Host a Dinner Party Like an Ancient Greek
Master the art of hospitality and Mediterranean-style cuisine
“Philemon counseled with old Baucis first;
and then discovered to the listening Gods
their hearts' desire, ‘We pray you let us have
the care of your new temple; and since we
have passed so many years in harmony,
let us depart this life together— Let
the same hour take us both—I would not see
the tomb of my dear wife; and let me not
be destined to be buried by her hands!’
At once their wishes were fulfilled. So long
as life was granted they were known to be
the temple's trusted keepers, and when age
had enervated them with many years,
as they were standing, by some chance, before
the sacred steps, and were relating all
these things as they had happened, Baucis saw
Philemon, her old husband, and he, too,
saw Baucis, as their bodies put forth leaves;
and while the tops of trees grew over them,
above their faces, — they spoke each to each;
as long as they could speak they said, ‘Farewell,
farewell, my own’—and while they said farewell;
new leaves and branches covered both at once.”-Ovid, Metamorphoses
One of history’s oldest known epic poems, Metamorphoses by Ovid, contains a story centered around the couple Baucis and Philemon. One day, a weary traveler comes to town and visits their home in need of shelter and food. While others turn him away, despite not having much of their own, Baucis and Philemon welcome him into their home and lay out a feast for him at their dinner table. As they continue to fill the guest’s wine glass, they eventually realize their vase is staying filled to the brim despite their pouring. After a slight but understandable fit, the weary traveler reveals himself to them as none other than Zeus, Ancient Greece’s famed god of thunder and lightning; the king of the gods himself.
The above passage details Baucis’ and Philemon’s reward for their good deeds. And it’s a beautiful, breathtaking reward for giving shelter and nourishment to a random stranger on that fateful day.
While Zeus is often recognized as Ancient Greece’s god of thunder and lightning, did you know that he was also recognized as the god of hospitality in their culture?
A Historic Cultural Tradition
Hospitality was a big deal in Ancient Greece, and many of the culture’s customs dealing with etiquette are features of modern societies as well.
And as the god of hospitality, many Greek myths and stories highlight Zeus’ random appearances to Greek citizens in order to test out their loyalty to hospitable customs.
In Ancient Greek culture, hospitality was known as “xenia,” and it was more than just a list of etiquette rules to follow. Xenia was undergirded by a philosophical morality, one that put an emphasis on courtesy and respect to one’s fellow man.
A really important aspect of the cultural pillar of xenia worth pointing out was that it wasn’t a set of rules enforced by the government, but a voluntarily adopted cultural standard due to the benefits citizens experienced from civility and shared dignity.
Aristotle once said, “All that is done on compulsion is bitterness to the soul.”
Ancient Greece’s xenia is the perfect example of a flourishing morality being born out of a culture placing an organic, grassroots importance on philosophy and accountability of oneself. A cultural bedrock like xenia could never be regulated into existence by a government because morality itself can’t be regulated. Only a people voluntarily agreeing to uphold the goal of xenia will work because morality itself can only properly be born from a state of freedom.
While the advancement of xenia helped Ancient Greeks on their journey to eudaimonia (the Aristotelian concept of human flourishing), the upholding of it was perhaps best on display during the dinner hour.
Eat Like The Greeks
Those who followed xenia placed a high value on nourishment. Because of this, whether stranger or friend, if you were welcomed into a home, you were properly fed. And Ancient Greeks were huge fans of dinner time. You could say it was their favorite meal of the day.
Many times, families would host dinner parties for guests with an emphasis on conversation, from philosophy and politics to current events.
Large tables donned ornate vases featuring paintings of battle scenes, romance, and a foreign group of cultural tribes that fascinated many Ancient Greek men including their most famous philosophers, the Amazons.
These intricately decorated vases were prized possessions, and they were filled with wine that was served with every meal. For breakfast, it was used to soften the Greeks’ rough bread. For lunch, it was used as an end-of-meal palette cleanser. And for dinner, it was used for celebrating friends and family.
Despite them having wine at every meal, temperance was key for many of the Ancient Greeks, especially in Aristotle’s day. To avoid reaching the point of excess and getting tipsy, the wine was cut with water to lessen the effects.
While wine was a common theme for meals, olive oil was even more popular. The Ancient Greeks used olive oil for everything, including baths. Many times, they wouldn’t bathe with water but would lather on high quality olive oils, sometimes with special scents, and then would scrape it off with a special tool to properly exfoliate (no wonder their statues depicted such soft, glistening skin).
Olive oil was a culinary staple, as were olives. The Greeks followed a Mediterranean diet, which is still considered to be the healthiest diet today. It’s often prescribed by doctors for patients suffering from a host of problems including heart conditions and metabolic syndromes like Type 2 Diabetes.
Fish was a main source of protein for them. They also enjoyed a wide range of vegetables and fruits, and they took advantage of trade with other cultures to increase the scope of their groceries.
The Ancient Greeks also did have a bit of a sweet tooth, and they loved drizzling raw honey on various dishes. For dessert, Greek women would serve various platters filled with cheeses, figs, and olives alongside honey to sweeten things up a bit.
Man as Social Animal
Just as important as the food was the company. Children gathered to play as matriarchs oversaw the carrying out of dinner customs. On special occasions families would host symposiums, social gatherings at a designated residence featuring dinners that lasted several courses, all while men gathered to converse, listen to live music, and experience a wide variety of entertainment hired for the event. It was at these special events that everything from law and medicine to familial obligations and the role of citizenship was discussed.
The Ancient Greek “symposium” is the perfect enduring example of the inseparable relationship between flourishing culture and its connection to local cuisine and familial dining customs.
While the path of eudaimonia is often viewed as an individual one (rightly so), Aristotle also understood that, “Man is by nature a social animal.”
As you make your way through your philosophical journey, mark your calendar for a night when you get together with your closest friends or family members and really talk. Lean into discussions about art, history, and philosophy. Connect over nutritious, nourishing foods like wild caught fish and raw honey drizzled over fresh, local fruits.
And don’t be afraid to extend the invitation to those you may not know too well yet.
The Greeks understood the value in turning strangers into friends.
Like Ovid’s couple in Metamorphoses, you never know who you might run into.
Maybe not Zeus himself.
But it could be someone who becomes one of your closest allies, or the love of your life.
In keeping with the optimism found in Ovid’s ancient tale, your Baucis or Philemon could be right around the corner, waiting for an invite to your dinner party.
So without further ado: Eat, drink, and celebrate life like the Ancient Greeks.
Cheers!
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