a Translator's Note {repurposed}

At the end of her Translator's Note section to Homer's The Odyssey, Emily Wilson placed this extraordinary admonition: "There is a stranger outside your house. He is old, ragged, and dirty. He is tired. He has been wandering, homeless, for a long time, perhaps many years. Invite him inside. You do not know his name. He may be a thief. He may be a murderer. He may be a god. He may remind you of your husband, your father, or yourself. Do not ask questions. Wait. Let him sit on a comfortable chair and warm himself beside your fire. Bring him some food, the best you have, and a cup of wine. Let him eat and drink until he is satisfied. Be patient. When he is finished, he will tell his story. Listen carefully. It may not be as you expect." ...and it struck me like lightning and an immediate thunderclap. Its effect on me almost visceral in intensity. Why? How? [ in progress... ]