The Shield/Catalogue of Women/Other Fragments

by Hesiod, Glenn W. Most (Translator)

This volume, which completes the new Loeb Classical Library edition of Hesiod, contains "The Shield" and extant fragments of other poems, including the "Catalogue of Women," that were attributed to Hesiod in antiquity. None of these is now thought to be by Hesiod himself, but all have considerable literary and historical interest. The "Catalogue of Women" is a systematic presentation in five books of a large number of Greek legendary heroes and episodes, organized according to the genealogy of the heroes' mortal mothers. "The Shield" provides a Hesiodic counterpoint to the shield of Achilles in the Iliad, with Heracles as the protagonist. The volume concludes with a comprehensive index to the complete edition.

Genres: Classics, Poetry, Classical Studies

448 pages, cloth

First published March 1, 2007

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

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent translation, but could really do with an introduction, some contextualizing notes, and a bibliography of further reading, especially as these are lesser known ancient texts and myths, and are very fragmentary - contextualizing information is needed!

[Jerry Horak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shield: 4 stars
Catalogue of Women and Other Fragments: Yea, I'm not reading that.

[John L · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read dozens of volumes of the Loeb Classical Library and this is, by far, the most boring. Unfortunately it is about 90% genealogical listings of gods, goddesses, and men, a plethora of names which eventually completely dulls the senses. By comparison, Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days in Volume I are downright exciting.

[Santiago González · Rating 2 out of 5]

De escaso valor para un lector común que no vaya a estudiar el tema a fondo. El escudo de Hércules es un relato que podría ser épico y se hace pesado por lo recargado que está (a pesar de que no me ha disgustado otra poesía hesiódica).

En los fragmentos que son casi todos genealogías algún relato interesante pero pesado.

[H T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very comfy