There is something seriously wrong with the way this was written

[conuly]

and I just can't put my finger on it:

Another excellent example of bad xenia is the cyclops Polyphemus. The cyclops breaks custom by asking Odysseus where he is from and what his name is the moment he meets him (it is proper for a host to first feed their guest before asking them questions). Then, not only does the cyclops not offer Odysseus's crew any food, he eats them and then refuses to let them leave.

On the face of it, I think we can all agree that eating your guests is just poor hospitality, and yet... I don't know, I just think that framing is weird.

Comments

[dine]

I agree that eating visitors is a definite Fail at hosting, but the thing that bugs me is that apparently Polyphemus ate them, then let them go. which order seems vaguely implausible to me.

[alexseanchai]

iirc Polyphemus was holding them captive and eating them one at a time? I think the problem with that sentence is that the two instances of "them" don't refer to quite the same thing. the problem grammatically speaking, anyway. I'm pretty sure Polyphemus as an example of bad hospitality ends where Polyphemus as a keeper of humans same as he's a keeper of sheep begins.

[cimorene]

Yes, that's the source of the sporfle for me, the order of operations. But more broadly speaking, the argument is true but ridiculous, which is the main thing that strikes me about it. I mean, Hannibal was a bad host too, but it's not the most obvious of his sins...

[siderea]

Given that the thesis sentence is that the story of Polyphemus is an excellent example of bad xenia, that is freaking brilliant, and also hilarious. It's supposed to sound like that. The author is arguing that Polyphemus is exemplifying bad manners towards his guests, and he's being wry about it.

[conuly]

Hey, xenia was serious business to the Ancient Greeks! Although I'm sure they, too, didn't put "rudely asking people their business before they sat down" on quite the same level as cannibalism.

And honestly, I think the bathos here is unintentional. I've read the other examples of breaches of xenia in the Odyssey on the wikipedia page, I think this is just poor writing.

[nancylebov]

I would change it to "Polyphemus is another excellent example of bad xenia". It's a little clearer and more like normal English syntax.

[sabotabby]

Very rude.

[lilysea]

I'm wondering if the author is consciously or unconciously linking to other bad hosts in mythology -

"Procrustes had a stronghold on Mount Korydallos at Erineus, on the sacred way between Athens and Eleusis. There he had a bed, in which he invited every passer-by to spend the night, and where he set to work on them with his smith's hammer, to stretch them to fit. In later tellings, if the guest proved too tall, Procrustes would amputate the excess length; if the guest was too short Procrustes would stretch them until they died; nobody ever fit the bed exactly. Procrustes continued his reign of terror until he was captured by Theseus, travelling to Athens along the sacred way, who "fitted" Procrustes to his own bed"

[conuly]

Procrustes has always struck me as one of the weirder myths, due to its lack of a. point or b. supernatural element.

[readerjane]

The author lists Polyphemus’ failings chronologically, rather than in order of importance. They might have gone from most-serious to least, in which case it would be sufficient to stop after the most serious (eating guests). Or they could have picked least-to-most for a dramatic building effect. But chronologically just doesn’t work well for arguing their point.

[conuly]

I think you've put your finger on it.

[cellio]

This was my reaction too.

[silveradept]

I think it's because the element in parenthesis needs to both be its own sentence and set in contrast more against the behavior of the cyclops. Because the bit is that proper hospitality would be to set a feast for your guests before asking them questions, not make a feast of your guests while asking them questions.

[conuly]

What if you ate them, but asked questions later?

[silveradept]

Then you're in a Bond-ish retelling of the story: eat first, ask questions later.