In Homer’s The Odyssey Odysseus is not a hero, in fact, he is a role model with a goal to reach his home through battling temptation and using his intelligence and physical strength. I will be talking about the important role of hospitality in the story as well as how, for the most part, hosts treat their guests with food and gifts and what behavior is expected or not expected from them by doing so. I will also be discussing the various different allies and obstacles that Odysseus and his crew must face during their long journey. Hospitality reveals itself as a forceful factor in the way characters act and the way characters are treated in this story. One example of hospitality in The Odyssey happens when Telemachus asks Menelaus for permission to leave Sparta. Menelaus responds “Telemachus, far be it from me to detain you here when you yearn to go home. I no more approve of a host who is too welcoming than of one who is too cold.” (Line 70-73 Book XV) Menelaus shows to be a great host by saying that and becomes an even better host when he tells Telemachus not to leave until he brings him gifts and loads them up on the chariot for him and get him some dinner before he decides to go. “But do stay until I can bring some chariot, fine gifts. As you will see. And I will order the women to prepare you a meal from our well stocked larder.” (Line 79-83 Book XV) Throughout The Odyssey Telemachus is represented as a very good host. In the beginning when he is with a disguised Athena and tells her to stay and relax and take a bath and allow him to bring her gifts before she departed. “My dear guest, you speak to me as kindly as a father to his son. I will not forget your words. I know you’re anxious to leave, but please stay so you can bathe and relax before returning to your ship, taking with you a costly gift, something quite fine, a keepsake from me, the sort of thing a host gives to his guest.”(Line 324-330 Book I) Telemachus is also fed up with the rudeness and arrogance of the suitors. These people are not even close to being represented as good hosts. Telemachus put up with them for a while until finally standing up and said something to them. “Suitors of my mother you are arrogant pigs.” (Line 388 Book I) The suitors are speechless after hearing the way that he spoke to them. They are loud and obnoxious and really all they want is to take Odysseys’ spot and marry Penelope. They don’t really care about her or about Telemachus. Regardless of how rude or loud they may be they still consider themselves as guests and want to be treated with hospitality, even though in my opinion I think they don’t deserve a single drop of it. A perfect example of how the suitors could care less about Telemachus and show absolutely no hospitality at all is when they