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Justice
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The portion of Hesiod’s Works and Days cited in the
title of this article is traditionally interpreted as consisting of four
distinct, or even disparate, sections, the “myth of five ages” (or of five
“races” for those who recognize the correct reference of the Greek word), vv.
106-201; a “fable” of a hawk and a nightingale, 202-12; a quasi-theory of
“justice,” 203-85; and a series of maxims on personal and social behavior,
286-380. It is thought that the “myth”
of the first section explains the need for justice in the same way that the
preceding myth of Prometheus and Pandora, ending at 105, explains the need for
work. The article is a commentary on
these pieces from the guiding point of view that, rather, they form a coherent
whole after 108 (with 106-8 constituting a transition segment), which indeed is
concerned with justice throughout. Some
features of the treatment are: the need for work is fully included in the
passage, rendering Prometheus/Pandora either redundant or for some other
purpose; the past races of 109-73 are narrated from an impulse that is properly
historical, not mythological; the present race, 173-201, forms a distinct
narrative of the nature of a prophecy; and the maxims of 286-380 constitute the
implementation of justice in practice.
