Where did Hesiod live and what was his family background?
Hesiod lived in Ascra, a hamlet near Thespiae in Boeotia. His father migrated from Cyme in Aeolis to settle there around 750 BC or shortly after.
Questions about Hesiod
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What are the main themes of Theogony by Hesiod?
The Theogony traces the origins of the world and lineages of all Greek gods leading up to Zeus's rise to power. It contains earliest known versions of myths involving Pandora Prometheus and the Golden Age that influenced Western thought for millennia.
When was Works and Days written and what does it teach about labor?
Works and Days spans over 800 lines revolving around two general truths: labor is universal lot of man but he who works will get by. The poem lays out five ages of man starting with golden period when life was easy followed by steady decline through silver bronze and iron ages.
Who were the oldest poets considered by Greeks in late fifth century BC?
Greeks in late fifth and early fourth centuries BC considered Orpheus Musaeus Hesiod and Homer to be their oldest poets in that order. Most scholars today agree with Homer's priority but good arguments exist on either side regarding chronological placement.
Which three works have survived which ancient commentators attributed to Hesiod?
Three works have survived which ancient commentators attributed to Hesiod: Works and Days Theogony and Shield of Heracles. Only fragments exist of other poems once credited to him though numerous others were ascribed during antiquity forming what scholars call the Hesiodic corpus.