Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns and Homerica

by Hesiod, Homer, Hugh G. Evelyn-White (Editor)

This edition contains the collected works of Hesiod including Works and Days, The Shield of Heracles, The Theogeny as well as Homer's Hymns, Epigrams and fragments of the Epic Cycle. Hesiod was a Greek oral poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. His is the first European poetry in which the poet regards himself as a topic, an individual with a distinctive role to play. Ancient authors credited him and Homer with establishing Greek religious customs. Modern scholars refer to him as a major source on Greek mythology, farming techniques, early economic thought (he is sometimes identified as the first economist), archaic Greek astronomy and ancient time-keeping. In the Western classical tradition, Homer is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest of ancient Greek epic poets. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.

Genres: Classics, Mythology, Poetry, Philosophy, Greek Mythology, History

362 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 801

About the author

Hesiod (Greek: Ησίοδος) was an ancient Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer.
Several of Hesiod's works have survived in their entirety. Among these are Theogony, which tells the origins of the gods, their lineages, and the events that led to Zeus's rise to power, and Works and Days, a poem that describes the five Ages of Man, offers advice and wisdom, and includes myths such as Pandora's box.
Hesiod is generally regarded by Western authors as 'the first written poet in the Western tradition to regard himself as an individual persona with an active role to play in his subject.' Ancient authors credited Hesiod and Homer with establishing Greek religious customs. Modern scholars refer to him as a major source on Greek mythology, farming techniques, early economic thought, Archaic Greek astronomy, cosmology, and ancient time-keeping.

Reviews

[Simão Cortês · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has so many texts that I can't fairly give it more or less than 4 stars. Review by points.

Structure: It's way too long. Tthere are too many different texts and it becomes a bit fastidious.

Hesiod: I guess that I did not like Hesiod so much because of his focus on genealogy. It's not what I'm most interested when discussing the gods and other than that he is not very poetic (unlike homer).

My favorite part were the homeric hymns. They range from very funny (the Hymn of Hermes) to deeply moving to the point of almost driving me to tears (the famous Hymn to Demeter, describing the kidnapping of Persephone).

I don't very much like to read fragments because my attention drifts away easily.

I loved the battle of frogs and mice. It was absolutely hilarious. It had the most postmodern feeling.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This translation definitely errs on the side of accuracy over poetry, but after a number of reads of a translation where the best turns of phrase weren't from the Greek at all, I can't quite find fault with that. I appreciated the sheer volume of fragments included, and this was my first experience with the poet-off between Homer and Hesiod, which I'm pretty sure every classics fan should read at least once.

[Christopher Nilsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for anybody interested in Classical Mythology directly from ancient sources and ancient books. It contains the works of Hesiod, Homer, and other authors from the ancient world. The last epic in this book is the legendary contest between Homer and Hesiod; which includes an account of the mythical lives and deaths of the two greatest epic poets of ancient Greece.
Overall a good read. It was enjoyable and a fun read!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

PDF of the original Loeb publication from what, about 100 years ago?
Worthwhile Notes and Intro - and a Complete Hesiod.
There are now better editions of the Homeric Hymns and Homerica out there (although without the original Greek texts in them in some cases).
Good source for ALL of Hesiod in one place. Ebook is reasonably priced. But format is old and clunky. and not easy to jump through. No Chapter hyperlinks.

[Tilde C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The complete surviving works of Hesiod and then a collection of other ancient texts -- the selection is a bit puzzling to me. Evelyn-White's translation hits my personal sweet spot of not-too-flowery and not-too-formal.

I picked this up mostly for the Theogony and the Homeric hymns, but I came to really appreciate 'The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae' (love picking through heroes' and demigods' family trees!) and 'The Battle of Frogs and Mice' (which is such a clever parody of war epics I'm gonna rank it just below the Iliad!).

[Per · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/348

[Alycado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Поемата "Дела и дни" дава много ясна представа за разбиранията, нравите и бита на древните гърци!

[Kay]

Introduction
Hesiod
- Theogony ✔
Homeric Hymns

[John Kulm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The preface was informative and easy to digest, with intriguing little explanations, such as this about "the burlesque poems":
"To Homer were popularly ascribed certain burlesque poems in which Aristotle ("Poetics" iv) saw the germ of comedy."

This text in ebook format has a wealth of classic Greek literature, and I'd never have read any of it if not for Amazon Prime. Gotta love these chapter titles: The Divination By Birds; The Battle Of Frogs And Mice.

Personally, I downloaded it for the Hymn To Hermes. I'm a big fan of the God of Roads, the soul guide of alchemists, protector of thieves. Well, all the Homeric Hymns were cool to read. Scratch that off my bucket list.

[Emy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hesiod is not my preferred reteller on the Greek myths - I personally find him rather dry and dull... I'm still glad I read it though, as his work is good mental food if bland - kinda like the literary equivalent of branflakes for me... ;)

[Skyring]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11831697