The Works and Days

By: Hesiod, Richmond Lattimore - translator

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Among the finest poets of ancient Greece was Hesiod, a contemporary of Homer, who lived in the eighth century B.C. It is still a matter of dispute whether Homer or Hesiod was the earlier poet, and sometimes whether they were one and the same person! At any rate, Hesiod's incredible poetry serves as a major source for our understanding of Greek mythology, farming practices, time-keeping and astronomy. In and of itself, the Works and Days is unparalleled in its richness and beauty, easily rivaling Homer.

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.

©2007 Audio Connoisseur (P)2007 Audio Connoisseur

Hesiod, you are no Homer

Hesiod is one of those ancient names that has been in my "wish list" for a long time, but he was nothing but a name since I had no familiarity at all with his works. So I was very glad to download this recording read by a reader I respect always enjoy tremendously. "Finally, here I go: Hesiod!"
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.

Good, but I wanted more

A good listen but just glances over Theogony. Not a full and complete telling of it.

Superb narration.

This man's voice was awesome. His annunciation was crisp and excellent and I could certainly tell he enjoyed this reading as much as I enjoyed the listening.

Don't be fooled by the title, this is also Theogony and The Shield of Herakles. You are getting value for this investment.

Includes Works and Days, Theogeny, and The Shield of Heracles!

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this audiobook includes not only "Works and Days," but also "Theogony," and "The Shield of Heracles!"

Great poems, slightly irritating performance

I am not a fan of this over-dramatic, declamatory style of performance. It obscures the meaning of the words behind the sound of the reader’s stentorian voice. It seems particularly inappropriate for the Works and Days, which is not a dramatic poem. But some Hesiod is better than no Hesiod.

Very well narrated, clear translation

NOTE: The chapters (un-labeled) are as follows:
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

Excellent

This audiobook is short, but well worth the listen. Charlton Griffin may not be to the liking of all, but I think his clear pronunciation mixed with his occasional (and a bit comical) forays into the dramatic are well done. The Theogony is a great outline-style primer on Greek myth. All around a fun read, or well...listen.

This Audiobook includes Theogony.

Contains Theogony. Charlton Griffin delivers competent narration. Pair with the Homeric Hymns and Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Three books!

Includes
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!)