“How can one human be so inhuman to another simply on the basis of who they are?” (Sam Dolnick and Colin Moynihan, A17). The New York Times reports that in the past week a group of gang members attacked three men because the gang members thought that these three men were gay. During the assault they tortured the victims with burning cigarettes, box cutters blades. This group of young men went around showing off their toughness by attacking people who were different.
Similar to the victims in the attack, Odyssey suffers the same punishment when he returns to his home. When Odyssey and Eumaeus are heading to town, they are confronted by Melanthius who taunts them: “Look!” he sneered one scum nosing another scum along, dirt finds dirt by the will of god it never fails! Wretched pig-boy, where do you take your filthy swine. This sickening beggar who licks the pots at feast?” (A, p 465) Melanthius attacks these two men because they are different, but he doesn’t know one of these men is Odyssey the great King of Ithaca. Melanthius not only kick and punch Odyssey but also, he violated the laws of the city which are to give food to the poor and welcome to their home to a stranger.
