greek mythology narrative essay

122 Greek Mythology Essay Topics & Examples

Welcome to our list of Greek mythology essay topics! In you need good title ideas for your history paper or project, look no further. Here, you will find Greek mythology research topics that will help you learn more about gods like Zeus and Aphrodite. Check them out!

🔝 Top 10 Greek Mythology Essay Topics

🏆 best greek mythology topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy greek mythology essay topics, 👍 good greek mythology topics for essays, 🔍 greek mythology research topics, ✅ greek mythology topics for presentation, ❓ research questions about greek mythology.

• The Hero’s Journey Archetypes
• What’s the Meaning of Pandora’s Box?
• Love Story of Orpheus and Eurydice
• Hades, Persephone, and the Afterlife
• The Twelve Olympian Gods and Their Roles
• Athena vs. Poseidon: The Contest for Athens
• Infidelity and Betrayal in Greek Mythology
• The Labors of Heracles and Divine Punishment
• The Myth of Narcissus and the Narcissistic Personality
• The Complexity of Medea’s Character in Greek Mythology
• “The Matrix” Trilogy and Greek Mythology: Comparison One of the exceptions of the previous statements is the Matrix trilogy directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski.”The Matrix”, The Matrix: Reloaded”, and “The Matrix: Revolution”, all of which gained a cult status among fans, […]
• Hercules in Greek Mythology The theme of his legends interpretation was to show the power of mythological heroes on the example of one of the most strong and powerful.
• Medusa in Greek Mythology So, it should be pointed out that Medusa was the great character of the Ancient mythology and remains to be the significant image in the world of modern literature and art.
• The Suffering Women in Greek Mythology Zeus told Hermes to go down to the underworld and bid the lord of it to let his bride to return to Demeter.
• Roman & Greek Mythology in Pop Culture: Examples, Referenses, & Allusions One of the most famous examples of the use of the characters taken from Greek mythology in pop culture must be the mentioning of the famous goddess, Venus, in advertising, which is, in fact, based […]
• Athena and Gender Roles in Greek Mythology According to Eicher and Roach-Higgins, the elements of her dress were important because they immediately communicated specific ideas about her character that was as contradictory as the physical gender of the birthing parent.”In appropriating the […]
• The Issue of “Man’s Relationship with the Divine” in Greek Mythology As the reader explores the idea of divinity throughout most of the Greek mythologies and epics, it becomes clear that there is a strong connection between the people of Greece and their gods thus making […]
• Classical Mythology: Rats in Greek Mythology Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera, and was the god of the creative fire, and was the divine artisan who worked with metals.
• Perseus: A Hero of Greek Mythology With the protection of Hermes and Athena, Perseus went ahead and beheaded Gorgon Medusa and took her head to the king of the island.
• The Dichotomy of Women in Greek Mythology The male competitive spirit pushed women out of public life, and in the private sphere, the freedom of women was subjected to significant restrictions.
• Medea in Greek Mythology: Literary Analysis In this case, the position of kingship was the highest in political rankings, equivalent to the presidency in modern-day practices. Most importantly, the element of leadership in Greek mythology was characterized by concessions and plots.
• Political Concerns in Greek Mythology In other words, the ritual of killing the ruler to seize the throne is normal; it is the natural order of things for the Greeks and Romans.
• Ancient Greek Mythology: Deities of the Universe Hades is the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea, the god and the guardian of the Underworld, the realm of the dead.
• Owls in the Greek Mythology. A Lecture for Librarians They also believed that the owl was a keen full watcher of Athens trade, and that is why it was engraved at the back of their coins.
• Greek Mythology, Religion, Philosophy, and History The ancient religious stories of the Minoans and the Mycenaean were transmitted orally to the other parts of the Mediterranean region which later fused with the Greek traditions and religious practices.
• Greek Mythology: Story of Demeter and Persephone Review For example, Venus was the goddess of love, and her son Cupid was considered as the god of love; Pan was the god of the jungle, while Hymen was attributed to the domain of marriage, […]
• Greek Deities in Primary Sources Hades is the god of the underworld, and he is the son of Cronus and Rhea. Dionysus is the god who represents wine-making, the fertility of the soil, drinking, and even theater; he is the […]
• Greek Mythology – Medea by Euripides While the character shares certain features with some of the female leads in other Ancient Greek plays, Euripides’ Medea stands on her own as a character and represents a new set of qualities, which used […]
• Greek Mythology: Historical and Factual Roots Greek mythology is a body of teachings used in ancient Greek to describe the human environment, the passing of time, and natural phenomena. The picture and the story behind it illustrate in many ways the […]
• Greek Mythology Influence In fact, majority of the traditions that people in the modern society carry out have their origin in Greece. One Greek mythology that has influenced the whole world is the celebration of the Olympic Games.
• The Struggles And Eventual Perseverance Of The Greek Mythology
• Comparing And Contrasting Rouse And Hamilton’s Books On Greek Mythology
• The Mysteries Surrounding How Man Was Created in Greek Mythology
• The Influence of Ancient Greek Mythology on Modern Society
• The Impact of Greek Mythology on the English Language
• Zeus’ Tyranny in Greek Mythology
• The Opposition Between Gods and Humans in Greek Mythology
• Persephone: Greek Mythology and Spring Persephone Returns
• An Analysis of Greek Mythology as a God of Wine and Vegetation
• The Myth of Atlas, the Strongest Titan in the Greek Mythology
• Understanding the Feminist Theory in Greek Mythology
• The Amazons, A Tribe Of Ancient Greek Mythology
• The Life And Power Of Zeus, King Of The Gods In Greek Mythology
• Confronting Death in Greek Mythology: Allegiance to Family or Empire
• Female Influence In Greek Mythology
• The Important Role of Hades in the History of Greek Mythology
• Ritualistic Sacrifice in Ancient Greek Mythology
• The Powers and Symbols of Polyphemus in the Greek Mythology
• The Role of Oracles in Chaldean and Greek Mythology
• Examining Self Exile In Greek Mythology As A Defense Mechanism
• The Portrayal of a Popular Greek Mythology in the Play Oedipus the King
• The Theme of Prophecy in Greek Mythology and Literature
• The Great Influences of Athene and Hermes in Greek Mythology
• The Portrait Of The Roman And Greek Mythology
• Story of Aphrodite and Her Son Cupid and Their Place in Greek Mythology
• The Effects Of Kleos On Greek Mythology
• The Role of Fate in Greek Mythology and Its Influence on American Society
• The Tragedy of Medea and Jason from Greek Mythology
• The Wise Old Man in the Story of Mentor in Greek Mythology
• The Relationship of Greek Mythology and Christianity
• The Essential Elements of Human Nature Illustrated through the Characters and Their Actions in the Greek Mythology
• Chaldean and Greek Mythology and the Roles Played by Oracles and Fate
• An Analysis of the Greek Mythology and the Concept of Creationism
• Star Wars, Episode II: Relation With Ancient Greek Mythology And Its Heroes
• The Elements of Change in Greek Mythology
• The Study and Interpretations of Greek Mythology
• The Hero of Athens, Theseus in Greek Mythology
• The Relationship between Love and Sex in Greek Mythology
• Greek Mythology and Immediate Satisfaction
• The Impact of Greek Mythology on Western Culture
• The Role of the Women in Greek Mythology
• Death And Its Personification In Greek Mythology And Other Cultures
• Greek Myths in Art and Literature
• The Trojan War in Greek Mythology
• Love and Desire in Greek Mythology
• Heroes and Heroines of Greek Mythology
• Greek Creation Myths of Chaos and Titans
• Underworld and Afterlife in Greek Mythology
• What Are the Moral Lessons of Greek Myths
• How Greek Mythology Influences Pop Culture
• The Powers and Stories of Greek Gods and Goddesses
• Medusa, Cerberus, and Other Monsters in Greek Mythology
• Chaoskampf as the Creation Myth
• An In-Depth Exploration of Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon
• Hercules, Perseus, and Their Legendary Quests
• Goddesses of Wisdom and Beauty in Greek Mythology
• The Trojan War: Myth and Reality
• Mythical Creatures in Greek Folklore
• Tragic Fates of Oedipus and Prometheus
• The Influence of Greek Mythology on Modern Cinema
• Greek Mythology in Sculptures, Pottery, and Temples
• Persephone, Orpheus, and the Themes of Death and Resurrection
• What Is the Role of Women in Greek Mythology? How Does It Differ From the Role of Women Today?
• How Do the Myths Differentiate Between Human and Divine Power?
• What Do the Greek Myths Suggest About Tragedy?
• How Does Author Publius Ovidius Naso Capture the Spirit of the Greek and Roman Mythology?
• Why Is Creon the Tragic Hero in Antigone?
• How Does Child Abuse Affect a Hero, a God, and a Monster in Greek Mythology?
• What Moral Lessons Do We Learn From the Greek Myths and Ancient Stories?
• How Are Egyptian and Greek Culture Reflected Through Their Respective Mythology?
• What Caused the Titanomachy War and Who Was Involved in It?
• How Did Greek Mythology Influence Christianity?
• Did Zeus and Apollo Have Anything in Common?
• How Does Fate and Destiny Work According to Greek Mythology?
• What Is the Story of Giants in Greek Mythology?
• How Was the Stonehenge Made According to the Myth?
• What Is the Most Unbelievable Myth You Find in the Greek Mythology?
• How Does Zeus Play Into Modern-Day Religion?
• What Is Something You Learned by Reading Homer’s Odyssey?
• Why Did the Goddess Athena Help the Hero Perseus Defeat Medusa?
• What Role Did Eros Play in the Life of Helen?
• Who Was the First Mortal to Be Made a God?
• Were the Trojan War and the Fall of Troy Necessary?
• What Is the Significance of Pandora’s Box?
• Did Jason Care for Medea or Exploit Her?
• What Was the Significance of Prometheus’ Gift to Man?
• Was the Trojan Horse a Clever Trick or an Act of Treachery?
• Who Were the Key Figures in the Trojan War, and Why Was It Fought?
• How Were Greek Myths Used to Keep Order in Society?
• Can We Criticize the Gods, or Are They Always Perfect in Their Actions and Behavior?
• Who Were the First Storytellers, and Why Were They Valued in Ancient Societies?
• What Is the Difference Between an Epic, a Legend, and a Myth?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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12 of the Best Stories from Greek Myth

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Ancient Greek mythology is full of classic stories which have become part of Western literature and culture; these stories have even given us some well-known words and phrases commonly used in English, and in other languages.

Below, we introduce 12 of the greatest and best-known tales from the world of Greek mythology, from curious women to brave men, people who overreached themselves and people whose greed got the better of them.

1. Pandora’s Box

Everyone knows about the myth of Pandora’s box – except it wasn’t a box at all, but a jar, as we reveal in our discussion of this classic story (linked above).

Pandora was the first woman in Greek mythology, and Hesiod tells us that her curiosity led her to take the lid off the jar (not box) containing all of the world’s ills, unleashing them upon the world in the process.

2. Prometheus

Another important ‘origin-story’ from Greek myth, the tale of Prometheus – whose name literally means ‘forethought’ in some interpretations – is well-known because it explains how mankind came into possession of fire, thus enabling man to form civilisation as we know it.

Prometheus, a Titan or god, stole fire from his fellow gods and gave it to humanity, and for this act he was punished by Zeus: chained to a rock and then subjected to the agonising ordeal of having his liver pecked out by an eagle. His liver would grow back every night, so Prometheus would have to endure the same fate every day for eternity. Ouch.

3. Persephone and Hades

As well as explaining where man came from and how we came to create civilisation, the Greeks also used their myths to explain the origins of natural phenomena, such as the seasons. Why do we have summer and winter?

For the ancient Greeks, it was thanks to Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the Underworld, and taken away with him; because she was connected to vegetation, Persephone’s absence from the land led to the failure of crops, and everyone began to starve.

Hades was told by Zeus to return Persephone to Demeter above-ground, but (thanks to Hades’ trick which involved, effectively, drugging Persephone with some pomegranate seeds), eventually a compromise was reached, whereby Persephone would spend the winter months in Hades and the rest of the year with Demeter. And this explains the origins of the seasons.

4. Theseus and the Minotaur

In the vast Labyrinth on the island of Crete, built by the cunning Daedalus for King Minos, there dwelt the Minotaur: a man with the head and tail of a bull.

Minos demanded seven Athenian men and seven Athenian maidens be given to the Minotaur to be devoured on a regular basis (some accounts say every seven years, while others state this was an annual treat for the Minotaur). This mythic story, by the way, inspired Suzanne Collins’s idea of ‘tributes’ in The Hunger Games .

Anyway, Theseus was a brave Athenian man who, with the help of Ariadne (who gave him a ball of thread so he could find his way back out of the Labyrinth), went into the Cretan maze and slew the Minotaur. Unfortunately, after Ariadne had helped him to accomplish his task, his abandoned her … but that’s another story.

5. Daedalus and Icarus

The story of Icarus is one of the most famous tales from Greek myth. Icarus was the son of Daedalus, the craftsman who built the Labyrinth from the Minotaur story recounted above. Ever the inventor, Daedalus fashioned some wings out of feathers and wax, for him and his son to use to fly their way off the island of Crete.

However, Icarus got carried away and flew too close to the sun, which melted the wax in his wings. He fell to his death, drowning in the Aegean. Now, Icarus’ name is a byword for one of the Greeks’ most favourite themes: hubris, or overreaching oneself.

6. Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa

Perseus’ defeat of Medusa, one of the Gorgons, is well-known. Famously, to look upon snake-haired Medusa (the snakes were her punishment for being vain and proud of her hair) was enough to turn the viewer to stone, so Perseus cunningly used a mirrored shield to approach Medusa in her cave so that he could cut her head off without looking directly at her.

7. Orpheus and Eurydice

One of the great tragic love stories from Greek mythology, the tale of the musician Orpheus and his lover Eurydice features the Underworld. But as with the tale of Echo and Narcissus (see below), this is a doomed love story made more famous through Roman writers (Ovid, Virgil) than Greek originals.

The lyrist Orpheus fell in love with the beautiful Eurydice, only for her to die shortly after; Orpheus made the journey into Hades, the Underworld, to try to bring his beloved back.

His wish was granted – but on the condition that he mustn’t look back at Eurydice as she followed him out of Hades, until they were both safely back in the land of the living. Orpheus couldn’t resist one quick glance … and Eurydice was lost to him forever.

8. The 12 Labours of Heracles

Better-known as Hercules (the Latin version of his Greek name), Heracles was the all-round action hero of Greek mythology. He was ordered to carry out his famous ‘Twelve Labours’ as penance for the murder of his own wife and children, while he was in the service of the king Eurystheus.

A few of them are quite famous – Heracles killing the Nemean lion, or stealing the golden apples of the Hesperides – but others, such as slaying the Stymphalian birds, are more obscure.

9. Echo and Narcissus

Narcissus was a beautiful youth – so beautiful, in fact, that he fell in love with his own reflection, which he saw while gazing down at the surface of the water while drinking one day. Echo loved Narcissus, but he shunned her because he only had eyes for himself, and Echo pined away until only her voice remained.

Echo found it hard to tell Narcissus how she felt for him, in any case, because she had already been cursed so that she could only repeat what others said, rather than speak for herself.

Although we feature this classic mythological tale on this list of best Greek stories, the introduction of Echo into the tale of Narcissus appears to have been the invention of a Roman poet, Ovid, in his Metamorphoses . But the figures are so closely associated with Greek myth that we felt they should be included here.

10. Sisyphus

The poster-boy of existentialism, Sisyphus has become associated with laborious and pointless tasks, because he was condemned to roll a boulder up a hill, only for the boulder to roll back down to the bottom just as he was about to complete the task. He was thus doomed to repeat this action forever.

11. King Midas and the Golden Touch

Midas is known for two things: being given the ears of an ass, and turning everything he touched into gold. The latter of these was his reward from Dionysus, although he soon discovered that his gift was a bane rather than a blessing, and that he couldn’t even do simple things like take a drink without the water turning into gold.

Curiously, like many other classic myths, this one may have arisen as an origin story to explain the rich gold deposits in the river Pactolus.

12. Scylla and Charybdis

To be ‘between Scylla and Charybdis’ is, if you will, to be caught between a rock and a hard place – in other words, between two equally unappealing dangers or prospects. The phrase derives from two dangerous entities found in the Mediterranean sea, which Homer tells us about in his Odyssey .

They were supposedly found on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina between Sicily and Calabria, with Scylla being a monster with six heads and Charybdis being a deadly whirlpool. Ships had to navigate between these two dangerous forces when travelling through this part of the Mediterranean sea.

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2 thoughts on “12 of the Best Stories from Greek Myth”

I thought this meant Homer, or something like that, lol

I love Greek myths!

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Greek Mythology - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Greek mythology, a body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, contains a rich narrative of gods, heroes, and the human condition. Essays on Greek mythology could delve into the exploration of major myths, the Greek pantheon, and the significance of mythological figures in ancient Greek society. Discussions might also explore the influence of Greek mythology on Western culture, its reflection on human nature, and its representation in literature, art, and modern media. Moreover, analyzing the symbolic meanings, the moral lessons, and the enduring fascination with Greek mythology can provide a rich understanding of its substantial impact on storytelling and cultural discourse. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to Greek Mythology you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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Works and Days

Pandora by Walter Crane (1885)

The Works and Days is an early Greek epic poem, composed around 700 BCE by the poet Hesiod (who also authored the Theogony ). It is an important example of didactic poetry and a key source for many Greek myths.

The content of the Works and Days is extremely varied. Addressed to Hesiod’s brother Perses, the text combines farming instructions and a farmer’s calendar (the “Works” and “Days” parts of the poem, respectively) with mythological stories, fables, religious and ethical advice, and proverbial maxims. The result is a mine of information on early Greek literature, mythology, religion, and social life.

The title Works and Days is a translation of the Greek Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι (translit. Erga kai Hēmerai ). Some scholars still refer to the poem by its Latin name, Opera et Dies .

Pronunciation

Hesiod, the author of the Works and Days , is one of the earliest known Greek poets. He belonged to the Archaic period of ancient Greek history (ca. 900–490 BCE), which saw important developments in technology, trade, the arts, and social life.

Hesiod and the Muses by Gustave Moreau (1860)

Hesiod tells us a bit about his life in his own poetry—that he was the son of a poor tradesman and grew up in Ascra, a “miserable hamlet” [1] in Boeotia (in central Greece); that he was a shepherd until the Muses appeared to him one day and taught him to compose poetry; [2] that he once won a musical contest in Chalcis; [3] and that he had a brother named Perses who cheated him of his inheritance. [4] This sparse autobiography was later embellished, sometimes with rather unbelievable details.

Though debate continues over Hesiod’s life—who he was, when he lived, and whether a single “Hesiod” even existed—most scholars today agree that Hesiod lived around the end of the eighth century BCE and that he authored two works: the Theogony (in which Hesiod actually refers to himself by name) and the Works and Days . The many other poems attributed to Hesiod in antiquity—including the Shield of Heracles , the Catalogue of Women , and the Astronomy , among others—were most likely composed by someone else at a later period.

Mythological Context

The Works and Days is not a narrative poem like Hesiod’s other epic, the Theogony . Instead, it is a didactic poem that sets out to teach valuable lessons to the reader or addressee (in this case, the poem is addressed to the author’s wayward brother, Perses). Often, myths are used to demonstrate these lessons.

Some of the myths that appear in the Works and Days are familiar from other sources. The stories of Prometheus and Pandora , for instance, are also recounted in the Theogony . Other myths are more unique and may have been invented, in whole or in part, specifically for the Works and Days . [5]

The way Hesiod uses myth can be challenging. He begins the Works and Days with the curious remark that “after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but all over the earth there are two.” [6] This is evidently a correction of an earlier claim in the Theogony , where he had outlined the genealogy of just one “Strife” (the goddess Eris ). [7] Hesiod, then, seems to treat mythology as something that is adaptable, malleable, and evolving.

Sometimes Hesiod’s contradictory use of myth is less self-conscious. For instance, both the myth of Pandora [8] and the Myth of the Races [9] —which are told back to back—are meant to explain the origins of human suffering. The use of two seemingly unrelated myths to explain the same phenomenon may seem odd or unnecessary to contemporary readers, but it is merely an example of “overdetermination”—that is, attributing more than one cause to the same event. This is a common feature of mythical narratives across the ancient world.

In his overarching message and worldview, however, Hesiod is fairly consistent. The Works and Days , like the Theogony, is markedly devoted to the power and justice of Zeus . Indeed, the poem opens with an eloquent hymn to Zeus:

Muses of Pieria who give glory through song, come hither, tell of Zeus your father and chant his praise. Through him mortal men are famed or unfamed, sung or unsung alike, as great Zeus wills. For easily he makes strong, and easily he brings the strong man low; easily he humbles the proud and raises the obscure, and easily he straightens the crooked and blasts the proud,—Zeus who thunders aloft and has his dwelling most high. Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with righteousness. [10]

Throughout the poem, it is Zeus who represents the order of the cosmos, ensuring that justice is dispensed. Justice (Dike) is at one point represented as the daughter of Zeus; she reports the good and evil deeds of mortals to her father. [11] Humans, who are utterly powerless before Zeus and the other gods, must obey Zeus’ will or suffer the consequences.

Prometheus Bound by Peter Paul Rubens (1618)

The Works and Days was undoubtedly shaped by the historical climate in which it was composed. In the eighth and seventh centuries BCE, the Greeks began to interact much more frequently with their Mediterranean neighbors, and these older civilizations had a powerful influence on Greek culture. For instance, the Works and Days strongly recalls the “wisdom literature” that was common in the East: compare the Sumerian Instructions of Šuruppak , the Akkadian Counsels of Wisdom , Egyptian instructional literature, and the Hebrew Book of Proverbs . Hesiod’s use of parable and allegory—for example, the fable of the hawk and the nightingale [12] —has also been interpreted as having an Eastern touch.

The Works and Days is a varied text. It is framed as Hesiod’s advice to his brother Perses on how he might best lead a hard-working, honest life.

Proem (1–10)

The Works and Days begins with an introductory hymn or invocation (called a “proem”) praising Zeus. Hesiod then addresses his project to his brother Perses.

The Two Strifes (11–41)

Hesiod describes two “Strifes” (both personified by a goddess named Eris): a bad Strife who causes conflict, and a good one who inspires hard work. The lazy, unscrupulous Perses is urged to forsake the bad Strife and follow the good one.

The Myth of Prometheus and Pandora (42–105)

Hesiod describes the origins of hard work and suffering: after the Titan Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mortals, Zeus punished them by sending Pandora, the first woman, to unleash all the evils of the cosmos upon them.

Red-figure calyx-krater showing the creation of Pandora, attributed to the Niobid Painter (ca. 460–450 BCE)

The Myth of the Races (106–201)

Hesiod traces the progression of mortals through five races (or ages): a golden race, a silver race, a bronze race, a race of heroes, and an iron race. The iron race—the one in which Hesiod is living and writing—is presented as an era of toil and injustice.

Justice and Work (202–334)

Hesiod stresses the value of behaving justly and working diligently. He warns that Zeus punishes the unjust.

Social and Religious Advice (335–80)

Hesiod gives some general advice on proper religious behavior as well as how to deal with one’s neighbors.

Farming Advice (381–617)

Hesiod gives detailed practical advice for farmers to follow throughout the year.

Sailing Advice (618–93)

Hesiod gives very basic advice on sailing, mostly quoting the authority of others.

Social Advice (694–723)

Hesiod gives further advice on dealing with other people.

Religious Advice (724–64)

Hesiod gives further advice on proper religious behavior.

The Days (765–828)

The final section provides a detailed calendar or almanac of days that are favorable or unfavorable for various activities. This is sometimes thought to have been a later addition to the poem.

Style and Composition

The Works and Days is generally thought to have been composed after the Theogony , the other epic attributed to Hesiod. This is because Hesiod begins the Works and Days by admitting he made a mistake in an earlier poem when he said there was only one goddess of strife [13] —seemingly a reference to the Theogony , where Hesiod does indeed claim there is only one Strife. [14] Since the Works and Days is able to allude to the Theogony , it must be the later of the two poems.

The Works and Days is also seen as more linguistically and stylistically refined than the Theogony , suggesting that it represents the work of a more mature poet.

Like Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey , the Works and Days adheres to the basic conventions of Greek epic poetry, employing dactylic hexameter and an elevated and artificial linguistic diction, which does not appear to have corresponded to any spoken dialect of ancient Greek.

Unlike Homer’s epics, however, the Works and Days is not a narrative poem. While it does include narrative elements (like the myth of Pandora), it is more accurately classified as a didactic poem—that is, a poem that sets out to teach the reader about something. In this case, the “something” ranges from farming and sailing to proper religious behavior.

Terracotta figurine of a plowman from Thebes in Boeotia, Greece (ca. 600–575 BCE)

The two central themes of the Works and Days are work and justice. The poem is presented as a guide for the author’s brother, a man named Perses, who, with the help of “bribe-swallowing lords,” [15] seized more than his fair share of the family inheritance. But Perses sometimes appears to be little more than a literary device, with his failings constantly changing to suit the context and needs of the author. [16]

Hesiod has much to say in this didactic poem, and much of it is unsavory. In the Works and Days , as in the Theogony , Hesiod comes across as a curmudgeonly, pessimistic farmer with conservative ethical and religious values and a strong distaste for women. The author viciously attacks idleness and praises hard work; [17] he sees life as suffering, much of which he blames on women; [18] and he insists that the gods always see and promptly punish injustice. [19] Often, Hesiod says his piece directly; other times, he uses parables or allegories to get his point across.

As in the Theogony , the justice of Zeus is represented as the ordering principle of the cosmos. Mortals must work hard and behave justly because it is Zeus’ will; anyone who disobeys Zeus will bring righteous punishment down upon their head. This, it seems, is the central point of the poem, and what Hesiod wants to teach his wayward brother Perses.

The Works and Days is full of folksy sayings and advice. Some of these tidbits are quite sensible and continue to circulate in some form today. For example, Hesiod’s “it is better to have your stuff at home” [20] has become “there’s no place like home”; “do not put your work off till to-morrow and the day after” [21] has become “don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today”; “observe due measure: and proportion is best in all things” [22] has become “moderation in all things”; and so on. But other passages are more difficult to interpret, as, for example, when Hesiod muses on “how much more the half is than the whole.” [23]

Some parts of the Works and Days continue to stump scholars. For example, Hesiod first explains the sufferings of mortals with the myth of Pandora, but immediately afterwards offers a different explanation based on the Myth of the Races. It can also be difficult to discern the unity of the Works and Days , which is at once a farmer’s guide, a sermon on hard work and justice, and a collection of miscellaneous advice and sayings. But the text remains indispensable to our understanding of the ancient Greek world.

The Golden Age by Lucas Cranach the Elder (ca. 1530)

Hesiod was extremely influential in antiquity. His works, together with Homer’s, were considered the foundational literary and religious texts of the Greeks (and sometimes also of the Romans). Indeed, every ancient poet—from those, like Archilochus, who lived just after Hesiod, to imperial Roman poets like Virgil, Ovid, and Statius—can be said to have been influenced in some way by Hesiod.

Though Hesiod’s popularity waned during the European Middle Ages, the Works and Days was still sometimes admired for its ethic of hard work and honesty. Moreover, the Renaissance brought some renewed interest in Hesiod. The Pandora of the Works and Days became an especially popular subject for artists, featuring in the works of Jean Cousin the Elder, John William Waterhouse, Gabriel Rossetti, and many others.

Today, Hesiod is not as familiar in modern pop culture as Homer. The Works and Days in particular, with its heavy focus on farming, is often deemed of little interest to an increasingly urbanized world.

Translations

There have been numerous translations of Hesiod’s Works and Days (usually grouped together with the Theogony ). The following is a selected chronological list of important and useful translations:

Evelyn-White, H. G., trans. Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica . Loeb Classical Library 57. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1914: A rather old-fashioned prose translation. Can be found in the public domain and thus remains an accessible option.

Lattimore, Richmond, trans. Hesiod: The Works and Days, Theogony, The Shield of Herakles . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1959: Old but still highly-regarded translation in non-metrical, non-rhyming verse.

Wender, Dorothea, trans. Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days; Theognis: Elegies . Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1973: Readable verse translation, complete with brief commentary. The volume includes a translation of the poetry of Theognis.

Athanassakis, Apostolos N., trans. Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, Shield . Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983: Readable free verse translation with commentary.

Frazer, R. M., trans. The Poems of Hesiod . Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1983: Readable and accurate verse translation with commentary.

West, Martin L., trans. Hesiod: Theogony and Works and Days . Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988: Prose translation that is very true to the original, produced by one of the most important scholars of Archaic Greek literature. Includes commentary.

Lombardo, Stanley, trans. Works and Days and Theogony . Hackett Classics. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1993: Lively, rather folksy verse translation with added commentary.

Hine, Daryl, trans. Works of Hesiod and the Homeric Hymns . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005: Readable, accurate, and annotated translation replicating the verse of the original (dactylic hexameter). The volume includes a translation of the Homeric Hymns .

Most, Glenn, trans. Hesiod, Vol. 1: Theogony, Works and Days, Testimonia . Loeb Classical Library 57. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2006: A very accurate, readable new prose translation, replacing Evelyn-White’s older translation in the Loeb Classical Library series.

Schlegel, Catherine, and Henry Weinfield, trans. Theogony and Works and Days . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2006: Unique translation employing rhyming iambic heptameter couplets. Flows well but is not always faithful to the original. Includes commentary.

Johnson, Kimberly, trans. Theogony and Works and Days: A New Critical Edition . Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 2017: Musical verse translation in bilingual edition that carefully seeks to preserve the structure of the original. Includes commentary.

Powell, Barry, trans. The Poems of Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, and the Shield of Heracles . Berkeley: University of California Press, 2017: Accessible verse translation, complete with helpful annotations.