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greek-customsfeatured in 8 works

Guest-Friendship (Xenia)

The sacred Greek custom of reciprocal hospitality between host and guest-stranger, protected by Zeus Xenios, involving shelter, gifts, and a lasting bond between families.

How it traveled

  1. Histories
    Thurii (Magna Graecia) · -425
    explains
  2. Anabasis
    Athens · -354
    explains
  3. Cyropaedia
    Athens · -354
    explains
  4. Hellenica
    Athens · -354
    explains
  5. Geography
    Amaseia · 24
    explains
  6. Quaestiones Convivales
    Chaeronea · 120
    explains
  7. Description of Greece
    · 180
    explains
  8. Deipnosophistae
    Naucratis · 230
    explains

Key passages(20)

Very high

Finally, Proteus declared the following judgment to them, saying, “If I did not make it a point never to kill a stranger who has been caught by the wind and driven to my coasts, I would have punished

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Very high

With these words he broke up the meeting. And Pharnabazus mounted his horse and rode away, but his son by Parapita, who was still in the bloom of youth, remaining behind, ran up to Agesilaus and said

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Very high

and in his great and terrible grief at this mischance he called on Zeus by three names—Zeus the Purifier, Zeus of the Hearth, Zeus of Comrades: the first, because he wanted the god to know what evil h

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Very high

“A stranger has come, a Trojan, who has committed an impiety in Greece [22,39] (nation), Europe Hellas . After defrauding his guest-friend, he has come bringing the man's wife and a very great deal of

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Very high

If one stranger prospers, however, another stranger is beyond all men his well-wisher and will, if he is asked, impart to him the best counsel he has. It is for this reason that I bid you all to refra

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Deipnosophistae · Athenaeus of Naucratis

High

And Dieuchidas says, in his history of the Affairs of Megara—Around the islands called Arææ (and they are between Cnidos and Syme) a difference arose, after the death of Triopas, among those who had s

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High

The Persians who had been sent as envoys came to Amyntas and demanded earth and water for Darius the king. He readily gave to them what they asked and invited them to be his guests, preparing a dinner

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High

Pheraulas invited to his house the Sacian also, who had given him his horse, and entertained his new friend there and made bountiful provision for him in every way; and when they had dined, he filled

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High

Then Meidias, not knowing what to do, said: Well as for me, said he, I will go away to prepare hospitality for you. And Dercylidas replied: No, by Zeus, for it would be shameful for me, who have just

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High

Proteus sent back this message: “Whoever this is who has acted impiously against his guest-friend, seize him and bring him to me, that I may know what he will say.”

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Histories · Herodotus

High

And as if this were not enough, you got her to fly with you and went off with her. And not just with her, either, but you plundered your guest-friend's wealth and brought it, too.

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High

Now, then, since I make it a point not to kill strangers, I shall not let you take away this woman and the wealth, but I shall watch them for the Greek stranger, until he come and take them away; but

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High

I myself have met in his native town of Pitana another Archias son of Samius, and grandson of the Archias mentioned above, who honored the Samians more than any other of his guest-friends, and told me

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Histories · Herodotus

High

after this is done, the one who has given his pledge commends the stranger (or his countryman if the other be one) to his friends, and his friends hold themselves bound to honor the pledge.

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High

“I believe, men of Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia, that you have feasted to your hearts' content. All that we had and all besides that we could find to give you has been set before you, and now we

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High

The Pythia answered that they should bring to their land as founder the first man who offered them hospitality after they left the sacred precinct. But as the Dolonci passed through +Phocis (departmen

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High

Miltiades was sitting on his porch when he saw the Dolonci go by with their foreign clothing and spears, so he called out to them, and when they came over, he invited them in for lodging and hospitali

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High

When Xerxes came to Acanthus, he declared the Acanthians his guests and friends, and gave them Median clothing, praising them for the zeal with which he saw them furthering his campaign, and for what

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High

Worthy of admiration was these men's deed of daring, and so also were their sayings. On their way to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa, they came to Hydarnes, a Persian,

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High

Except for the seer's inscription, the Amphictyons are the ones who honored them by erecting inscriptions and pillars. That of the seer Megistias was inscribed by Simonides son of Leoprepes because of

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