Hey family !
It's been awhile since I've posted on here. For those that are reading this, I have been reading the Odyssey since December and I have finally finished this epic tale. What struck me the most in this story was how the Greeks approached hospitality in the ancient times and how it subtly aligns with southern hospitality, in which I was raised.
In Ancient Greek times it was normal to accept someone into your house. Often they would invite the stranger to eat, drink, and potentially stay the night. If you were noble and appeared important the Greeks would also offer gifts.
This was normal. The only thing the host requested in return was respect and to hear the strangers’ story. (I mean, wouldn't you want to know who was in your house? But this was done after the eating and drinking). And if you treated a stranger rudely, it was frowned upon by society as well as the Gods. Zeus watched over travelers as well as the homeless. If you had it, the courtesy was to give.
Southern hospitality isn’t as strict as Ancient Greek hospitality. Where I'm from, if a stranger came along with a familiar person, they are offered food and drink. They are also offered anything that would make them comfortable in the hosts’ home. When you enter a southern persons’ home, it’s expected that you speak upon entry, and before you leave. Manners and courtesy are important, as is in Ancient Greek.
If a southern person has at least 1 guest during dinner, it’s expected that you cook for the entire house. And both, Greeks, and southerners LOVE watching the guests enjoy their meals.
I really enjoyed this book. My first attempt at it was in high school but my ADHD prevented me from getting into it. I really thought it was boring compared to the Iliad (which I also haven’t read yet) but as an adult, I’ve learned to calm my mind to read big books. I love that this story, the Odyssey, is a story full of stories.
I have discovered that as a writer, my gift, and niche, are writing epics. My mind is broad, and the stories that I end up writing are vast. So far I’ve written two, and I’m working on my third. My first epic that I wrote is called, Lotus and the Unlikely Crew. It is set in the 18th century and it is an epic tragedy about a group of captured Africans who hijack a ship and become pirates, who instead of hunting for gold, are out to intercept slave ships and free the people in the middle of the transatlantic slave trade. It is written as a book and play.
My second epic is an hour long Black epic fantasy called DEAD HERO. You can find info via this deadline article (shameless plug): https://deadline.com/2024/05/ivy-lion-productions-unveils-tv-development-slate-1235945979/
Big thanks to my brother Connor for buying me this book for my birthday! And thank you to Emily Wilson, for translating this epic, in verse! I had so much fun counting the meters in each line, and wish it were short enough to perform!
Brilliant work.
