Advice to the Farmer 23 



better way. As the proverb says * half is more than the whole.' Perses 

 is treated to much good advice, the gist of which is first and foremost 

 an exhortation 1 to work (e/oyafeu), that is, work on the land, in which 

 is the source of honourable wealth. Personal labour is clearly meant : 

 it is in the sweat 2 of his brow that the farmer is to thrive. Such is the 

 ordinance of the gods. Man is meant to resemble 8 the worker bee, not 

 the worthless drone. It is not epyov but idleness (depyirj) that is a 

 reproach. Get wealth 4 by working, and the idler will want to rival you: 

 honour and glory attend on wealth. Avoid delays 5 and vain talk : the 

 procrastinator is never sure of a living ; for he is always hoping, when 

 he should act. Whether sowing or ploughing or mowing, off with your 

 outer 6 garment, if you mean to get your farm-duties done in due season. 

 The farmer must rise early, and never get behindhand with his work : to 

 be in time, and never caught napping by changes of weather, is his duty. 



Here is a picture of humble and strenuous life, very different from 

 the scenes portrayed in the 'heroic' epics. It seems to belong to a later 

 and less warlike age. But the economic and social side of life is in 

 many respects little changed. The free handicraftsmen seem much 

 the same. Jealousy of rivals 7 in the same trade potter, carpenter, 

 beggar, or bard is a touch that attests their freedom. The smith, the 

 weaver, the shoemaker, and the shipwright, are mentioned 8 also. Sea- 

 faring 9 for purposes of gain illustrates what men will dare in quest of 

 wealth. You should not cast a man's poverty 10 in his teeth : but do not 

 fancy that men will give you 11 of their store, if you and your family fall 

 into poverty. Clearly the beggar is not more welcome than he was in 

 the world of the Odyssey. Suppliant and stranger are protected 12 by 

 religion, and a man should honour his aged father, if he would see good 

 days. A motive suggested for careful service of the gods is ' that you 

 may buy another's estate 13 and not another buy yours ' that is, that 

 the gods may give you increase. Just so you should keep a watch-dog, 

 that thieves 14 may not steal your goods by night. Hesiod's farmer is to 

 keep the social and religious rules and usages but he is before all 

 things a keen man of business, no Roman more so. 



The labour employed by this close-fisted countryman is partly free 

 partly slave. In a passage 16 of which the exact rendering is disputed 

 the hired man (O^ra) and woman (epiOov) are mentioned as a matter 

 of course. For a helper (av&pl </>tX&>) 16 his wage must be secure (apKios) 

 as stipulated. References to slaves (fytwe?) 17 are more frequent, and 



1 298-9, 397-8. 2 289-90. 3 303-5. 4 308-13. 



5 410-3, 500-1, 554 foil, 576 foil. 6 391. 7 25-6. 



8 493, 538, 544, 809. 9 686. 10 717-8. n 394-400. 



12 3*7-34- 13 34i. 14 605. 16 602-3. 



16 37o. 17 459> 469-71, 502-3, 559-60, 573, 597-8, 607-8, 765-7. 



