The Shield. Catalogue of Women. Other Fragments

by Hesiod, Glenn W. Most (Translator)

Hesiod describes himself as a Boeotian shepherd who heard the Muses call upon him to sing about the gods. His exact dates are unknown, but he has often been considered a younger contemporary of Homer.

The first volume of this revised Loeb Classical Library edition offers Hesiod's two extant poems and a generous selection of testimonia regarding his life, works, and reception. In Theogony, Hesiod charts the history of the divine world, narrating the origin of the universe and the rise of the gods, from first beginnings to the triumph of Zeus, and reporting on the progeny of Zeus and of goddesses in union with mortal men. In Works and Days, Hesiod shifts his attention to humanity, delivering moral precepts and practical advice regarding agriculture, navigation, and many other matters; along the way he gives us the myths of Pandora and of the Golden, Silver, and other Races of Men.

The second volume contains The Shield and extant fragments of other poems, including the Catalogue of Women, that were attributed to Hesiod in antiquity. The former provides a Hesiodic counterpoint to the shield of Achilles in the Iliad; the latter presents several legendary episodes organized according to the genealogy of their heroes' mortal mothers. None of these is now thought to be by Hesiod himself, but all have considerable literary and historical interest.

Glenn W. Most has thoroughly revised his edition to take account of the textual and interpretive scholarship that has appeared since its initial publication.

Genres: Classics, Poetry, Classical Studies

496 pages, Hardcover

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