Hesiod and Theognis: Theogony, Works and Days, and Elegies

Together these two poets—Hesiod, the epic poet, and Theognis, the elegist—offer a superb introduction to the life and thought of ancient Greece.

Hesiod's Theogony is a primitive creation of myth: it contains all the elements of a story—dark forces, sex and violence—but can also be read as philosophical speculation of a high order, and it soars to religious heights in its hymns. In contrast, his Works and Days, also included in this volume, is an intriguing combination of agricultural advice,...