Final answer:
In Hesiod's 'Works and Days,' women are considered useful in their domestic roles and participation in fertility rites, particularly during the Thesmophoria festival which celebrated and aimed to ensure the fertility of the land and people.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Hesiod's Works and Days, the one way that women are useful is through their roles in maintaining the household and in fertility rites. Women in ancient Greece had specific roles, often confined to the private sphere. While Athenian women mainly managed domestic responsibilities, in other parts of Greece like Sparta, women had more freedom and could manage family businesses, especially while the men were away.
Additionally, during certain festivals like Thesmophoria, women engaged in activities that ensured the fertility of the land and their families. During the Thesmophoria, the concern for fertility was symbolic, as women abstained from sexual activities and performed rituals to honor Demeter, the goddess associated with agriculture and fertility.