THEOGONY: The origin of the gods and the creation of the world, the struggles and conflicts for cosmic order after Zeus's supremacy. The first attempt to systematize Greek mythology.

WORKS AND DAYS: Prompted by the quarrel with his brother Perses, the poet criticizes injustice, praises justice, and idealizes work. With many moral advice, a wealth of information, folkloric and ethical details, the work highlights the world of poor farmers and sailors, their daily lives, and their hardships.

SHIELD OF HERACLES: Description of Heracles' shield and the hero's duel with the Swan. Hesiod, the father of didactic epic, lived in the late 8th - early 7th century BC. The scant information about him comes from his work (the first poet in Europe to mention himself in his writing) and ancient tradition. He was born in Ascra, Boeotia, where he lived a rural life.