Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
O Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2773 (14th cent.).
P Cambridge, Trinity College (Gale MS.), O.9.27 (13th-14th cent.).
Q Rome, Vatican 1332 (14th cent.).
These MSS. are divided by Rzach into the following families, issuing
from a common original:—
Ωa = C
Ωb = F, G, H
Ψa = D
Ψb = I ,K, L, M
Φa = E
Φb = N, O, P, Q
_Theogony:_—
N Manchester, Rylands GK. Papyri No. 54 (1st cent. B.C.—1st cent.
A.D.).
O Oxyrhynchus Papyri 873 (3rd cent.).
A Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Graec. (papyrus) 1099 (4th-5th cent.).
B London, British Museam clix (4th cent.).
R Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-9 (4th cent.).
C Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.).
D Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.).
E Florence, Laur., Conv. suppr. 158 (14th cent.).
F Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833 (15th cent.).
G Rome, Vatican 915 (14th cent.).
H Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2772 (14th cent.).
I Florence, Laur. xxxi 32 (15th cent.).
K Venice, Marc. ix 6 (15th cent.).
L Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2708 (15th cent.).
These MSS. are divided into two families:
Ωa = C,D
Ωb = E, F
Ωc = G, H, I
Ψ = K, L
_Shield of Heracles:_—
P Oxyrhynchus Papyri 689 (2nd cent.).
A Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-29 (4th cent.).
Q Berlin Papyri, 9774 (1st cent.).
B Paris, Bibl. Nat., Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.).
C Paris, Bibl. Nat., Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.).
D Milan, Ambros. C 222 (13th cent.).
E Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.).
F Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2773 (14th cent.).
G Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2772 (14th cent.).
H Florence, Laur. xxxi 32 (15th cent.).
I London, British Museam Harleianus (14th cent.).
K Rome, Bibl. Casanat. 356 (14th cent.)
L Florence, Laur. Conv. suppr. 158 (14th cent.).
M Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833 (15th cent.).
These MSS. belong to two families:
Ωa = B, C, D, F
Ωb = G, H, I
Ψa = E
Ψb = K, L, M
To these must be added two MSS. of mixed family:
N Venice, Marc. ix 6 (14th cent.).
O Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2708 (15th cent.).
_Editions of Hesiod:_—
Demetrius Chalcondyles, Milan (?) 1493 (?) (_editio princeps_,
containing, however, only the _Works and Days_).
Aldus Manutius (Aldine edition), Venice, 1495 (complete works).
Juntine Editions, 1515 and 1540.
Trincavelli, Venice, 1537 (with scholia).
Of modern editions, the following may be noticed:—
Gaisford, Oxford, 1814-1820; Leipzig, 1823 (with scholia: in Poett.
Graec. Minn II).
Goettling, Gotha, 1831 (3rd edition. Leipzig, 1878).
Didot Edition, Paris, 1840.
Schömann, 1869.
Koechly and Kinkel, Leipzig, 1870.
Flach, Leipzig, 1874-8.
Rzach, Leipzig, 1902 (larger edition), 1913 (smaller edition).
On the Hesiodic poems generally the ordinary Histories of Greek
Literature may be consulted, but especially the _Hist. de la
Littérature Grecque_ I pp. 459 ff. of MM. Croiset. The summary account
in Prof. Murray’s _Anc. Gk. Lit._ is written with a strong sceptical
bias. Very valuable is the appendix to Mair’s translation (Oxford,
1908) on _The Farmer’s Year in Hesiod_. Recent work on the Hesiodic
poems is reviewed in full by Rzach in Bursian’s _Jahresberichte_ vols.
100 (1899) and 152 (1911).
For the _Fragments_ of Hesiodic poems the work of Markscheffel,
_Hesiodi Fragmenta_ (Leipzig, 1840), is most valuable: important also
is Kinkel’s _Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta_ I (Leipzig, 1877) and the
editions of Rzach noticed above. For recently discovered papyrus
fragments see Wilamowitz, _Neue Bruchstücke d. Hesiod Katalog_
(Sitzungsb. der k. preuss. Akad. fur Wissenschaft, 1900, pp. 839-851).
A list of papyri belonging to lost Hesiodic works may here be added:
all are the _Catalogues_.
1) Berlin Papyri 7497 1201 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 7.
2) _Oxyrhynchus Papyri_ 421 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 7.
3) _Petrie Papyri_ iii 3.—Frag. 14.
4) _Papiri greci e latine_, No. 130 (2nd-3rd cent.).—Frag. 14.
5) Strassburg Papyri, 55 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 58.
6) Berlin Papyri 9739 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 58.
7) Berlin Papyri 10560 (3rd cent.).—Frag. 58.
8) Berlin Papyri 9777 (4th cent.).—Frag. 98.
9) _Papiri greci e latine_, No. 131 (2nd-3rd cent.).—Frag. 99.
10) Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358-9.
_The Homeric Hymns:_—The text of the Homeric hymns is distinctly bad in
condition, a fact which may be attributed to the general neglect under
which they seem to have laboured at all periods previously to the
Revival of Learning. Very many defects have been corrected by the
various editions of the Hymns, but a considerable number still defy all
efforts; and especially an abnormal number of undoubted lacuna
disfigure the text. Unfortunately no papyrus fragment of the Hymns has
yet emerged, though one such fragment (_Berl. Klassikertexte_ v.1. pp.
7 ff.) contains a paraphrase of a poem very closely parallel to the
_Hymn to Demeter_.
The mediaeval MSS. 1202 are thus enumerated by Dr. T.W. Allen:—
A Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2763.
At Athos, Vatopedi 587.
B Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2765.
C Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833.
Γ Brussels, Bibl. Royale 11377-11380 (16th cent.).
D Milan, Amrbos. B 98 sup.
E Modena, Estense iii E 11.
G Rome, Vatican, Regina 91 (16th cent.).
H London, British Mus. Harley 1752.
J Modena, Estense, ii B 14.
K Florence, Laur. 31, 32.
L Florence, Laur. 32, 45.
L2 Florence, Laur. 70, 35.
L3 Florence, Laur. 32, 4.
M Leyden (the Moscow MS.) 33 H (14th cent.).
Mon. Munich, Royal Lib. 333 c.
N Leyden, 74 c.
O Milan, Ambros. C 10 inf.
P Rome, Vatican Pal. graec. 179.
Π Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. graec. 1095.
Q Milan, Ambros. S 31 sup.
R1 Florence, Bibl. Riccard. 53 K ii 13.
R2 Florence, Bibl. Riccard. 52 K ii 14.
S Rome, Vatican, Vaticani graec. 1880.
T Madrid, Public Library 24.
V Venice, Marc. 456.
The same scholar has traced all the MSS. back to a common parent from
which three main families are derived (M had a separate descent and is
not included in any family):—
x1 = E, T
x2 = L, Π,(and more remotely) At, D, S, H, J, K.
y = E, L, Π, T (marginal readings).
p = A, B, C, Γ, G, L2, L3, N, O, P, Q, R1, R2, V, Mon.
_Editions of the Homeric Hymns_, &c.
Demetrius Chalcondyles, Florence, 1488 (with the _Epigrams_ and the
_Battle of the Frogs and Mice_ in the _ed. pr._ of Homer).
Aldine Edition, Venice, 1504.
Juntine Edition, 1537.
Stephanus, Paris, 1566 and 1588.
More modern editions or critical works of value are:
Martin (Variarum Lectionum libb. iv), Paris, 1605.
Barnes, Cambridge, 1711.
Ruhnken, Leyden, 1782 (Epist. Crit. and _Hymn to Demeter_).
Ilgen, Halle, 1796 (with _Epigrams_ and the _Battle of the Frogs and
Mice_).
Matthiae, Leipzig, 1806 (with the _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_).
Hermann, Berling, 1806 (with _Epigrams_).
Franke, Leipzig, 1828 (with _Epigrams_ and the _Battle of the Frogs and
Mice_).
Dindorff (Didot edition), Paris, 1837.
Baumeister (_Battle of the Frogs and Mice_), Göttingen, 1852.
Baumeister (_Hymns_), Leipzig, 1860.
Gemoll, Leipzig, 1886.
Goodwin, Oxford, 1893.
Ludwich (_Battle of the Frogs and Mice_), 1896.
Allen and Sikes, London, 1904.
Allen (Homeri Opera v), Oxford, 1912.
Of these editions that of Messrs Allen and Sikes is by far the best:
not only is the text purged of the load of conjectures for which the
frequent obscurities of the Hymns offer a special opening, but the
Introduction and the Notes throughout are of the highest value. For a
full discussion of the MSS. and textual problems, reference must be
made to this edition, as also to Dr. T.W. Allen’s series of articles in
the _Journal of Hellenic Studies_ vols. xv ff. Among translations those
of J. Edgar (Edinburgh), 1891) and of Andrew Lang (London, 1899) may be
mentioned.
_The Epic Cycle_.
The fragments of the Epic Cycle, being drawn from a variety of authors,
no list of MSS. can be given. The following collections and editions
may be mentioned:—
Muller, Leipzig, 1829.
Dindorff (Didot edition of Homer), Paris, 1837-56.
Kinkel (Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta i), Leipzig, 1877.
Allen (Homeri Opera v), Oxford, 1912.
The fullest discussion of the problems and fragments of the epic cycle
is F.G. Welcker’s _der epische Cyclus_ (Bonn, vol. i, 1835: vol. ii,
1849: vol. i, 2nd edition, 1865). The Appendix to Monro’s _Homer’s
Odyssey_ xii-xxiv (pp. 340 ff.) deals with the Cyclic poets in relation
to Homer, and a clear and reasonable discussion of the subject is to be
found in Croiset’s _Hist. de la Littérature Grecque_, vol. i.
On Hesiod, the Hesiodic poems and the problems which these offer see
Rzach’s most important article “Hesiodos” in Pauly-Wissowa,
_Real-Encyclopädie_ xv (1912).
A discussion of the evidence for the date of Hesiod is to be found in
_Journ. Hell. Stud._ xxxv, 85 ff. (T.W. Allen).
Of translations of Hesiod the following may be noticed:—_The Georgicks
of Hesiod_, by George Chapman, London, 1618; _The Works of Hesiod
translated from the Greek_, by Thomas Coocke, London, 1728; _The
Remains of Hesiod translated from the Greek into English Verse_, by
Charles Abraham Elton; _The Works of Hesiod, Callimachus, and
Theognis_, by the Rev. J. Banks, M.A.; “Hesiod”, by Prof. James Mair,
Oxford, 19081203.
HESIOD
HESIOD’S WORKS AND DAYS
(ll. 1-10) Muses of Pieria who give glory through song, come hither,
tell of Zeus your father and chant his praise. Through him mortal men
are famed or un-famed, sung or unsung alike, as great Zeus wills. For
easily he makes strong, and easily he brings the strong man low; easily
he humbles the proud and raises the obscure, and easily he straightens
the crooked and blasts the proud,—Zeus who thunders aloft and has his
dwelling most high.
Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with
righteousness. And I, Perses, would tell of true things.
(ll. 11-24) So, after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but
all over the earth there are two. As for the one, a man would praise
her when he came to understand her; but the other is blameworthy: and
they are wholly different in nature. For one fosters evil war and
battle, being cruel: her no man loves; but perforce, through the will
of the deathless gods, men pay harsh Strife her honour due. But the
other is the elder daughter of dark Night, and the son of Cronos who
sits above and dwells in the aether, set her in the roots of the earth:
and she is far kinder to men. She stirs up even the shiftless to toil;
for a man grows eager to work when he considers his neighbour, a rich
man who hastens to plough and plant and put his house in good order;
and neighbour vies with his neighbour as he hurries after wealth. This
Strife is wholesome for men. And potter is angry with potter, and
craftsman with craftsman, and beggar is jealous of beggar, and minstrel
of minstrel.
(ll. 25-41) Perses, lay up these things in your heart, and do not let
that Strife who delights in mischief hold your heart back from work,
while you peep and peer and listen to the wrangles of the court-house.
Little concern has he with quarrels and courts who has not a year’s
victuals laid up betimes, even that which the earth bears, Demeter’s
grain. When you have got plenty of that, you can raise disputes and
strive to get another’s goods. But you shall have no second chance to
deal so again: nay, let us settle our dispute here with true judgement
divided our inheritance, but you seized the greater share and carried
it off, greatly swelling the glory of our bribe-swallowing lords who
love to judge such a cause as this. Fools! They know not how much more
the half is than the whole, nor what great advantage there is in mallow
and asphodel 1301.