I don't get what's so great about this book. Coming off of the Iliad and Odyssey this seems way worse. It's not bad...

I don't get what's so great about this book. Coming off of the Iliad and Odyssey this seems way worse. It's not bad, however, just... fine.

The succession myths were good, but a lot of it was just lines of succession and children. I know that was important in the time it was written in, and I know what it tried to do was important, and all that, but standing on its own legs I feel underwhelmed. It's almost like it's better used as a reference than as literature.

Why is this considered such a great piece of literature?

>Why is this considered such a great piece of literature?
Is it?

>Why is this considered such a great piece of literature?
It isn't ya stupid dumb head

Well Hesiod is considered the second greatest pre-classical Greek poet, and the Theogony and Works and Days are considered his two greatest works.

It is a great work for reference, but I do believe that Works and Days is head and shoulders better. It will still not be Homer, but it is better than the Theogony. Still, when taking the catalogue of ships into account, you can see how some of the listing is part of the tradition. Plus, the usual complaint about translation.

Just a humble peasant's attempt to make sense of the toil in his life, such is life for the man of iron.
Finish Work & Days, puts things into perspective, great foil to Homer's scale and grandeur, because it looks at where the common man stands coming off the Age of Heroes described in Homeric poetry.

>the second greatest pre-classical Greek poet
Intredasting. Out of how many surviving poets?

>Hesiod is considered the second greatest pre-classical Greek poet
>there are literally only two pre-classical Greek poets with works that have survived
really made me think

Yeah, but we have surviving commentaries from times when there were more extant works, and they point to that general view.

Well two now, but he's been considered that great when there were way more. That's the reason he's one of the two surviving ones.

Theogony is basically 2deep, once you realize each god means something and the fact that X god being the son of Y god has potential interesting implications it all becomes clearer, except for the fact that we don't really know that much about the gods themselves and most of the meaning is probably lost. Works and Days is a masterpiece even if you don't have an extensive prior knowledge on greek myths and you should definitely read that tho.

I personally find Works and Days just as dreadful as Theogony. I've never understood why everyone thinks its good. Perhaps I just read a shitty translation.

>once you realize each god means something and the fact that X god being the son of Y god has potential interesting implications it all becomes clearer
I'd hardly describe that as "2deep", it's a pretty basic idea.

Most people don't get it and end up hating Hesiod for just making a "shitty list of gods".

Some of it's good, but some of it's just a shitty list of gods. Having to read of 30 names of some water nymphs doesn't engage me. Odds are they were smaller, local gods. The whole "X child of Y" idea doesn't really apply to them more than "Oh they're the children of the sea so their water beings woooooo"

ITT: butthurt Typhoeus worshippers
>it was HIS turn!!
uhmmm......no, honeybuns; Zeus Aegiduchos won the Cyclops vote
>b-but he's a serial rapist
........no sweetie

you did read it in Ancient Greek right?

I didn't read it, I had it orated to me in ancient Greek to the rhythmic beat of a stick, while drinking mulled wine.

Honestly don't understand people who think they can READ oral works and think they get the full effect.

not what I mean at all; I was asking if you were the orator. You really think you think you can understand these works without memorizing all the stock epithets and reiterations then traveling across the country side improvising on the narrative whenever you hap upon a crowd. Zeus save you, oikos

you read them out loud to yourself, you fukn moron

>he's been considered that great when there were way more
Great in what way? The beauty of his writing? Personally I'd be surprised if I had the same tastes as a Greek dude from 2500 years ago, even before we get to the
>translations
meme. On the other hand, the Iliad is pretty legit, but Hesiod could easily have been celebrated for other reasons which don't translate so well to our language and cultural context.

I'm not sure on what grounds, but it's no doubt that the ancient world held Homer first, and Hesiod second, as the greatest poets. For example, just like Homer inspired a Homeric style, Hesiod inspired a Hesiodic style. Even Virgil describes himself sort of like a Roman Hesiod.

I'm working my way through Works and Days now, and I have to say it's much better. There's a better flow, more interesting motifs, and the general word choice is more poetic I feel.

I did a laff