Couverture fascicule

Hesiod's treatment of wealth

[article]

doc-ctrl/global/pdfdoc-ctrl/global/pdf
doc-ctrl/global/textdoc-ctrl/global/textdoc-ctrl/global/imagedoc-ctrl/global/imagedoc-ctrl/global/zoom-indoc-ctrl/global/zoom-indoc-ctrl/global/zoom-outdoc-ctrl/global/zoom-outdoc-ctrl/global/bookmarkdoc-ctrl/global/bookmarkdoc-ctrl/global/resetdoc-ctrl/global/reset
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
Page 97

HESIOD'S TREATMENT OF WEALTH

The purpose of this paper is to présent Hesiod's relationship and attitude to weaith and his thoughts about it. It is commonly assumed that he wrote the Works and Days to teach his contemporaries how to be good farmers or even sailors, and that in the Theogony he offered them a systematic theology.

Such a view is misleading and does not do justice to Hesiod in certain respects. First of ail, Hesiod's claims to be regàrded as a great poet is rejected by the majority of scholars, and secondly, whatever interest he arouses is occasional and indirect, e.g. to the extent that his works throw light on problems relating to Homer. During more récent years, since Homeric studies hâve concentrated on the techniques of oral composition, some philologists hâve turned to Hesiod to study 'Homeric' composition. So we learn that Hesiod too composed - some say wrote down - his poems using formulae and drawing from a traditional stock, like Homer. But some go even further and argue that Hesiod was so bound to his material that he could not control it, so that there are many deficiencies and gaps in his work, mainly in joining the separate parts. The lack of unity, especially in the Works and Days, is almost assumed by the majority of thèse scholars who hâve dealt with the question1. But I think the greater reason is on the side of the few exceptions.

* This paper, though modified, in substance remains as it was delivered before the Cambridge Hellenic Society on December llth, 1982, being a simplified form of the much larger chapter on Hesiod in my London doctoral thesis Weaith and Society in Early Greek Literature (1982).

I acknowledge with gratitude the encouragement of Dr. A.J. Gossage in preparing this paper and his suggestions for its improvement; he of course carries no responsibility for whatever blemishes remain.

1 . E. Havelock, «Thoughtful Hesiod» ( YCS, 20 Homeric studies, 1966, 59-72) p. 66 ;

doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw
doc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-ccw doc-ctrl/page/rotate-cwdoc-ctrl/page/rotate-cw