And you replied, Eumaeus, loyal swineherd,
"It’s wrong, my friend, to send any stranger packing –
even one who arrives in worse shape than you.
Every stranger and beggar comes from Zeus
and whatever scrap they get from the likes of us,
they’ll find it welcome."
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 14, lines 63-68. Hospitality is one of the main themes in The Odyssey and Eumaeus extends an enthusiastic welcome to the beggar Odysseus, saying that all beggars and strangers come from Zeus. Loyalty is another important theme mentioned in this passage. Throughout Book 14, Eumaeus is addressed in the second person – "you" – and described as the "loyal swineherd." This emphasizes the special bond of friendship between Odysseus and Eumaeus. It also reflects Homer’s admiration for the swineherd’s staunch loyalty and the poet’s love for the man.