within households could be Gods in disguise (Grabek, 96). One particular piece of Greek mythology supporting this claim is the story of Baucis and Philemon. In it, readers see a situation wherein Zeus tired of eating ambrosia on Olympus descended to the Phrygian countryside along with Hermes to test the generosity of the people. Disguised as poor travelers, they knocked on hundreds of doors. However, they were always rebuffed, and the doors slammed into their faces. It was only when they encountered the dilapidated cabin of Baucis and Philemon that they were accorded with the highest degree of courtesy from the unfortunate couple. The end of the story was the complete flooding of the Phrygian countryside with all that turned them away dying as a result, with Baucis and Philemon being honored for their generosity by being made into priests of a new temple on top of a hill that escaped the destruction of their neighbors. As a result of similar tales, ancient Greek society at the time had a rather generous predisposition towards guests, often showing them the most fabulous hospitality that one can muster (Grabek, 96). It must be noted, though, that this hospitality is not the result of any ingrained cultural predilection towards generosity. Still, rather, it can be interpreted as being the result of fear towards the wrath of the Gods (Melisa et al., 1). Another interesting factor to consider is the concept of the “guest-host relationship” in ancient Greek culture and how it plays a factor in the theme of hospitality in “ The Odyssey” (Melisa et al., 1). The concept of the guest-host relationship is firmly embedded in the method in which hospitality is given and how it is received. As stated earlier, it was shown that improper hospitality towards guests had the effect of dire punishment. On the other hand, it was also revealed that proper generosity resulted in a significant number of blessings (Melisa et al., 1). In this paper the ways how hospitality can be applied in “The odyssey.”Three distinct parallels will be examined: Calypso’s imprisonment of Odysseus vs. Circe’s offering of hospitality and love; Alcinous/Phaeacians being helpful by trying to