SerpApi.Org
While Brad Pitt's Troy left out the Gods, they play an ever-present role in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Despite the filmmaker's "realistic" approach to Batman, Nolan honed in on the mythological in his epic adaptation of Homer's poem. Zendaya's Athena appears on-screen, while every crash of waves or bolt of lightning reminds audiences of Poseidon and Zeus, ever-present, watching Odysseus's journey back to Ithaca.
Zeus, king among the gods of Ancient Greece, is a complex character in mythology, but in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, his name is used as the label not only for exemplary behavior, but also the expected behavior of those enjoying one's hospitality: Zeus's Law. As stated in the film, the law is much like the "Golden Rule" many of us are taught in grade school, only in this case, it's "Treat others how you wish to be treated, as you never know who may be a god in disguise."
What Is Zeus's Law?
Zeus's Law, more commonly known as Xenia, is an ancient Greek custom that refers to the general courtesy of both the host and guest in scenarios of hospitality. Hosts must provide guests with food, drink, and safety, while guests must honor their hosts with respect, not burdening them or taking advantage of their kindness. And therein lies the perfect connection to The Odyssey, a story that contains a cyclops, a giant whirlpool of death, a witch that turns men to pigs, and giant cannibals, in which humans are the greatest obstacle. Specifically, the suitors.
Odysseus is a fair and loyal king, and yet, when his subjects believe him to be dead, they flood his house in hopes of marrying Penelope. Not for love, but for their own power and the chance to be king. In the years of Odysseus's absence, these men hope to earn Penelope's hand, all the while eating and drinking to their hearts' content, expending Ithaca's resources in the name of their temptation and gluttony. They are a burden on Penelope, Telemachus, and the house of Odysseus, evidently violating Odysseus's law, but don't appear to care.
Is Zeus's Law in Homer's 'The Odyssey'?
I'm most familiar with Robert Fagles' translation of The Odyssey, which doesn't include the terms "Zeus's Law" or "Xenia." That said, the idea of hospitality is present throughout Homer's epics, and it's alluded to several times, so it's not unreasonable for Christopher Nolan to vocalize it. Whether or not the guest is actually in disguise, the point of Zeus's Law is clear: the gods are alwayswatching.
Let's look at the events. The Trojan War begins when Paris betrays Zeus's Law, taking Helen from Menelaus after being invited into his home. The Trojans lose the war, and Menelaus returns to Sparta with Helen. Zeus's Law is enforced. At the beginning of The Odyssey (Homer's version; this part is left out of the film), Athena, disguised, arrives in Ithaca to meet with Telemachus. Despite everything that's happened, his frustrations growing with the vile suitors, Telemachus takes the time to welcome her, and she presents him with the news that Odysseus is still alive. Zeus's Law is respected, and Telemachus is rewarded.
"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"
- Robert Fagles (The Odyssey - Book XIV)
The above is part of a verse from Robert Fagles' translation of The Odyssey, in which Odysseus compliments Eumaeus for his hospitality. Similar examples exist throughout the text, which depicts several instances of hospitality. This is a core idea of the story, and Christopher Nolan beautifully uses "Zeus's Law" as a way to symbolize society's degradation of moral values. The chaos of the Trojan War has taken so much, but rather than band together, the people break their most integral rules.
