Which word is used to describe sacred hospitality and guest-friendship in ancient cultures?

• A. Xenia
• B. Lōf
• C. Kleos
• D. Nostos

Answer: (A)

Xenia is the ancient Greek practice of sacred hospitality—the ritual bond of guest and host observed as a divine obligation. It isn’t just being polite; it’s a system with duties on both sides and the protection of Zeus Xenios, the god who oversees guests and strangers. Hosts must welcome travelers, provide food and shelter, and safeguard them, while guests must show respect, participate politely, and later repay the hospitality with gratitude or a gift. This concept is a recurring moral framework in epic literature, especially in Homer, where violations of xenia bring divine disfavor, and proper hospitality can determine a traveler’s safety and fate. The other terms point to different ideas—glory or fame (not hospitality), homecoming, or a Norse concept of praise—so they don’t capture the specific sense of sacred guest-friendship.