
The Works and Days
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Narrated by:
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Charlton Griffin
Although many legends have accumulated around Hesiod, it is possible to piece together his biography from the poem itself. He was from Boeotia and had a small farm there. The Works and Days is directed at Hesiod's brother, Perses, who has instituted a corrupt lawsuit in order to wrest their father's land away. In this magnificent poem, Hesiod attempts to explain to his brother why his action is wicked, the importance of hard work, and the methods and timing necessary to the success of farm labor...the "works" and "days".
Essentially, the poem revolves about two general truths: those who are willing to work honestly will get by, and hard labor is the eternal lot of mankind. Hesiod urges his brother to work hard, honor the gods, and avoid idleness. In the process the poem delves into fascinating episodes of Greek mythology and also contains the first known Greek fable.
Two other poems accompany this piece: "Theogony" and "The Shield of Heracles", both attributed to Hesiod, not without dispute. "Theogony" concerns the origins of the world (Gaia), the genealogy of the gods, and how they came to rule from Olympus. "The Shield of Heracles" tells of the expedition of Heracles and Iolaus against Cycnus, though the main delight is the amazing description of the shield Heracles carries.
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Good, but I wanted more
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Don't be fooled by the title, this is also Theogony and The Shield of Herakles. You are getting value for this investment.
Superb narration.
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Includes Works and Days, Theogeny, and The Shield of Heracles!
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So as you can see, I really wanted to love this recording ... but found that I could only like it.
I really TRIED to love it, even giving it a second go-round as soon as I finished it, but I could not help thinking very often as I listened that Hesiod is a second-tier poet who falls VERY far short of Homer, Ovid, and Virgil (among others). Of course it's not fair to compare him to these greats (esp. considering the fact that two of them had the benefit of a luxurious Roman education plus several additional centuries' worth of culture); but so be it: call me unfair.
Though I have no other translations to compare this one to, I thought it was fine. As was Griffin's reading. The problem, for me, is with the original text. It certainly has many points of interest, and I am glad I now have Hesiod under my belt, but I will not be revisiting this recording any time soon.
All that said, I do recommend that you listen to it eventually: once you've run out of better stuff.
Hesiod, you are no Homer
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Excellent
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Great poems, slightly irritating performance
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01 - Introduction
02 - WORKS AND DAYS
06 - THEOGONY
10 - SHIELD OF HERACLES
WORKS AND DAYS
[01/25/24 - 01/28/24] [⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️]
[Lattimore Translation / Griffin Narration]
Simple but often captivating account of Greek mythology and daily life. Feels at various times like the Bible, The Art of War, Book of Five Rings or Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, in its sets of guidelines and often comically specific explanations for natural events. Of course, the parts about the Olympian gods most interested me personally. Narration by Griffin is excellent. [AUDIBLE]
簡単けどよく面白いギリシャ神話や生活の説明。時々バイブルか五輪書かマルクスアウレリウス似てる
THEOGONY
[01/28/24 - 01/30/24] [⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️]
[Lattimore Translation / Griffin Narration]
A lot of entertaining stories about the various Greek gods. Reads pretty smoothly too, which I assume is thanks to the Lattimore translation (though I haven’t read any others). Griffin’s excellent narration of course is also a great help. [AUDIBLE]
色んな楽しいギリシャ神様の話
SHIELD OF HERACLES
[01/30/24 / 01/30/24] [⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️]
[Lattimore Translation / Griffin Narration]
Short but well told. The description of Heracles’ battle at the end is particularly well done. Once again, Lattimore translation’s language is clear and concise. Griffin’s narration is excellent. [AUDIBLE]
短いけど細かい。バトルの説明がものすごい
Very well narrated, clear translation
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This Audiobook includes Theogony.
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1. Works and days (incredible)
2. Theogony (very fun)
3. Shield of Heracles (this last may be wrongly attributed to Hesiod, and you can hear the change of tone in it clearly! Glad it was included!)
Three books!
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