Theogony - Shintouki (English spelling) Theogonia

An epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. It was one of his earliest works, written after he was inspired by the Muses on Mount Helicon and became aware of himself as a poet. The theme of this work is the origin and genealogy of the countless gods who have a strong influence on humans, including not only the Olympian gods and local spirits, but also the sea, mountains, heaven, and stars, as well as pain, labor, hunger, and conflict; in other words, it sings, speaks, and explains the entire process of the creation of an orderly world ruled by Zeus, from the origin of the universe, Chaos. This work is a theory on the creation of the gods (theogony) as well as a theory on the creation of the universe (cosmogony), and is of great significance in the formation of later Greek philosophy. It shows the poet's original thinking, but it is also thought to have been heavily influenced by ancient Eastern thought.

[Yoichi Hirokawa]

"Theogony" translated by Hirokawa Yoichi (Iwanami Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代ギリシアの詩人ヘシオドスの叙事詩。ヘリコン山でミューズの霊感を受け、詩人の自覚を得た彼の最初期の作品。この作品の主題は、オリンポスの神々、地方の神霊のみならず、海、山、天、星辰(せいしん)、さらに苦痛、労苦、飢餓、争いなど、人間に強い影響を及ぼす無数の神々の起源と系譜、いいかえれば、宇宙の始源カオスからゼウスの支配する秩序世界成立の全過程を歌い、語り、説き明かすことにあった。この作品は神々の生成論(テオゴニアー)であるとともに宇宙生成論(コスモゴニアー)としての一面をもち、後のギリシア哲学の形成にとっても重要な意味をもつ。詩人の独創的思索力をうかがわせるが、古代東方思想の影響も多いと考えられている。

［廣川洋一］

『廣川洋一訳『神統記』（岩波文庫）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例