Episode 15: The Poet of the Helots

In “The Poet of the Helots”, Pascoli presents Hesiod, the ancient Greek poet, as the voice of the humble and the oppressed, in contrast to Homer, who glorifies war in the Iliad. The Helots, the subjugated class of Sparta, become symbolic of all those who toil in silence, contributing to the functioning of society. Through evocative imagery and direct quotations from Hesiod’s works, Pascoli portrays the ancient Greek poet as the voice which sings not only of the birth of the universe, but also of labour, hardship, and the dignity of everyday existence. The poem thus offers a powerful meditation on the the value of unseen lives, bridging ancient themes with contemporary social concerns.

In this episode, Elena Borelli discusses “The Poet of the Helots” with Helen Van Noorden. The two parts of the poems start at minute 7.22 and minute 22.48, respectively.

From Giovanni Pascoli, Convivial Poems. Translated by Elena Borelli & James Ackhurst. New York: Italica Press, 2022. Copyright 2022 by Elena Borelli & James Ackhurst. Used by permission of Italica Press.