There is a popular ancient story about a contest between Homer and Hesiod, imagined from the contest recounted by Hesiod in Works and Days. In it, both poets choose their best passages from their works -Hesiod chooses his section on the rising of the Pleiades constellation from Works and Days. Ultimately, the round of aristocratic judges … Continue reading Notes on Hesiod
poems
Two Myths in Hesiod’s Works and Days
In his poem, Works and Days, Hesiod writes a letter addressed to his brother, Perses, encouraging him to embrace the practical attitude and let Discord spur him to plow his fields and yield abundant crops. His purpose is to encourage strong values in Perses, ones that combat the impetus for laziness. However, he tells Perses … Continue reading Two Myths in Hesiod’s Works and Days
Commentary on the Form of the “Homeric Hymns”
The collection of hymns, commonly called the "Homeric Hymns" or "Homerica," are a compilation of thirty-three prayers to the gods. They have erroneously been attributed to Homer by the moderns due to the dactylic hexameter formula -the same poetic form of the Homeric epics. Recall the prayer to the god Osiris in the Egyptian Book … Continue reading Commentary on the Form of the “Homeric Hymns”
Genesis I: The Seven Days of Creation Examined
The following narrative is a close examination of the seven days of creation outlined in Book I of Genesis using Robert Alter's magnificent translation of the ancient Hebrew scriptures. Day One – Light and Darkness “When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth then was welter and waste and darkness over the … Continue reading Genesis I: The Seven Days of Creation Examined
