A new verse translation by award-winning poet Alicia Stallings of one
of the foundational works of ancient Greece
TLS BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2018, selected by Rachel Hadas and Emily
Wilson
The ancient Greeks revered Hesiod, believing he had beaten Homer in a
singing contest and that after his dead body was thrown to sea, it was
brought back by dolphins. His Works and Days is one of the most
important early works of Greek poetry. Ostensibly written by the poet to
chide his lazy brother, it recounts the story of Pandora's box and
humanity's decline since the Golden Age, and can be read as a
celebration of rural life and a hymn to work. Alicia Stallings's new
translation breathes new life into Hesiod's work, rendering its vivid
poetry for a new generation of classics readers.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
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notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
