Hesiod was an unknown name to me when I picked up this book. In case I had heard of him somewhere, I certainly did not remember. Despite his lack of fame in the world of laymen, he is a prominent figure in Greek epic poetry, as prominent as Homer. But you soon find out why he is such an obscure figure in the world of leisure readers. His works are of academic interest and hold little charm for light readers. There are long lists of gods and didactic verses on virtues. There are interesting bits of information but they are well hidden under piles of jargon. Enough to make anyone lose interest. It is a good thing that the poems are short (despite their epic status).
Theogony is the story of the birth of Gods. It is a fanciful tale that involves a lot of deceit, lust and power struggle. There are sons castrating their fathers, the gory details of which are necessary in order to know of the birth of the Aphrodite (Love). It is apparently borrowed from Sumerian and other Eastern cultures in parts and serves to establish Zeus as the ultimate father of Gods and men. It lays out a genealogical connection between Gods and utterly confounds the reader.
Work and Days, on the other hand, is a preaching of values to be followed and practiced in everyday life. It is much more pragmatic than Theogony and has fewer names. But it does not altogether do away with mythical stories. It talks about Pandora and the breed of women as an ailment sent by the heavens. It talks of the various generations of man. But mostly, it talks about the virtues of labour, how to manage an agrarian household and how to trade for profit. It tells of what to do on what day of the month, what practices are favoured by the gods and which are frowned upon.
Hesiod might be a big name but he certainly draws interest only from the academia. I think I have had enough of him, for a lifetime perhaps. So long poet.
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