Certamen consists of four parts: the life of Homer; the contest between Hesiod and Homer; the death of Hesiod; the death of Homer. About the contest of the poets (agon proper) it is written in Certamen, that:
1a. The contest took place in Aulis, Boiotia.
1b. Homer and Hesiod competed at the funeral games of Amphidamas in Chalkis, on Euboia. Hesiod asked Homer a number of questions and gave him riddles to solve. Homer answered in skilful and clever improvisations, which made the audience consider him better and worthy of victory. Then Panedes, brother of Amphidamas, who among other stately Chalkidians belonged to the judges, asked the poets to recite a passage which they considered the most beautiful of their poetry. Hesiod presented a part of the Works and Days (383 ff.), and Homer chose a passage from the Iliad (13.126–133, 339–344). Despite the judgement of the audience, once more giving victory to Homer, Panedes still declared Hesiod the winner by saying that victory belonged to the poet who was calling people for farming and peace, not for wars and killing.
Homer and Hesiod competed at the funeral games of king Amphidamas on Euboia. They made each other improvise and answer plenty of various questions, and Homer was considered better by the audience. Then, after the poets had recited the most beautiful passage of their poetry in answer to the request of king Panedes, brother of Alcidamas, and the audience had once more preferred Homer to Hesiod, the jury led by Panedes and Ganyktor still gave the victory to Hesiod whose passage had propagated peace and cultivation of land.
Certamen
Maarit Kivilo
Studia Humaniora Tartuensia, vol. 1 (2000)
Abstract
Certamen consists of four parts: the life of Homer; the contest between Hesiod and Homer; the death of Hesiod; the death of Homer. About the contest of the poets (agon proper) it is written in Certamen, that:
1a. The contest took place in Aulis, Boiotia.
1b. Homer and Hesiod competed at the funeral games of Amphidamas in Chalkis, on Euboia. Hesiod asked Homer a number of questions and gave him riddles to solve. Homer answered in skilful and clever improvisations, which made the audience consider him better and worthy of victory. Then Panedes, brother of Amphidamas, who among other stately Chalkidians belonged to the judges, asked the poets to recite a passage which they considered the most beautiful of their poetry. Hesiod presented a part of the Works and Days (383 ff.), and Homer chose a passage from the Iliad (13.126–133, 339–344). Despite the judgement of the audience, once more giving victory to Homer, Panedes still declared Hesiod the winner by saying that victory belonged to the poet who was calling people for farming and peace, not for wars and killing.
Homer and Hesiod competed at the funeral games of king Amphidamas on Euboia. They made each other improvise and answer plenty of various questions, and Homer was considered better by the audience. Then, after the poets had recited the most beautiful passage of their poetry in answer to the request of king Panedes, brother of Alcidamas, and the audience had once more preferred Homer to Hesiod, the jury led by Panedes and Ganyktor still gave the victory to Hesiod whose passage had propagated peace and cultivation of land.
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