THE ARCHAIC ROOTS OF PATERNALISM: CONTINUITY IN ATTITUDES TOWARDS SLAVES AND SLAVERY IN THE <i>ODYSSEY</i>, XENOPHON'S <i>OECONOMICUS</i>, AND BEYOND

This article discusses differences and continuity in responses to issues of slave management two texts from different periods Greek history (Xenophon's Oeconomicus the Odyssey ) compares these those owners Antebellum South, ancient Rome, Near East. In particular, it examines expressions paternalistic attitudes towards slaves (a well-studied feature slave-owning classes throughout history) that finds are present both examples. The explores possibility intertextual links were responsible for similarities but suggests instead they reflective real slaveholding ideology across hundreds years, which primarily served justify an exploitative system disguise cruelty violence inherent maintaining it.