Hesiod

Date of Birth: c. 750 BCE

Zodiac Sign: Unknown

Date of Death: c. 650 BCE

Biography

Hesiod was an ancient Greek poet generally thought to have lived around the same time as Homer, roughly between 750 and 650 BCE. He is one of the earliest known Greek poets and is often considered one of the founders of didactic poetry, which is poetry designed to instruct. Hesiod’s works are among the earliest examples of Greek literature and provide invaluable insights into Greek mythology, farming, and daily life in ancient Greece. Hesiod’s most famous works include “Theogony,” which describes the origins and genealogies of the Greek gods, and “Works and Days,” a farmer’s almanac that offers advice on agricultural practices and moral conduct. These texts have been pivotal in shaping our understanding of Greek mythology and early Greek thought. Hesiod’s life is shrouded in mystery, with much of what we know about him coming from his own poetry. He was born in Ascra, a small village in Boeotia, and his father was a seafarer who migrated from Cyme in Asia Minor. Hesiod claimed to have received inspiration from the Muses while tending sheep on Mount Helicon, an experience that he recounted in his work.

5 Interesting Facts about Hesiod

1. Hesiod is often considered the father of didactic poetry.

2. His work “Theogony” is one of the primary sources of Greek mythology.

3. Hesiod’s “Works and Days” includes one of the earliest recorded accounts of the myth of Pandora.

4. He claimed to have been inspired by the Muses on Mount Helicon.

5. Hesiod’s accounts of his personal life provide some of the earliest autobiographical elements in Western literature.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Hesiod

1. “He is best of all who himself can counsel; he too is good who hearkens to wise counsel; but who neither can himself counsel nor hearken to another, he is a useless man.”

2. “Badness you can get easily, in quantity: the road is smooth, and lies close by. But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it.”

3. “The idle man does not know what it is to enjoy rest, for he has not earned it.”

4. “Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.”

5. “Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn.”