The origin and development of the moral ideas

for the safety of his guest, but “revenges the murder or wounding of the latter as he would that of a kinsman.”34 In Albania it is considered infamous to leave an injury inflicted on a guest unavenged.35 Among the Takue, though a man would accept compensation for the murder of a relative, he would in all cases exact blood-revenge for the murder of his guest.36 On the other hand, in Sierra Leone a guest “is scarcely accountable for any faults which he may commit, whether through inadvertency or design, the host being considered as responsible for the actions of ‘his stranger.’”37

Hospitality is not only regarded as a duty of the first order, but has, in a remarkable degree, been associated with religion. Among the doctrines held up for acceptance by the religious instructors of the Iroquois there was the following precept:—“If a stranger wander about your abode, welcome him to your home, be hospitable towards him, speak to him with kind words, and forget not always to mention the Great Spirit.”38 The natives of Aneiteum, of the New Hebrides, maintained that generous hospitality would receive the highest reward in the Land of the Dead.39 The Kalmucks believe that want of hospitality will be punished by angry gods.40 The Kandhs say that the first duty which the gods have imposed upon man is that of hospitality; and “persons guilty of the neglect of established observances are punished by the divine wrath, either during their current lives, or when they afterwards return to animate other bodies,” the penalties being death, poverty, disease, the loss of children, or any other form of calamity.41 In the sacred books of India hospitality is repeatedly spoken of as a most important duty, the discharge of which will be amply rewarded. “The inhospitable man,” the Vedic singer tell us, “acquires food in vain. I speak the truth—it verily is his death….

He who eats alone is nothing but a sinner.”42 “He who does not feed these five, the gods, his guests, those whom he is bound to maintain, the manes, and himself, lives not, though he breathes.”43 According to the Vishnu Purána, a person who neglects a poor and friendless stranger in want of hospitality, goes to hell.44 On the other hand, by honouring guests a householder obtains the highest reward.45 “He who entertains guests for one night obtains earthly happiness, a second night gains the middle air, a third heavenly bliss, a fourth the world of unsurpassable bliss; many nights procure endless worlds. That has been declared in the Veda.”46 It is said in the Mahabharata that “he who gives food freely to a fatigued wayfarer, whom he has never seen before, obtains great virtuous merit.”47 According to Hesiod, Zeus himself is wrath with him who does evil to a suppliant or a guest, and at last, in requital for his deed, lays on him a bitter penalty.48 Plato says:—“In his relations to strangers, a man should consider that a contract is a most holy thing, and that all concerns and wrongs of strangers are more directly dependent on the protection of God, than wrongs done to citizens…. He who is most able is the genius and the god of the stranger, who follows in the train of Zeus, the god of strangers. And for this reason, he who has a spark of caution in him, will do his best to pass through life without sinning against the stranger.

And of offences committed, whether against strangers or fellow-country-men, that against suppliants is the greatest.”49 Similar opinions prevailed in ancient Rome. Jus hospitii, whilst forming no part of the civil law, belonged to fas; the stranger, who enjoyed no legal protection, was, as a guest, protected by custom and religion.50 The dii hospitales and Jupiter were on guard over him;51 hence the duties towards a guest were even more stringent than those towards a relative.52 Cæsar53 and Tacitus54 attest that the Teutons considered it impious to injure a guest or to exclude any human being from the shelter of their roof. The God of Israel was a preserver of strangers.55 In the Talmud hospitality is described as “the most important part of divine worship,”56 as being equivalent to the duty of honouring father and mother,57 as even more meritorious than frequenting the synagogue.58 Muhammedanism likewise regards hospitality as a religious duty.59 “Whoever,” said the Prophet, “believes in God and the day of resurrection, must respect his guest.”60 But the idea that a guest enjoys divine protection prevailed among the Arabs long before the times of Muhammed.61 The Bedouins say that the guests are “guests of God.”62 The Christian Church, again, regarded hospitality as a duty imposed by Christ.63