Hesiod's Theogony (The Theoi in Translation)

It’s no coincidence that the oldest human stories which survive to us are almost all about the origins of the world we live in. The human condition is to be trapped in the present moment, pulled inexorably to the future, and to be unable to ever take one’s eyes off the past. Thus, our only place to begin is at the beginning.Such is the case with Hesiod’s Theogony. A work which some argue to be the oldest surviving Greek poem—with obvious Mesopotamian influences adding another millennium at least—Hesiod’s telling of the birth of the gods has inspired countless creations of mortal humans. Whether it was Aeschylus’ questioning of theodicy in Prometheus Bound, Ovid’s telling of the formation of the world in his Metamorphoses, or Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Hesiod’s impact is felt everywhere. Today, some scholars see the beginnings of philosophy and perhaps even science in Hesiod’s work, which is to say nothing of the poetics which allow for the work to remain popular millenia after its composition.Hesiod invites us to ponder the world we live in. How did we get here? Where even is ‘here’? What is ‘here’? Who are ‘we’? Where are we going? Two and a half millennia after Hesiod composed this work, these questions remain today, and many readers find comfort in Hesiod’s text. Whether you see reflections of existential concerns in a universe surrounded by vast Khaos, anticipations of Climate Change in a world where the Earth cries out in agony, or truth in a theological system filled with innumerable deities of both good and ill, here is a new translation of Hesiod’s Theogony, with Greek text and facing English translation. Featuring discussions on the theological system Hesiod constructs, including in-depth discussions of over a dozen deities within it, this text will be of use to Hellenists, enthusiasts of Greek mythology, and anyone who, in these uncertain times, wants to look back on where we came from to see how best we can better move forward. Read more