---
title: Hesiod
author: James Lloyd
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/hesiod/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2023-04-02
---
# Hesiod
_Authored by [James Lloyd](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jtl203/)_
Hesiod (c. 700 BCE) in conjunction with [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/), is one of those almost legendary early [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) Epic poets. His works are not of comparable length to Homer's. Hesiod's poems are not epic because of their length, but because of their language.
Hesiod composed two complete works that have come down to us, the *[Theogony](https://www.worldhistory.org/Theogony/)*, and the *[Works and Days](https://www.worldhistory.org/Works_and_Days/)*, both composed in the oral tradition. Various other works are attributed to him, either correctly or incorrectly, these include the *[Shield of Hercules](https://www.worldhistory.org/Shield_of_Heracles/)*, the *Catalogue of [Women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/)*, the *Precepts of [Chiron](https://www.worldhistory.org/Chiron/)*, the *Melampodia* and an Astronomy, all of which are quite fragmentary. Unfortunately, the tale of Hesiod which involves him in a poetry contest with Homer is more than certainly false.
### The *Theogony*
The Theogony is composed of around one thousand hexameter lines and is a unique account of the deities of [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) and their lineage. Hesiod claims, like many other epic poets, to have been inspired by the [Muses](https://www.worldhistory.org/muse/) and tells his audience that this happened “while he was shepherding his lambs under holy Helicon” (Theo. 22).
The *Theogony* covers these main areas:
1. The beginning of the world with Chaos, followed by [Gaia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gaia/), [Tartarus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tartarus/), and [Eros](https://www.worldhistory.org/Eros/) (this passage is mentioned near the beginning of [Plato](https://www.worldhistory.org/plato/)'s [Symposium](https://www.worldhistory.org/Symposium/))
2. Gaia's creation of [Uranus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Uranus/), and their parenting of the Titans, Cyclopes, and other [giants](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giants/)
3. The tale of [Cronus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cronus/)' castration of Uranus
4. The parenting of Cronus and [Rhea](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rhea/) of the Olympian gods, and how Cronus ate the gods as soon as they were born, with only [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/) surviving, who later forced Cronus to throw up the other Olympians
5. The story of [Prometheus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Prometheus/) (another [Titan](https://www.worldhistory.org/Titan/)) and how he was punished by Zeus for giving fire to humans
6. The Titanomachy, a [battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) between the Titans and Olympians which Zeus won, casting the Titans and Typhoeus into Tartarus
7. A passage devoted to Zeus and his many wives, the last of whom was [Hera](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hera/)
8. The birth of [Hercules](https://www.worldhistory.org/hercules/)
9. The offspring of goddesses and mortal men, which later had two lines added so that it would lead into the Catalogue of Women
### [  Portrait of Hesiod Carole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5835/portrait-of-hesiod/ "Portrait of Hesiod")
### The *Works and Days*
The *Works and Days* is composed of 828 hexameters. The 'Works' refer to the happenings of the farming year, and the 'Days' (with are recorded from around line 765) deals with recording the days of the month on which it is either lucky or unlucky to do certain things. Again, the poem begins with an appeal to the Muses, but then goes on to address Hesiod's brother, Perses, urging him to put aside their dispute: “Perses, lay these things in your heart, and do not let that Strife who delights in mischief hold your heart back from work…” (W.D. 28).
The *Works and Days* can be split up into these main areas:
1. A justification of man's hard work and his necessity to act justly, explained by way of myths and morals, such as those of Prometheus, [Pandora](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pandora/), and the fable of the hawk and the nightingale
2. Instructions to Perses on how to be a good farmer (the 'works')
3. Advice on sea [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/)
4. Proverbs on religious and social expectations
5. Lucky and unlucky days (the 'days')
Not much is known about the actual life of Hesiod. He says that his father left his home at Aetolian Cyme because his life of sea-trading was unprofitable; “he settled near Helicon in a miserable hamlet, Ascra, which is bad in winter, sultry in the summer, and good at no time.” (W.D. c. 640) and there are various other passages within his poems which refer to his actual life. The place of his [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/) is also disputed; either Locris, or Orchomenus in Boeotia, where there was a [tomb](https://www.worldhistory.org/tomb/) for him.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- [Hesiod. *Hesiod.* Loeb Classical Library, 1914.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0674990633/)
- [Howatson, M. *THE OXFORD COMPANION TO CLASSICAL LITERATURE. Third Edition.* 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/B008AV1IKC/)
## About the Author
James' main area of research is ancient Greek music, but he has general interests in mythology, religion, and art & archaeology. A self-confessed philhellene, James keeps at least one eye on the Roman pie.
- [Facebook Profile](https://www.facebook.com/jan.vandercrabben@ancient.eu)
## Timeline
- **c. 700 BCE**: [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) poet [Hesiod](https://www.worldhistory.org/hesiod/) writes his *[Theogony](https://www.worldhistory.org/Theogony/)* and *[Works and Days](https://www.worldhistory.org/Works_and_Days/)*.
## External Links
- [episode 7: Hesiod's Lands and Seasons](http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-007-hesiod-s-lands-and-seasons)
- [episode 8: Before Orthodoxy](http://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/episode-008-before-orthodoxy)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Lloyd, J. (2012, July 21). Hesiod. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Lloyd, James. "Hesiod." *World History Encyclopedia*, July 21, 2012. .
### MLA
Lloyd, James. "Hesiod." *World History Encyclopedia*, 21 Jul 2012, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [James Lloyd](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jtl203/ "User Page: James Lloyd"), published on 21 July 2012. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.