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Hesiod: Theogony / Works and Days / Testimonia
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. This volume of the new Loeb Classical Library edition offers a general introduction, a fluid translation facing an improved Greek text of Hesiod's two extant poems, and a generous selection of testimonia from a wide variety of ancient sources regarding Hesiod's 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 the world of men, 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.
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 the world of men, 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.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 701
21 people are currently reading
466 people want to read
About the author
Hesiod
280 books412 followersHesiod (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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 18, 2024
calm down with the names homie
July 26, 2022
(270) Then to Phorcys Ceto bore beautiful-cheeked
old women, gray-haired from their birth, whom both the
immortal gods and human beings who walk on the earth
call the Graeae, fair-robed Pemphredo and saffron-robed
Enyo, and the Gorgons who dwell beyond glorious Ocean
at the edge towards the night, where the clear-voiced
Hesperides are, Sthenno and Euryale, and Medusa who
suffered woes. She was mortal, but the others are immortal
and ageless, the two of them; with her alone the dark-haired
one lay down in a soft meadow among spring
flowers. When Perseus cut her head off from her neck,
great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus sprang forth; the lat-
ter received his name from being born beside the waters
of Ocean, the former from holding a golden sword in
his hands. Pegasus flew off, leaving behind the earth, the
mother of sheep, and came to the immortals; he dwells
in Zeus' house and brings the thunder and lightning to
the counsellor Zeus. And Chrysaor, mingling in love with
Callirhoe, glorious Ocean's daughter, begot three-headed
Geryoneus, who was slain by Heracles' force beside his
rolling-footed cattle in sea-girt Erythea on the day when
he drove the broad-browed cattle to holy Tiryns, after he
crossed over the strait of Ocean and killed Orthus and the
cowherd Eurytion in the murky stable beyond glorious
Ocean.
*
September 8, 2020
First among cosmologists, and quite the misogynist!
September 9, 2023
Heraclitus called Hesiod a fool who couldn't tell night from day, I'm just glad that this piece of literature has somehow made it's way through history and can be read. Work and Days is a sort of proto-permacultural instruction manual along with a few characteristically ridiculous anachronisms.
June 6, 2020
Shines a light on the daily tasks, timing, and strategies needed to succeed in the ancient world; a refreshing change after reading a lot of history based on wars, kings, and their successors.
May 12, 2011
I'd been meaning to read Hesiod since the freshman year of high school when we were subjected to Edith Hamilton's Mythology. Finally, being on summer break from Loyola University and having obtained a Loeb edition of the two major works attributed to him, I did so, sitting outside of Panini Panini, a local cafe which, with the Ennui, was one of my two major hangouts at the time.
Both the Theogony and Works and Days are, by any modern standards, incredibly boring. Still, being, with the Iliad, the oldest of extant Greek texts, they are immensely important to the cultural tradition of the West.
Both the Theogony and Works and Days are, by any modern standards, incredibly boring. Still, being, with the Iliad, the oldest of extant Greek texts, they are immensely important to the cultural tradition of the West.
March 7, 2013
This is the Earliest Known Greek Text, and the earliest known Greek creation Myth. It is a must read for any person wanting to understand the Universal Creation Myths. This text is arguably part of the Dionysian Religion, which arguably is a Monotheistic Religion. The Universal God of the Dionysian Religion is known as Phanes, the Lord of Time / Fate. Read up on Dionysius and Orpheus to get deeper into this creation myth. Read further on the Eulusian Mysteries as well.
January 23, 2010
Okay, so Most translates "Chaos" as "Chasm" and has some fancy-pantsy explanation for it, but I don't buy it. Lessons learned--gods are animals, hybrids, monsters, and can do anything they damned well please. I couldn't really revel in the language; it is, after all, a litany.
May 27, 2025
Hesiod: Theogony and Works and Days
From Chaos to Cosmos — and Then to Man
Part I: Theogony — Mapping the Divine Order
Reading Theogony was both enjoyable and demanding. This isn’t a poem you skim—you have to wrestle with it. The turning point for me came when Zeus defeats the Titans. From that moment, the cosmos begins to settle into shape. It’s a creation story, yes, but one that starts not in harmony but in Chasm (or Chaos if you prefer)—not merely disorder, but chasm, a rupture. From that split comes everything: gods, monsters, justice, love, death.
Zeus doesn’t just rule—he organizes reality and brings a semblance of order. Yet, he’s still a figure I view more as a stabilizer than a savior. Self-interested, yes—but even selfish order can produce good. Throughout history, we’ve seen power secured and then slowly shared. That pattern, surprisingly, starts here.
One of the most striking elements was the portrayal of woman—introduced as a “beautiful evil.” That’s hard to ignore, especially when compared to the later births of Athena and the Muses, which feel more redemptive.
I read this with help from Ascend’s podcast and guide, and it sharpened everything. Questions I once skimmed now felt central: Where do we come from? Who orders the world? What is law? What is justice? By the end—with gods mating mortals, and heroes like Achilles and Odysseus’s sons appearing—it feels like a handoff to Homer, who will zoom in from gods to men, from cosmos to battlefield.
I loved the invocation of the Muses. There’s a sacredness to Hesiod’s role—not unlike a prophet. He doesn’t invent the truth; he receives it and passes it on. It deserves to be read, wrestled with, and remembered.
Part II: Works and Days — Living Justly in a World in Decline
If Theogony maps the cosmos, Works and Days asks how to live within it. Where the first poem zooms out, this one zooms all the way in. Zeus has imposed order, but now it’s up to us—mere mortals—to live rightly in that order. What does it mean to be just, to work, to plan, to speak truthfully?
What stood out this time was how personal it is. Hesiod isn’t speaking for the gods now—he’s speaking to his brother, and by extension, to anyone trying to live well in a hard world. The cosmic drama of Theogony gives way to everyday ethics: when to plant, when to reap, how to work, how to avoid being a burden. It’s serious and structured.
Hesiod’s outlook is largely resigned. The Golden Age is long gone, and decline seems inevitable. But there’s a glimmer of hope in the Heroic Age—a sign that even in dark times, individuals can still act justly, and maybe even push back against the tide. It’s a moral vision: decline is real, but virtue still matters.
I found the seasonal rhythms especially moving. Living in Michigan, I’ve come to appreciate that each season asks something different of you. Hesiod saw that clearly: labor is not constant—it’s cyclical. There’s a time for planting, a time for resting, a time for reaping. Even the stars and winds serve as signs—cosmic cues for human conduct.
Testimonia
I flipped in and out of this section, which offers brief snippets of biographical information on Hesiod, quotes and references. It seems interesting, but I am juggling a lot of books currently and decided revisit this section later.
From Chaos to Cosmos — and Then to Man
Part I: Theogony — Mapping the Divine Order
Reading Theogony was both enjoyable and demanding. This isn’t a poem you skim—you have to wrestle with it. The turning point for me came when Zeus defeats the Titans. From that moment, the cosmos begins to settle into shape. It’s a creation story, yes, but one that starts not in harmony but in Chasm (or Chaos if you prefer)—not merely disorder, but chasm, a rupture. From that split comes everything: gods, monsters, justice, love, death.
Zeus doesn’t just rule—he organizes reality and brings a semblance of order. Yet, he’s still a figure I view more as a stabilizer than a savior. Self-interested, yes—but even selfish order can produce good. Throughout history, we’ve seen power secured and then slowly shared. That pattern, surprisingly, starts here.
One of the most striking elements was the portrayal of woman—introduced as a “beautiful evil.” That’s hard to ignore, especially when compared to the later births of Athena and the Muses, which feel more redemptive.
I read this with help from Ascend’s podcast and guide, and it sharpened everything. Questions I once skimmed now felt central: Where do we come from? Who orders the world? What is law? What is justice? By the end—with gods mating mortals, and heroes like Achilles and Odysseus’s sons appearing—it feels like a handoff to Homer, who will zoom in from gods to men, from cosmos to battlefield.
I loved the invocation of the Muses. There’s a sacredness to Hesiod’s role—not unlike a prophet. He doesn’t invent the truth; he receives it and passes it on. It deserves to be read, wrestled with, and remembered.
Part II: Works and Days — Living Justly in a World in Decline
If Theogony maps the cosmos, Works and Days asks how to live within it. Where the first poem zooms out, this one zooms all the way in. Zeus has imposed order, but now it’s up to us—mere mortals—to live rightly in that order. What does it mean to be just, to work, to plan, to speak truthfully?
What stood out this time was how personal it is. Hesiod isn’t speaking for the gods now—he’s speaking to his brother, and by extension, to anyone trying to live well in a hard world. The cosmic drama of Theogony gives way to everyday ethics: when to plant, when to reap, how to work, how to avoid being a burden. It’s serious and structured.
Hesiod’s outlook is largely resigned. The Golden Age is long gone, and decline seems inevitable. But there’s a glimmer of hope in the Heroic Age—a sign that even in dark times, individuals can still act justly, and maybe even push back against the tide. It’s a moral vision: decline is real, but virtue still matters.
I found the seasonal rhythms especially moving. Living in Michigan, I’ve come to appreciate that each season asks something different of you. Hesiod saw that clearly: labor is not constant—it’s cyclical. There’s a time for planting, a time for resting, a time for reaping. Even the stars and winds serve as signs—cosmic cues for human conduct.
Testimonia
I flipped in and out of this section, which offers brief snippets of biographical information on Hesiod, quotes and references. It seems interesting, but I am juggling a lot of books currently and decided revisit this section later.
May 24, 2020
The cosmology in "Theogony" seems to pop up in full bloom for the Greeks, much like Athena popped out of Zeus's head, all courtesy of Hesiod, but are not so unlike what you find coming out of Mesopotamia with the "Enuma Elish" for which copies date back to the same time period in Babylon and Assyria as Hesiod's works, both roughly put in the 7th Century BC. Though the stories or mythology in the "Enuma Elish" date back easily a thousand years before in written form with the Akkadians and in oral form with the Sumerians likely much longer before that for which comparisons in style, Homer instead of Hesiod might be more suitable especially if you look at the works of Enheduanna and what else might be attributed to her or with other myths commonly told from that time period.
Regardless, "Theogony" is much more polished and compact than anything that came before and it's a shame we've not more, for the stories in detail most likely existed and Hesiod seemed to be packing them up in a nice neat box as he presented them fresh from the Helicon muses to give to us. Some how I'm going to have to go back and pick up the pieces between that work and what Bulfinch was able to collect to see how all the other stories got filled in as it is no longer clear, though it seems the internets have left a long list of personages laying about that I'm sure will give answers if I have the patience.
Another aspect found in both "Theogony" and more so in "Work and Days" with the "Enuma Elish" and it's predecessors is the relationship gods share with men being put on earth to work and be mindful of the gods and that men's rulers, while fallible and will be judged, are still chosen by the gods.
Perhaps more at a later time. These are just initial perceptions having finally read something by Hesiod.
Regardless, "Theogony" is much more polished and compact than anything that came before and it's a shame we've not more, for the stories in detail most likely existed and Hesiod seemed to be packing them up in a nice neat box as he presented them fresh from the Helicon muses to give to us. Some how I'm going to have to go back and pick up the pieces between that work and what Bulfinch was able to collect to see how all the other stories got filled in as it is no longer clear, though it seems the internets have left a long list of personages laying about that I'm sure will give answers if I have the patience.
Another aspect found in both "Theogony" and more so in "Work and Days" with the "Enuma Elish" and it's predecessors is the relationship gods share with men being put on earth to work and be mindful of the gods and that men's rulers, while fallible and will be judged, are still chosen by the gods.
Perhaps more at a later time. These are just initial perceptions having finally read something by Hesiod.
January 17, 2025
I actually only read the Theogony for my Classics class, but I wanted to ensure that I marked this specific edition as read out of respect for the translator.
I haven’t read many Greek classics (or their translations) before, so learning about the origins and genealogies of the Greek Titans and Olympians directly from such an influential historical poem was certainly an enlightening experience. I found it especially immersive having the Ancient Greek text mirroring the English translation. Unfortunately, as this translation is quite literal (not by any fault of the translator, whom I believe to have done a wonderful job given the challenging source material), the poem was unexpectedly dry throughout. The endless mentions of the lesser deities was lacking any real excitement, while the climax of the poem (the power struggle between Cronus and the Titans vs. Zeus and his allies) would have benefitted from further suspense and intimate detailings of their epic battles. Instead, reading an extensive list of fifty ocean nymphs’s names was a bit too tedious for me. I understand and can appreciate that the Theogony is a vastly important historical piece that, without it, modern literature, Greek Classics, academia and cosmology, as well as mythology-inspired pop culture, would not be so abundant. However, all things considered, I realize that I am not the target audience given that that the original poem was written around 730-700 BCE. I am sensible enough to admit that my opinion of this piece is influenced almost entirely by my modern education and perspective. As I go on to read the Iliad and the Odyssey (and other Ancient Greek literature), I will have better metrics to use when reconsidering the merits of the Theogony. For now, I continue to be pampered by modern retellings of Greek mythologies (perhaps Classics are simply not for me…).
I haven’t read many Greek classics (or their translations) before, so learning about the origins and genealogies of the Greek Titans and Olympians directly from such an influential historical poem was certainly an enlightening experience. I found it especially immersive having the Ancient Greek text mirroring the English translation. Unfortunately, as this translation is quite literal (not by any fault of the translator, whom I believe to have done a wonderful job given the challenging source material), the poem was unexpectedly dry throughout. The endless mentions of the lesser deities was lacking any real excitement, while the climax of the poem (the power struggle between Cronus and the Titans vs. Zeus and his allies) would have benefitted from further suspense and intimate detailings of their epic battles. Instead, reading an extensive list of fifty ocean nymphs’s names was a bit too tedious for me. I understand and can appreciate that the Theogony is a vastly important historical piece that, without it, modern literature, Greek Classics, academia and cosmology, as well as mythology-inspired pop culture, would not be so abundant. However, all things considered, I realize that I am not the target audience given that that the original poem was written around 730-700 BCE. I am sensible enough to admit that my opinion of this piece is influenced almost entirely by my modern education and perspective. As I go on to read the Iliad and the Odyssey (and other Ancient Greek literature), I will have better metrics to use when reconsidering the merits of the Theogony. For now, I continue to be pampered by modern retellings of Greek mythologies (perhaps Classics are simply not for me…).
January 23, 2019
Most boring of the epic Greek works. Translation seems quality though
March 31, 2019
If you want to know what a Greek creation story is like go no further than Hesiod’s theogony.
September 5, 2020
Makes Homer look like a bitch
November 4, 2020
A much needed revision of the previous edition. I love to see a Loeb of such a prolific writer with a post 2000 edition.
Fantastic
Fantastic
January 20, 2021
A lucid translation of some of civilization's earliest writings (a cosmology of the Greek pantheon and farming advice) which have survived the ages
March 7, 2021
Poetic and detailed origin of the Greek gods.
October 4, 2023
kronos was smoking smth crazy to be that para about being usurped
November 4, 2024
Only read the theogony
March 19, 2025
the only reason i remembered the names is because most of those family trees started becoming straight lines
April 16, 2025
Very much worth reading regardless of tradition. So much good information.
May 18, 2025
Interesting to note the intentional rationality in why certain gods breed other ones. One wonders if it can be seen as a poetic veneer of his observations on nature.
Read
September 19, 2025chaos overturned, fear of self-dissolution, institutions stabilise order imposed. (theres more cbf)
March 14, 2022
spoiler: rise early so the harvest will provide
July 21, 2008
Loeb rules because it gives you the archaic greek alongside the translation, so I could pretend I was reading the original when I was in public. . .Hesiod was the best-seller back in the early first millenium B.C.E., so he knows what he's doing. Hesiod's work is "a triumph...magnificent!"
December 10, 2014
Better than Bullfinch: Go to the source. Can't believe I waited until now to read these. (Can't comment on the quality of the translation as I can't read the original Greek.)
December 3, 2016
Combination of how the Greeks saw the creation of the world plus ethical and practical instructions. Works and Days has certain echoes of Jewish texts, interestingly.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews