bs. Their armour was of bronze, and
their houses of bronze, and of bronze were their implements: there was
no black iron. These were destroyed by their own hands and passed to the
dank house of chill Hades, and left no name: terrible though they were,
black Death seized them, and they left the bright light of the sun.

(ll. 156-169b) But when earth had covered this generation also, Zeus
the son of Cronos made yet another, the fourth, upon the fruitful earth,
which was nobler and more righteous, a god-like race of hero-men who
are called demi-gods, the race before our own, throughout the boundless
earth. Grim war and dread battle destroyed a part of them, some in the
land of Cadmus at seven-gated Thebe when they fought for the flocks of
Oedipus, and some, when it had brought them in ships over the great sea
gulf to Troy for rich-haired Helen's sake: there death's end enshrouded
a part of them. But to the others father Zeus the son of Cronos gave a
living and an abode apart from men, and made them dwell at the ends of
earth. And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands of the blessed
along the shore of deep swirling Ocean, happy heroes for whom the
grain-giving earth bears honey-sweet fruit flourishing thrice a year,
far from the deathless gods, and Cronos rules over them [1305]; for
the father of men and gods released him from his bonds. And these last
equally have honour and glory.

(ll. 169c-169d) And again far-seeing Zeus made yet another generation,
the fifth, of men who are upon the bounteous earth.

(ll. 170-201) Thereafter, would that I were not among the men of the
fifth generation, but either had died before or been born afterwards.
For now truly is a race of iron, and men never rest from labour and
sorrow by day, and from perishing by night; and the gods shall lay sore
trouble upon them. But, notwithstanding, even these shall have some good
mingled with their evils. And Zeus will destroy this race of mortal
men also when they come to have grey hair on the temples at their birth
[1306]. The father will not agree with his children, nor the children
with their father, nor guest with his host, nor comrade with comrade;
nor will brother be dear to brother as aforetime. Men will dishonour
their parents as they grow quickly old, and will carp at them, chiding
them with bitter words, hard-hearted they, not knowing the fear of the
gods. They will not repay their aged parents the cost their nurture, for
might shall