omer, son of Meles, inspired with wisdom from heaven, come, tell me
first what is best for mortal man?'

HOMER: 'For men on earth 'tis best never to be born at all; or being
born, to pass through the gates of Hades with all speed.'

Hesiod then asked again:

'Come, tell me now this also, godlike Homer: what think you in your
heart is most delightsome to men?'

Homer answered:

'When mirth reigns throughout the town, and feasters about the house,
sitting in order, listen to a minstrel; when the tables beside them are
laden with bread and meat, and a wine-bearer draws sweet drink from
the mixing-bowl and fills the cups: this I think in my heart to be most
delightsome.'

It is said that when Homer had recited these verses, they were so
admired by the Greeks as to be called golden by them, and that even now
at public sacrifices all the guests solemnly recite them before feasts
and libations. Hesiod, however, was annoyed by Homer's felicity and
hurried on to pose him with hard questions. He therefore began with the
following lines:

'Come, Muse; sing not to me of things that are, or that shall be, or
that were of old; but think of another song.'

Then Homer, wishing to escape from the impasse by an apt answer,
replied:--

'Never shall horses with clattering hoofs break chariots, striving for
victory about the tomb of Zeus.'

Here again Homer had fairly met Hesiod, and so the latter turned to
sentences of doubtful meaning [3702]: he recited many lines and required
Homer to complete the sense of each appropriately. The first of the
following verses is Hesiod's and the next Homer's: but sometimes Hesiod
puts his question in two lines.

HESIOD: 'Then they dined on the flesh of oxen and their horses' necks--'

HOMER: 'They unyoked dripping with sweat, when they had had enough of
war.'

HESIOD: 'And the Phrygians, who of all men are handiest at ships--'

HOMER: 'To filch their dinner from pirates on the beach.'

HESIOD: 'To shoot forth arrows against the tribes of cursed giants with
his hands--'

HOMER: 'Heracles unslung his curved bow from his shoulders.'

HESIOD: 'This man is the son of a brave father and a weakling--'

HOMER: 'Mother; for war is too stern for any woman.'

HESIOD: 'But for you, your father and lady mother lay in love--'

HOMER: 'When they begot you by the aid of golden Aphrodite.'

HESIOD: 'But when she had been made subject in love, Artemis, who
delights in arrows--'

HOMER: 'Slew C