Hesiod
Hesiod
Hesiodwas a Greek poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. He is generally regarded as the first written poet in the Western tradition to regard himself as an individual persona with an active role to play in his subject. Ancient authors credited Hesiod and Homer with establishing Greek religious customs. Modern scholars refer to him as a major source on Greek mythology, farming techniques, early economic thought,...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPoet
work laziness shame
Work is not a shame. Laziness is a shame.
land cities people
But they who give straight judgements to strangers and to those of the land and do not transgress what is just, for them the city flourishes and its people prosper.
gains ruins equal
Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin.
kings people evil
So the people will pay the penalty for their kings' presumption, who, by devising evil, turn justice from her path with tortuous speech.
mean moments all-things
Preserve the mean; the opportune moment is best in all things.
success loss gains
Do not seek dishonest gains: dishonest gains are losses.
bent
He's only harming himself who's bent upon harming another
worst-enemy disorder humans
It is best to do things systematically, since we are only human, and disorder is our worst enemy.
stupidity fool knows
The fool knows after he has suffered.
sisterhood sorrow age
Whoever, fleeing marriage and the sorrows that women cause, does not wish to wed comes to a deadly old age.
procrastination men hands
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.
blessing neighbor good-neighbor
A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing.
wise men pondering
That man is best who sees the truth himself. Good too is he who listens to wise counsel. But who is neither wise himself nor willing to ponder wisdom is not worth a straw.
giving
Giving is good, but taking is bad and brings death.