Food Before Thought

"Help yourselves to food, and welcome! Once you've dined we'll ask who you are."
Book 4, page 126, line 68, The Odyssey

Hospitality seems to be a very significant issue that arises whenever a stranger is welcomed into one's household. Most evidently, food is the preliminary way to welcome a visitor since this is shown when Telemachus reaches the palaces of Menelaus and Nestor. Homer repeats a phrase again and again to show that the need for food is no longer necessary; "and when they'd put aside desire for food and drink," on pages 82, 109, 122, and 126.
This level of welcome is unheard of in our society but in their time, it seems as though it was expected from a host. Even in Ithica where the suitors are showing an abundant lacking of dike, they show that they expect hospitality by helping themselves to the crops and meat of the land.
This quote does an excellent job at displaying how key hospitality is to their society.

To Feast...

"The tables, heaped with bread and meats, and drawing wine from a mixing-bowl the steward makes his rounds and keeps the winecups flowing. This, to my mind is the best that life can offer."
-Odysseus (The Odyssey, page 211)

This quote shows that Odysseus enjoys the simple pleasures of life, such as eating and drinking in excess, much like the common man does. Perhaps there is a message that Homer is trying to convey; that conversing with friends and family over food is one of the greatest, if not the greatest joy in life. It certainly shows the importance of hospitality and food, for without hospitality there is no community and without food there is no sustenance. These are the most important aspects of ancient Greek culture-along with work and suffering- so when both fuse together a celebration of sorts commences. There is also a message that relaxation, pleasure, and enjoyment can only take place after hardship has befallen a man. The fruits of one's labour become exponentially sweeter after one returns from a fulfilling day of toil and labour.