Homer on the importance of Family (the House)

In this post we present and anayze an excerpt from Homer’s Odyssey.

Odyssey, Rhapsody ξ (14), v. 223

“οικωφελίη, ή τε τρέφει αγλαά τέκνα” ( =’οικωφελία’, the one who nurses ‘αγλαά’ children)

NovoScriptorium: We left the words untranslated because they need more special treatment. According to the ‘Greek-English Lexicon’ of Liddell & Scott, ‘αγλαός’ means ‘bright, luminous, polished, often as an epithet of beautiful things. On people, good/fine/fair, or famous, gentle‘. ‘Οικωφελής’ means ‘the grower, promoter of the House‘. So, what he says is that ‘the growing, the promotion/progress/advancement of the House nurses good/fine/fair, famous, gentle children‘

Consequently, some conclusions can be immediately drawn:

a) How children evolve is directly related to how the House evolves

b) Parents’ responsibility is enormous. Not just for the individual evolution of the people they bring to the world, but for the impact this has to the whole State/Society, as they raise its future citizens

c) It is almost impossible to result in ‘good/fine/fair, famous, gentle’ people from Houses that do not grow. The “growth” that is meant is not only material. Above all, it is spiritual, moral. Growth in Virtue, as Homer preaches in all his work

Considering the above, let us look at modern reality.

In a world where the institution of Family is challenged or humiliated more and more as time passes. In a world where the virtuous attitude of life is an exception, while malice increases. In a world oriented towards Materialism and Pleasure-Hunting, indifferent to the spiritual dimensions of life. In a world that denies God and the Divine Laws deeper and deeper every day. In a world where Power promotes and cultivates (in order to fully subordinate man), the corresponding morbid and anti-natural environment (from Education, Media, to all the manifestations of the State) it becomes terribly difficult, up to impossible, to raise ‘good/fine/fair, famous, gentle children’.

Those who can feel this reality, have an obligation to resist so that there will still be, in the face of some children, Hope for the Future. For the nation to which one belongs, as well as for Humanity. Because these ‘good/fine/fair, famous, gentle’ children will never accept to become slaves, as the misanthropic and greedy Power desires.

Research-Analysis for NovoScriptorium: Isidoros Aggelos