A Word with Hesiod (2)

Now in these circumstances, you must plead guilty to one of three charges.

Either the alleged promise of the Muses to disclose the future to you was never given, and you are—excuse the expression— a liar: or it was given, and fulfilled, but you, niggard, have quietly pocketed the information, and refuse to impart it to them that have need: or, thirdly, you ave composed a number of prophetic works, but have not yet given them to the world; they are reserved for some more suitable occasion. I do not presume to suggest, as a fourth possibility, that the Muses have only fulfilled half of their promise, and revoked the other,— which, observe, is recorded first in your poem.