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Animal Rights History Timeline » [BCE-CE] Antiquity » Hesiod

Hesiod

Works and Days

Book 1 - Book 2 - Book 3

[8th C. BCE] Hesiod, Works and Days in The Works of Hesiod, translated from the Greek by Mr. Cooke (London, 1728; Facsimile Reprint Edition, New York, 1976; Online at Animal Rights History, 2006).

How great the Pleasure wholesome Herbs afford,
How bless'd the frugal, and an honest, Board !
Would the immortal Gods on Men bestow
A Mind, how few the Wants of Life to Know,
They all the Year, from Labour free, might live
On what the Bounty of a Day would give;
They soon the rudder o'er the Smoke would lay,
And let the Mule, and O, at Leisure stray.
(Book 1, Lines 45-52)

And the first Age they stile an Age of Gold.
Men spent a Life like Gods in Saturn's Reign,
Nor felt their Mind a Care, nor Body Pain;
the Fields, as yet untill'd, their Fruits afford,
And fill a sumptuous, and unenvy'd Board.
From Labour free they all Delights enjoy,
Nor could the Ills of Time their Peace destroy
(Book 1, Lines 150-7)

The Golden Age's Virtues are no more;
Nature grows weaker than she was before
(Book 1, Lines 192-3)

And now a third, a Brasen, People rise,
Unlike the former, Men of monstrous Size.
Strong Arms extensive from their Shoulders grow;
Their Limbs of equal Magnitude below;
Potent in Arms, and dreadful at the Spear,
They live injurious, and devoid of Fear.
On the crude Flesh of Beasts, they feed, alone,
Savage their Nature, and their Hearts of Stone;
Their Houses Brass, of Brass the warlike Blade,
Iron was yet unknown, in Brass they trade.
Furious, robust, impatient for the Fight,
War is their only Care, and sole Delight.
To the dark Shades of Death this Race descend,
By civil Discords; and ignoble End !
Strong tho they were, Death quell'd their boasted Might,
And forc'd their stubborn Souls to leave the Light,
(Book 1, Lines 194-209)