In ancient Greece, hospitality was essential to maintaining a certain form of order. At a time when there was no central government or central form of protection such as police forces, travelers relied on the good of others during their adventures. Without hospitality, traveling would have been far too dangerous in the ancient world. Shipwrecks occurred often, storms could arise, pirates filled the power vacuum on the sea. Hospitality also became intertwined with long-standing concepts of honor. Giving gifts to visitors allowed the name of the family to be known – people receiving gifts from guests would broadcast the name of the person who gave them the gift to those who came to their home. Nestor was a shining example of an excellent host. Odysseus' son, Telemachus, went to Pylos to inquire about his father's disappearance. Nestor sent his children to fetch a cow, another to cover its horns, and sends another son to tell the women to prepare a great and glorious feast for their visitor. He refused to allow Telemachus to sleep on the ship, but instead offered him blankets, rugs, and a warm place to sleep in the palace. In the morning, he transports Telemachus and his son as a guide to Sparta. Telemachus, although he refuses to return to Nestor after their departure, fearing that Nestor will keep him for days in Pylos, congratulates him on his