Quotes from book
Works and Days

Name: Works and Days
Author: Hesiod

Hesiod Original title Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι

The Works and Days is a didactic poem of some 800 lines written by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod around 700 BC. At its center, the Works and Days is a farmer's almanac in which Hesiod instructs his brother Perses in the agricultural arts.

“The generation of the man who swears truly is better thenceforward.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 285.

“He is a fool who tries to withstand the stronger, for he does not get the mastery and suffers pain besides his shame.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 210.

“Only when he has suffered does the fool learn.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 218.

“Potter bears a grudge against potter, and craftsman against craftsman, and beggar is envious of beggar, and bard of bard.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 25.

“For in misery men grow old quickly.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 93.

“If you should put even a little on a little, and should do this often, soon this too would become big.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Variant translation: If thou shouldst lay up even a little upon a little, and shouldst do this often, soon would even this become great.
Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 361.

“Let it please thee to keep in order a moderate-sized farm, that so thy garners may be full of fruits in their season.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 304.

“Do not put your work off till to-morrow and the day after; for a sluggish worker does not fill his barn, nor one who puts off his work: industry makes work go well, but a man who puts off work is always at hand-grips with ruin.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 410.

“Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), line 694.

“He harms himself who does harm to another, and the evil plan is most harmful to the planner.”

Hesiod book Works and Days

οἷ γ᾽ αὐτῷ κακὰ τεύχει ἀνὴρ ἄλλῳ κακὰ τεύχων
ἡ δὲ κακὴ βουλὴ τῷ βουλεύσαντι κακίστη.
The man who does evil to another does evil to himself, and the evil counsel is most evil for him who counsels it.
He for himself weaves woe who weaves for others woe,
and evil counsel recoils on the counsellor. https://archive.org/stream/b24865898#page/432/mode/2up
Source: Works and Days (c. 700 BC), lines 265-266